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“It’s okay,” I murmured.
Landon was in as the running back. I perked up. The play started and he ran, getting open. The kid had his dad’s speed.
The quarterback threw the ball, using his whole body to get some distance. The football wobbled in the air.
My breath caught as Landon paused, his little arms poised to catch it. He snatched the ball out of the air and fumbled it for a moment before tucking it into his side.
I hollered and clapped around Riley, Avery joining in with me. Eventually, Riley slapped her little hands together and grinned.
My smile froze when two other boys, both larger than Landon, charged him from each side. The three kids crashed, and Landon spun in the air before hitting the ground hard.
The stands went quiet. Landon didn’t move.
Panic flared hot in my chest and all I thought was that I had to get down there.
“Mommy’s gotta go real quick.” I shoved Riley at Avery and sprinted down the bleacher stairs. My son had to be okay.
* * *
Holden
Shit, shit, shit.
I raced Stetson to Landon’s side. The ref was already there, but he was a junior at the high school, another football player who did this as a side hustle. But he was pale and his eyes were wide.
So it wasn’t my imagination. The kid had taken an unusually hard hit.
I got to Landon’s side and crouched next to him. He started moving. My relief was only temporary.
“Was he unconscious?” I asked the ref as Stetson bent over Landon’s head.
He blinked at me, then crouched on the other side of Landon.
“Knocked out?” I pressed again.
“N-no?” The young ref looked like he was going to pass out.
Landon groaned.
I touched his shoulder. “Hey, buddy. How you feeling?”
He scrunched his face up and groaned again. Another person arrived and muscled the high schooler aside until he was forced to stand and get out of the way or topple over.
I glanced at the newcomer and was about to slide my gaze away when I froze. “Em?”
She looked up, her face creased with worry. Her eyes flared and disbelief joined the concern in her emerald irises.
“Mom?”
Our attention was snatched away. Landon pressed a foot on the ground and arched his back, a little moan leaving him.
“Where do you hurt?” she asked as she bent over him.
Mom? She hadn’t mentioned kids. But then she hadn’t mentioned much of anything. I couldn’t dwell on why it bothered me she hadn’t mentioned her kids.
“My arm,” Landon said and held it up.
Everything looked straight. Em palpated his arm and moved it through a range of motion.
