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34
Brody
Traveling for Thanksgiving was bad enough, but to then lose the game too? That really sucked. But it lit a fire under our asses. It made us angry.
We came back to Salt Lake City and rolled off several wins in a row. Big games against strong teams, like the Tennessee Titans and the Baltimore Ravens. Our defense got sloppy at times, but every other aspect of our team was clicking perfectly. Running game, passing game, special teams.
I felt like my old self again, too. During my slump, it felt like defenders were ten feet tall with lassos to throw around my legs. Now it felt more like running through a forest, deftly avoiding the stationary trees.
We were solidly in second place in our division, just two games back from the Broncos:
Broncos: 10 - 3
Stallions: 8 - 5
Chiefs: 7 - 6
Chargers: 4 - 9
Raiders: 3 - 10
It started snowing the week before Christmas. Being a California girl, Taylor wasn’t used to getting snow this time of year. She loved it.
“I can relate,” I said. We were walking Luna in the park and holding hands while the fat flakes drifted down around us. “When I moved here from Texas, I felt like I was living in a winter wonderland.”
Taylor giggled. I loved the way she laughed, and it made me want to keep her in good spirits all the time so I could hear it more.
“Luna loves it, too,” she pointed out. Up ahead, the husky dog was rolling around on her back in the snow, kicking up powder in all directions.
“You’re not kidding. She won’t want to go back inside.”
Taylor leaned up and kissed me. “I’m in no hurry.”
“Speaking of Luna,” I said, “I fly out of town tomorrow for the Miami game. Any chance you could give Luna a little play time? I’ve got the dog walker scheduled to let her out three times a day, but I know Luna’d appreciate it if you swung by, too.”
Taylor grimaced. “Maybe. My schedule is tough this weekend because I’m grading final exams and holding office hours before the semester ends.”
“Ah, don’t sweat it,” I said. “Sometimes I forget you’re a bigshot professor lady.”
She clung to my arm and leaned closer. “Does it intimidate you?”
“Hell yeah it does!” I said, which drew another one of her adorable giggles.
As we walked along in the snow, I thought about how happy I was with her. It was shocking. I didn’t know I could ever feel this good. This complete. It was like I had been spending my entire life looking at a nearly-finished jigsaw puzzle, and had suddenly found the final piece to finish it. And the crazy thing was that I didn’t even know a piece was missing until now.
I’m falling in love with her, I realized. I just hope she feels the same.
I hated keeping it a secret. I wanted everyone to know that I was her boyfriend, and that she was my girl. I wanted to take her to official parties, or out to dinner at a nice restaurant where I didn’t have to wear my hoodie up.
But I respected her cheerleading gig. I didn’t want to jeopardize that. If only there were a way to placate Isabella…
The next day, while driving to the airport, I called my agent. “You sure there’s no way we can convince Adidas to endorse her, too?”
My agent made a disgruntled noise on the phone. “Brody, I’m telling you. I tried. They laughed in my face. They aren’t interested in endorsing cheerleaders, especially not after signing such a big contract with you. Why do you care, anyway? Aren’t you and Isabella broken up?”
“Just weighing my options,” I replied.
“You want my opinion? Stay away. That woman is poison for you. Ever since you broke up, you’ve been like a new man out on the field. Keep focusing on your game, the way you have been, okay?”
