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“But it looks like snow here in Cincinnati later. We may need to head out earlier than you requested.”
“Y'all go ahead back and enjoy the rest of the day with your families. We’ll stay in Cincinnati tonight and have you grab us tomorrow if the skies are clear.”
“Sure thing, boss,” he nodded.
With one last salute, I guided Ali off the plane and toward a car I had arranged to drive us to the stadium.
“As much as I’m glad you let them fly back to their families today, we didn’t bring any clothes for an overnight trip.”
“We won’t need clothes,” I teased, speaking loud enough that our driver smiled and turned a little red around the ears.
As predicted, the snow started falling the minute we made our way to the suite that we shared with the owner of the Jets and his wife. They both gave me the creeps for reasons I could never explain, but since I was Kace Jackson, they were all too inviting to give Ali and I a safe place to watch the game.
By the time the fourth quarter started, Cam had played like he knew we were there. Atlanta was up by four touchdowns, Cam was being taken out of the game to save his arm for the playoffs, and Ali and I started putting on our jackets to face the snowy field together.
We said our goodbyes and headed down, the process being smooth since I set everything up ahead of time. When we emerged from the corridor, a few fans recognized me and I turned to Ali, silently asking her if she was sure about her gift.
She nodded and smiled, squeezing my hand tightly. So we pushed past everyone and lined ourselves up behind the players that stood along the sideline.
After just a few minutes, the clock ticked down to zero and the players all ran to the center of the field to celebrate their playoff berth. I took Ali’s hand and together we joined the team, letting our presence be known and not hiding or shying away from anyone.
The cameras caught us as we congratulated the players we passed, but I pulled Ali toward midfield where I knew Cam would be for his post-game interviews.
“Ready?” I asked one more time. I needed to be sure she understood that her gift was going to cause chaos.
“He isn’t going to do this alone,” she assured me. “Not anymore. Never again.”
I was so damn proud of her. Not that I wanted her in the face of the entire world, but she was publicly choosing to be our equal. Cam and I may be the ones who faced the microphones in our faces, but she was telling the world to go fuck themselves.
She dropped my hand when she spotted Cam and started running. Even with the camera in his face, she didn’t hesitate. She wanted to congratulate him and celebrate, give Cam his Christmas present in front of the world.
I stopped walking and slid my hands into my pockets, ready to watch the show. My two favorite people in the entire world.
And the look on Cam’s face, when he saw Ali, was worth everything.
CHAPTER14
CAM
Iwas happy, don’t get me wrong. But I wanted to hop on that plane home more than I wanted to talk to anyone.
Unfortunately, my job description entailed speaking after the game. It was literally in my contract—speak to the press after clinching a playoff spot. Plus, the plane wasn’t going to take off until we were all on there.
If we even took off. It had been snowing since the start of the game and my gut told me that we would be grounded until it stopped. But at the very least, I could get back to my hotel room and Facetime Kace and Ali.
I was already planning on telling Kace to make Ali come so I could watch, over and over again. It wasn’t my favorite way to be with them, but it had its appeal when I had to be away.
“Cam,” the interviewer grabbed my attention as my teammates hugged me in the middle of the field. “Cam, over here.”
She placed a hand on my shoulder and angled me toward the bright light at the top of the camera. I knew Kace and Ali were watching. They turned the TV off after some of the games but Christmas Day and a playoff berth? They would be watching for sure.
Somehow, peace had been surrounding me since I got to the stadium that day. It was almost as if Kace and Ali were there, and I didn’t have to miss them. My fight or flight was protecting me, giving me the tranquility I needed to be the best I could for my team.
“Cam?” the interviewer began. “The Jets head to the playoffs again. How does it feel?”
“I never really doubted this team,” I explained. “This season was completely unorthodox but as a team, we rose above the trials and used that to fuel our desire to win.”
“Last week, you played like a man possessed. Somehow, you came right back out here today and did it again. How do you keep that level of competitiveness without wearing yourself down?”
