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“Black gave good advice?” Coach smirked.
“I hope so,” I shrugged. “Because I’m gonna take it.”
“Look.” Coach approached me, getting closer so we weren’t forced to speak loud enough for anyone else to hear. “I know you have been through hell and back. I know you are dealing with feelings and shit that you never have before. And I know we didn’t give you any time off to decompress and find your new normal. We pushed you right back in front of those cameras and all you want to do is play your game and go home.”
I was about to say something, but Coach held a hand up and cut me off. “I don’t know the details, and it really isn’t any of my business, but if you need to, you can walk off this field limping right now, and I will have the big wigs up there put you on the IR list.”
I cocked my head at his offer. Coach was willing to put me on the injured reserve list to spare me? I didn’t know if I was touched or pissed. I must have looked even worse than I felt.
“Nah,” I laughed him off as if his offer was a joke, even though it wasn’t. “But can I play defensive end tonight?”
His laugh was loud, causing people near us to look back at him. I knew there wasn't a chance in hell he would let me play defense. “I bet that would get the attention off your personal life.”
“And let me hurt someone,” I reasoned.
“I was gonna pretend to put you on the IR, not actually have to because you’re dead.”
“Yeah, yeah.” I rolled my eyes and moved away, then took one last glance to the suite before jogging toward the locker room, giving myself one more minute before the game started.
* * *
Ty was right.
Play the game angry and you’re almost untouchable. I guess a lot of credit could go to my offensive line. Or the fact that Ali and Kace were there with me. Either way, I played great, and the media somehow laid off me for the day.
A Christmas miracle.
The last week before our Christmas game in Cincinnati went well. We practiced hard, because that game was going to determine if we made the playoffs. The entire team was buzzing with excitement.
Kace cooked a special dinner for the three of us on Friday, the night before I had to fly out. I had gotten in late, so it was almost ten at night by the time we all finished and made our way to the living room.
Kace and I sat down in front of the Christmas tree and Ali followed, a questioning smile on her face.
“What are we doing down here?”
I knew that tone in her voice. She was both intrigued and hoping we were planning on taking her clothes off like we did the other night.
And we would.
But first, Kace and I wanted to give her our Christmas gift.
“Since I won't be here Sunday, we wanted to give you your Christmas present.”
“But you will be back Sunday night and we can exchange gifts then. Mine isn’t ready!”
I took her hand and pulled her closer to me. “We thought about that, but I want you to have it before I go.”
“It's not a car, is it?” She looked panicked. Ali didn’t have a car. Kace and I joked that we would buy her one, but she refused to accept something so extravagant from us. Especially so early in our relationship.
“The fifth anniversary is the car anniversary,”she had argued, making us laugh.
We respected her wishes, and did not buy her a car. Instead, we got her something we thought would mean a lot to her. She knew we could afford everything and anything, so we wanted it to be special.
“No car,” I laughed again. Reaching to the back of the Christmas tree, I pulled a small gift that Kace had wrapped for us and handed it to Ali.
Kace had gotten closer to us, his leg leaning against mine as his smile got wide. “Open it.”
Ali’s eyes glassed over, crying before she even knew what it was. “You guys…”
