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I set my bags down on the bed and spot photos on my desk. I torture myself by looking at them close up. One is of Riley doing some dance-kick move on the beach.God, she is breathtaking.She always moved like an angel on the dance floor. All of that thrown away because I took my eyes off the road.
Setting the frame down, I pick up another. This one is from homecoming senior year when she and I were crowned homecoming king and queen. The frame behind that one, though, that’s the one that hurts the most: a photo of Tanner and me at Coach’s house the night we learned of Chicago’s offer to us both. We were both smiling so big, knowing that we had not only accomplished our dream but we’d done it together.
“Any idea why Coach asked us over tonight?” Tanner asked as he adjusted his tie from side to side as we walked a few feet behind our parents up Coach’s driveway.
“Nope.” I shook my head. “All my parents said was that we were going over Coach’s house for dinner and that he had something to discuss.” It wasn’t strange or anything for us to go over to the Bensons’ house. Coach and his wife often hosted the team for pregame dinners, banquets, and barbecues. But tonight, it was just the Hayeses and my family.
“Are you even sure it’s okay that you brought me along?” Riley asked from my side.
“Of course, babe. You’re with me.” I tightened my grip on our intertwined fingers. “And don’t worry. Ma said they included you in the head count. It’s like he knew we were inseparable or something.”
She scrunched her nose mockingly at me, and I did the same before kissing the tip of her nose.
“Come on, guys, please don’t do that ‘you’re a bird, I’m a bird’ lovey-dovey shit.”
“Tanner Michael Hayes,” his mother scolded as we walked up the stairs. “I expect you to be on your best behavior.”
“Does she even know you at all? What good behavior?” Riley and I joked under our breath so the parents didn’t hear and scold us again.
Dad knocked on the front door, and moments later, we saw movement through the frosted glass windowpane beside the door. The door opened, and Coach’s wife, Ellie, greeted us with a warm and welcoming smile.
“Hey, y’all, thanks for coming over. Verne is out on the back patio, manning the grill. Why don’t ya come in and make yourself at home?”
I placed my hand on Riley’s lower back and ushered her into the house. It smelled incredible in here—like cinnamon and sugar.
While the adults all stood chatting about whatever adults chatted about, Tanner, Riley, and I all headed toward the sliding glass door that led out to the backyard. We found Coach standing in front of the grill, holding a pair of tongs and shutting the grill lid.
“Hey, Coach,” I said as we approached.
He turned, and all three of us burst into laughter as we took in the apron covering the front of him. Its black-and-white lettering said, “My meat is 100% going in your mouth today.”
“That’s, uh, quite an apron you got there,” Tanner said, pressing his lips together, trying but failing to smother his laughter.
Coach pointed the tongs in our direction. “Well, if you don’t like it, don’t let the door hit ya where the good Lord split ya.”
Riley snorted behind her hand. Red painted her cheeks in embarrassment.
“Hello, Miss Parker.”
“Hi, Coach Benson.” She gave him a small wave. “Thank you for having me.”
“Of course, dear. It’s our pleasure to have you here. There will be plenty of food. Ellie has been cooking all afternoon.”
“Whatever smells like cinnamon and sugar in there has had my mouth watering since we walked in.”
“Ah, those were her famous snickerdoodle cookies she made for dessert.”
Eventually, our parents and Ellie joined us out back as Coach finished up grilling. After he set the meats on a plate with help from Foster, Tanner’s dad, Coach turned the grill off. “This meat needs to rest a bit, and then we can sit down and eat, but why don’t we head inside and chat for a few and fill you in on why I asked you two over tonight?”
“You mean it wasn’t to put us in a food coma?” Tanner joked as we followed Coach back inside.
He set the plate of food on the counter and covered it with tinfoil. “Just give me a moment. I need to grab something from my office.” He disappeared down the hall.
“You don’t think Coach is leaving us, do you? And this is his way of breaking the news?” Tanner whispered.
“He can’t leave. It’s our fucking senior year, and we need him.” Plus, if he were leaving, he would have invited everyone over to break the news, right? Fuck, now I was worried as hell. I looked over at Riley with a nervous smile, and she gave a genuine one back. It only calmed my nerves slightly.
The chatter between our parents came to a halt when Coach reentered the room, carrying two manila folders. He set them both down on the counter between us. His face was stoic, so he gave nothing away. “Do you know what these are?”
