The girls allowed me one silent walk-through of the house. All of the elements of Nate’s brief occupancy had been removed long ago. The hospital bed that had dominated my bedroom was gone, as were the medicines and other equipment. I knew my mother had spent a weekend cleaning the place from top to bottom, with the help of Leo’s parents.
“It’s as if he was never here. As if ... almost as if that last year didn’t happen.” I touched a shelf in my bedroom where I’d kept all the booklets and paperwork from hospice, wondering where Jacey was now and what family she was currently guiding through loss.
“But it did happen.” Zelda put an arm around me and pulled me to her side. “It happened, and you were marvelous and amazing, and now it’s time to move forward. You’ve more than earned that right.”
After Gia and Zelda had left the following day, I’d determinedly not allowed myself to sink back into the gloomy inertia that had gripped me after Nate’s death. I’d talked to Leo at least once a day; although he was knee-deep in training camp still, he’d call me late at night or first thing in the morning, and we’d chat as long as we could. I was still planning to be in Richmond for opening day, and as if by unspoken mutual consent, we didn’t try to see each other before then. I knew he was crazy-busy getting ready for the kick-off of the season—literally and figuratively—and I needed a little time to find my center and clarity again.
“I can’t believe you haven’t seen each other for over six weeks. Leo’s been bouncing off the walls, he’s so excited about you being here. He said you stopped for a job interview on the way down. How did that go?”
I smiled. “It was more a formality than anything else. I’d had the real interview back in San Francisco last month, when I met Marla Long, so this was a confirmation and the usual personnel stuff—filling out paperwork and so on.”
“It sounds like a wonderful opportunity.” Ellie shaded her eyes as she watched the players begin to straggle off the field and back down the tunnels into their respective locker rooms. “You’ll be writing about football, but with a different angle?”
“Exactly. I’ll be covering it from the more personal perspective—how this game, this lifestyle, affects the players, the coaches and their families. Marla thinks women journalists in particular have the ability to handle this kind of story without being intrusive, you know? I won’t be writing about scandals or rumors. She’s very clear about the lines she won’t cross.” I shifted a little, facing Ellie. “Of course, though, if the player and his family are willing, we’d love to tell the happy stories, the ones that highlight the pro football players who are doing things right. Like for instance, the left tackle for the Richmond Rebels and the girl who’s been by his side for over a decade.”
Ellie laughed. “Oh, honey, that would be downright boring for your readers. But sure, if you want to write about Corey and me, we’re open books. I’d love to talk with you about our lives. So many people think the pros are all about the guys making tons of money, partying and sleeping around. There are far more solid families like ours than most of the public realizes.”
“Which is exactly the angle that Marla wants to promote. The bad news stories, the sensational stuff—they get all the press. We want to talk up the players who are showing up and getting the job done, without compromising their marriages and families.”
“It’s not an easy life.” She flashed me an apologetic glance. “I know that your experience with football and being Leo’s girlfriend—Leo the football player, not Leo the man—hasn’t always been positive. And there are definite challenges. I’m fully aware that there are both players and staff who resent me. There are guys who give Corey a hard time about being a faithful husband. I know who they are, and you know what I do? I invite them over for dinner, and I don’t take no for an answer. I cook ‘em up my best recipes, and I try to introduce them to women who would be good for them ... it doesn’t always work. Sometimes they toss all my hospitality and kindness right back in my face, and that’s their prerogative, for sure. But sometimes it really does make a difference.”
“I’m not sure what to expect,” I confessed. “Leo and I are still figuring out our relationship. Jumping into the deep end with football, too ... it’s scary.”
“Honey, I understand that.” Ellie took my hand and squeezed it. “But you’ve got me in your corner, and I’m here for you, no matter what. I know you just met me, but I feel like we’re friends, after getting to know you through Leo. And Leo ... that boy is all about you, sweetie. He’d throw down if anyone gave you a problem. Like I said, it isn’t easy. But for guys like my Corey and your Leo?” She gazed down at the field, where the staff and coaches were gathering on the sidelines. “Totally worth it. No question.”
I took a deep breath. “I believe that. I want to make it work.”
For the next twenty minutes or so, Ellie pointed out the people joining us in the seats, explaining who each was. There were quite a few parents present, as well as a few players’ siblings, and I felt a twinge of guilt. Lisa and Joe should’ve been here, too, but Leo had asked them to wait until the next home game.
“This is our time, just the two of us,” he’d told me over the phone. “They came down quite a bit last year, so they didn’t mind missing this one. I want to focus on you.”
I couldn’t complain about that. Still, I was sensitive to not alienating Lisa, particularly, who had always been close to me. In the back of my mind, I worried about how all of the parents were going to take the idea of Leo and me together again, after my marriage to Nate. They’d been friends for so long that I didn’t want to do anything that might complicate that.
There was a loudboomof cannon fire, and from the corner just beneath us, the Richmond Rebels came streaming out to the roar of the crowd. I found Leo instantly, pride swelling at the sight of him suited up, with his helmet on. But it wasn’t until the announcer began speaking, reading out the name of the starting lineup, that realization slowly dawned on me.
“Leo’s starting?” I breathed the words in a whisper. He’d gotten a fair amount of play time last season, but he’d never actually started a game; he was always sent in, usually in the second half. Next to me, Ellie grinned.
“Surprise! He didn’t want to tell you, in case anything happened. How awesome is it that you’re here on his very first game as a starter? It’s like kismet.”
“I thought I was nervous before, but now I’m a mess.” I bit my lip. “But I’m more anxious for him than for me. He must be freaking out.”
“Nah.” Ellie shrugged. “Leo’s cool, and he’s confident. Just watch.”
Watching was all Icoulddo. The Rebels won the toss, and I fidgeted in my seat as the players went into formation for kickoff. Detroit’s kicker ran forward, and the ball soared into the air toward the Rebels. The guy who caught it managed to get about fifteen yards before Detroit piled onto him.
Special teams ran off, and Richmond’s offensive line trotted onto the field. I kept my eyes glued to Leo, darting now and then to the quarterback, Gideon Maynard. Leo had mentioned Maynard before; they weren’t as close as Corey and Leo were, but everything he’d said about the QB had been positive. I let my gaze wander over the women around us, curious to see what kind of wife or girlfriend he might have.
“Does the quarterback have anyone here?” I bent my head close to Ellie to ask her the question.
“His people are up there.” She motioned above us and to the right, where the luxury boxes were located. “Gideon’s parents have their own box. They don’t mingle with the commoners.” Her tone was dry.
“He’s not married?” I craned my neck and checked out the glass windows of the box seats, wondering which one belonged to the Maynards.
“No.” Ellie’s mouth twisted. “He had a girlfriend from college, and it kind of ended badly last year. He’s been single ever since, in spite of my frequent attempts to set him up. He says he’s not interested, so I don’t push. Much.”
“He’s good.” I watched him fire off a short precise pass to one of the receivers. “I’ve seen him play when I watched games on television. He seems very ... focused.”
“Oh, he is that.” Ellie nodded. “I think Gideon’s biggest issue is feeling that he has to overcome the fact that he was born into a very wealthy, very influential family. His grandfather was one of the owners of the Cardinals when they were in St. Louis. They’ve always been involved in football, and Gideon is sort of the culmination of all their hopes, it seems. Mr. Maynard played college ball, but he wasn’t good enough for the pros. Same with the grandfather. There was a great-uncle who played a few seasons of professional ball, I think. It’s pretty impressive that Gideon does as well as he does, given all the weight of expectation on those shoulders.”
