I took Resha’s hands in mine. “Because I knew you’d have questions and I wanted you to be able to look me in the eye, and before you say it, no, doing it via video chat or FaceTime wouldn’t have worked either. You were my biggest support after the divorce …”
“You didn’t think I’d support your marriage to Tyler?”
“She knew you would.”
I glanced up at the deep voice that’d just entered into the conversation. I couldn’t help the smile that arose at the sight of Tyler’s large frame standing in my office doorway. His eyes slid from Resha to me, that smile he reserved just for me opening up. He winked at me before looking back to Resha.
“Destiny wanted your approval more than anything. She knew you would think our marriage was fast,” he began as he entered the room.
“Itisfast,” she retorted.
“Maybe, but when you know, you know.” Tyler looked to me. “I’ll tell you the same thing I told Mrs. McDonald. I will spend the rest of my life proving to Destiny that she made the best decision by becoming Mrs. Townsend. I don’t make promises I don’t keep. I do play for keeps, however.”
I swallowed the lump in my throat as I stared up into the eyes of my husband. He had such a way of making me trust that everything was going to be okay. And if it wasn’t okay, he would make it so.
“Oookay,” Resha dragged out, causing Tyler and I to suddenly remember she was still in the room.
I’d forgotten just that quickly.
“I mean with the way you’ve been playing lately, I keep hearing you’re unstoppable. I’m betting my sister has something to do with that.”
“She has everything to do with it. She’s my good luck charm.” He leaned down and I rose to my tiptoes to meet his beckoning lips.
Tyler and the Cougars had been on a roll over the last few weeks. They were one game away from winning a chance at the Super Bowl. I had no doubt in my mind that they’d make it, and my husband would be the one carrying them to the finish line. I couldn’t wait to cheer them on. Suddenly, I was more than a little relieved that Paul’s call had come earlier. Not having to worry about Phillip Morris any longer freed up some mental space for me to be one hundred percent there for Tyler as a support system.
“Hello? I’m still here,” Resha uttered.
I grinned her way.
“Anyway, I’ll head on out—”
“We were just going to get dinner and head home. How about you join us? I know you two have some work for the podcast to discuss,” Tyler chimed in.
My heart swelled as I squeezed his hand, not even realizing that I’d been holding it but I should’ve.
“We do need to talk about our first live show. It’ll be the week after the Super Bowl.”
I nodded and looked up at Tyler. He leaned down and kissed the corner of my mouth, silently conveying it was okay to spend a few hours with Resha.
On the way home, I promised my husband a bath and rub down of his sore muscles once Resha left. He was more than happy to accommodate us, allowing time for Resha and I to not only talk about work but to catch up on one another’s private lives.
****
Tyler
“You ready for this?”
I glanced up at Kelvin who was standing over me as I sat in front of my assigned locker in the stadium. We were minutes away from entering the field to kickoff at the biggest game of our careers. Though he tried to hide it, I could see the nervous energy coursing through Kelvin from the look in his eyes.
I stood up, placing my arm on his shoulder. “I’ve already made the biggest commitment I’ll ever make in my life. I thought playing the Super Bowl would be my big day but nope.” I shook my head and then chuckled at Kelvin’s confused expression.
“Man, what the fuck are you talking about? You cracking up on me or something?”
I shook my head. “No. I’m telling you, I wasn’t nervous two months ago when I married Destiny, and I ain’t nervous now, either. My good luck charm will be watching with the rest of my family up in the box seats.” I winked at Kelvin.
“Married? Good luck charm? From the man who said superstition was for fools?”
I gave a one shoulder shrug. I had said that in the past. It’s no secret that many athletes were superstitious in one way or another. Some wear the same pair of underwear on game day, brush with the same toothbrush before a big game, wear a certain pair of sneakers, drive one specific car to and from games. All of it I found to be utterly ridiculous. But my wife? She was my good luck charm. The last few months had proved it. I’d been on fire, playing the best football of my career and that was saying a lot. It was no accident we’d advanced to the big game the same season I met and married the woman of my dreams.
