Nevertheless, it was official. He was gone from the Titans. Tossing the report aside, Sam determined any tentative words the good doctor wrote on his progress would all be moot when he visited Vegas. He’d show them he was well on his way to being one hundred percent. He had no doubt he’d be on the field in the fall. Just that he’d be wearing black and silver instead of Titans blue, red, silver, and white.
Sam shifted in his seat and adjusted the ice pack. He’d never played for the opposition before. He was always a “be true to your school” guy. He’d grown up cherishing the “home team” and reviling his rivals. Soon enough he’d don the jersey of “the rivals.” Even now, Bruno was in the kitchen on his phone, finalizing some things with the Raiders’ front office.
An interesting aside about his knee… Since he’d aired out things with Dad, he’d had less pain and in general, the cares of his life didn’t seem to be as burdensome. Proving Dr. Morgan was right about that one thing. He’d talked to Dad at least three times since their True Confessions session and talked to Mom twice. She’d confirmed Dad’s details of their divorce and apologized to Sam in tears. Now he wrestled with the sting of regret for being bitter for so long. For his assumptions. For not seeking the truth. Even at fifteen, he’d known there had to be more to the story.
Yet what he wanted more than anything was to talk to Chloe, to see her, read the expression on her face as she talked about the lovely surprise that had awaited her in France. A café. From her dead husband. If any man wanted to pull one last heroic deed before his demise—if he could predict such a thing—it would be to fulfill his wife’s lifelong dream before buying the big one.
How could Sam compete? There was no game plan, no play, no scramble that could outdo what Jean-Marc had done. Bravo. Sam concluded it wasn’t even honorable to try. Reaching for his phone, Sam reviewed the images Chloe had texted him over the last two days. Beautiful scenes of a sun-soaked French countryside, snapshots of her standing in front of the café with her arms wide, head back, happiness all but leaping off the screen. The place needed a major overhaul, but even football-minded Sam could see the potential.
He’d managed one phone call in the time she’d been away. “This was our dream. Jean-Marc surprised me with it. Can you believe it?” The excitement in Chloe’s voice was so palpable, Sam felt it.
“Amazing… cottage… gardens… weddings… parties… Christmas… so romantic…”
Well, he believed that was the gist of their conversation. Every other word was French, and he’d taken Spanish in high school.
In other news, the town council decided against Donut Heaven, so his sweet little Haven’s was safe. He’d been excited to convey the news to Chloe, but it was pretty anticlimactic after her news.
“Hurray for hometown politics. You must be so excited, Sam.”
You. Not “I’m so excited.” He’d become a singular entity to her. A “me and you” instead of the familiar us.
Flipping through Chloe’s pictures one last time, he looked for a hint of hesitation, some insecurity about resuming a life in France, taking over a huge renovation, and returning to a dream she’d had with a dead man.
Choose me, Chloe. Choose me.
“You know what you have to do, don’t you?” Bruno walked toward Sam with two cold Diet Cokes and handed one to Sam. By his tone, Sam knew his agent and friend wasn’t talking about the Raiders.
“Of course, I know.” Sam sighed and popped the top of his soda. He’d confided everything to Bruno over dinner last night. “I have to let her go. The café is her dream, her ‘ring’ so to speak.”
“Well said. After all, that’s why you’re taking the Raiders’ deal. To win a Super Bowl, which is what you’ve always wanted.”
“Two dreams driving two people apart,” Sam said, not bothering to cloak the sadness resonating from his heart. “I’m willing to try a long-distance relationship from Hearts Bend to Vegas, but Paris to Vegas?” The time difference alone would make it impossible to have a relationship. Besides, if she owned the café, the pretty little town of Deux Jardins would be her home. Had Chloe mentioned something about her mother moving there? If that happened, she’d never come back to Tennessee.
“I tried it once,” Bruno said. “Didn’t work. The big thing here is to realize you’ve come to the place where you want to move on in life, do some adulting, fall in love, get married, have a family.”
More than anything. The urge was even stronger after he’d patched things up with Dad and Janice and Mom. He knew he could be a good, faithful husband and father. The desire beat in him almost more than his thirst for the ring. And he wanted all of that with Chloe. He loved her. Which was exactly why he had to let her go.
“If you love something, let it go…”
He’d been talking to God a bit more since Chloe flew to France. Some of the guys on the Titans had a prayer meeting on Friday morning so he thought he’d go there before heading down to Hearts Bend to spend his Friday at Haven’s. And there was Gabe’s Saturday gathering, too.
“The Raiders want a meeting next week.” Bruno scrolled through his iPad calendar. “When do you want to go?”
“Any time but Monday. I’m at the bakery that day. The guys from the Rock Mill football team come in and we talk shop, toss the ball around in the alley.” Which he’d realized lately how much he loved. Maybe he’d coach one day.
“Careful of your knee.” Bruno clapped him on the shoulder. “Sam, I’m sorry about Chloe. But just wait, see what God might do.”
Bruno rarely mentioned God to Sam though he knew him to be a man of faith based on his own backstory. But at this moment, his agent uttered the words Sam needed most.
“But I still have to let her go.”
“I think so. If she really wants a French café, hanging onto her will only cause resentment.”
Late in the morning, long after Bruno left, Sam sent a text. He’d tried to call her but when she didn’t answer, he battled an intense restlessness. Another benefit of clearing the air with his parents? He couldn’t hold things in anymore.
Hope you’re having fun in France. The pictures are amazing. Been thinking, and I’m behind you and your dream, your own French countryside café. Go for it. We’ll find someone to manage Haven’s though I’m sure she, or he, won’t be anything like you. I’m off to meet with the Raiders next week. Guess we’re both pursuing our dreams. I wish you all the best, Chloe. Honest.
When Sam showed up at the bakery later that afternoon, the place was packed and Ruby tossed an apron at him the moment he darkened the back alley door. A drop of disappointment hit him as he entered the kitchen. No Chloe. She’d not responded to his text and the more time that ticked on, the more he regretted sending it. A text? Really, Hardy? You didn’t learn your lesson the first time?
