I shook my head. “I need to work on that.” A smile spread across my lips. “Thank you.”
“Sure thing. I’ll knock you on your ass a hundred more times. Maybe I’ll get Coach Brown’s attention.”
“You should already have it.”
“Graham,” Coach Garcia called. “You’re in.”
I reached for my helmet and trotted onto the field. “You look good,” I said to Troy as we passed on the field.
“Feels good to be back out here.”
My smile quirked. “I’m ready for the front-row seat.”
“We know the Raiders’ defense is fucking tough,” Coach Pratt said. “They’re fast and they’re mean. Graham, your time in the pocket needs to get faster. Lewis, Patel, and Downing, run those routes and get seconds off your time. O line, watch the gaps, don’t let the tackles in. Now, let me see you work on that. We’ll start with play-action in I formation.” He held up his old-time stopwatch. “I’m timing you.”
Every muscle in my body ached as I stood under the hot shower spray in the locker room shower. Coach Pratt and Coach Garcia’s calls were running laps through my brain. Faster. Faster. Faster. Tomorrow we’d concentrate on third-down situations. Friday would be red zone and speed. Saturday, in Las Vegas, we would put it all together into a package that would hopefully result in a Sunday victory. NFL rules stated that teams traveling by air must be in the host city no less than eighteen hours before kickoff.
Tilson announced the team plane was leaving early Saturday morning. We’d be ahead of the NFL schedule while having time to practice in Vegas and adjust to the time change. After drying off, I wrapped my towel around my waist and made my way into the locker room. Many of the players were already gone. Troy was at his locker, not far from mine.
“How did it feel?” I asked.
“Great.”
“You looked good.”
He turned, his eyes focused on my chest. “Jesus, you got beat up out there.”
Smiling, I looked down at the red contusion on my chest. “Just a lead-up for Sunday.”
“No, I was watching. You were moving faster. Ramel, Dijon, JD, were really booking it. You keep that up and the Raiders’ defense won’t stop you.”
I lifted my right arm and rotated my shoulder. “I hope I can get out of bed in the morning.”
Troy laughed. “When do you think the reporters will back off from the gate?”
“Hopefully soon.”
“I was talking to Ms. Maeve. She took off her sunglasses…” His eyes were drilling into mine.
“She was in a car accident last night.”
“No shit. I didn’t say anything, but it bothered me, seeing her with that shiner.”
“Airbags deployed and seat belt…she’s sore but safe.”
“Maybe you two can commiserate together.”
It was my turn to grin. “That’s the plan.”
“Tomorrow,” Troy said as he picked up his bag and walked away.
After I was dressed, I checked my phone. I had one text message from Vee.
* * *
“JEN WAS ABLE TO GET ME A RENTAL CAR. I’LL SEE YOU AT HOME.”
* * *
