I still didn’t understand. “But I—”
“Go.” He turned me before he guided me to the hallway. “I have a mess to clean up.”
Thousands of fans screamed, doused in a sea of orange to rep our Canyon colors. The energy was unlike anything I’d ever seen, the electric charge in the room unbelievable. The band was already playing, the team warming up when I finally made it out to the field.
My gaze trailed around the stadium, but Preston was nowhere to be seen. Approaching the bench, I glanced around, noting that we were short another team member as well.Jagger.Krew took his usual spot during warm up, walking through typical plays. When I met his gaze, he grinned beneath his helmet, then called the play before shuffling back on his feet. Everyone was acting normal. Like having the head offensive coordinator absent for the championship game didn’t raise any red flags. Down to my left, my father spoke with Theo, his hands moving with animation as they hovered over a tablet. Julia barked orders at Squid, who was actually the sweetest kid on the entire campus. Everyone just went through the motions. Like every other game day.
I couldn’t keep my hands from fidgeting, my eyes snapping to every corner of the field, searching for him.
Why isn’t he here?
And if he was fired, why the hell was I still here?
When the announcer came over the intercom, the guys jogged over to the tunnel, ready to make their official entrance. I searched again, the colors all blending together as I sifted through the crowd.
He was nowhere. Gone.
My phone buzzed in my back pocket, and I mindlessly slipped it out, my heart still thrashing in my chest as my brain sorted through the what-ifs. But all of those thoughts came to a screeching halt when I saw the text message.
Preston: I need you to do something for me.
My fingers hovered for only a moment before I typed a reply.
Trinity: Anything.
Preston: Meet me on the fifty-yard line when we win.
Hope bloomed in my chest, but before I could dissect it, the crowd erupted, and the Cougars took the field.
It was game time.
53
Trinity
My throat burned from screaming. I wasn’t exactly supposed to be a cheerleader over here. I was a professional, but this was my team, and these guys were my friends. And we just beat the Stallions by two in overtime. The entire stadium was shouting, cheering, and waving orange towels as the players and coaches rushed the field. We were officially champions of our division, the win today sealing our spot at the top.
A southern hoot came from my left. J.C. scooped me up, spinning us in a circle before plopping me back down on my unsteady feet.
“Hell yeah! Drinks on me tonight!” He leaned his head back and howled before he ran straight to Landry, who had his number painted on her bare stomach below her long-sleeved crop top.
I laughed, then turned to see my dad striding toward me, a huge smile on his face.
“Congrats, Coach!” I wrapped my arms around him, squeezing tight, but not too hard.
I wasn’t sure how strong his body was after taking his treatments.
“I’m so glad we got to do this together.” He kissed my head. “What a way to end a career, right?”
My eyes had been closed during the embrace, and when I opened them, a strangled noise escaped my throat. I managed to haul myself away from him just in time for Krew and Elroy to tilt a cooler over his head, drenching him from head to toe.
Laughter echoed around us, and he joined in before snatching up Krew in a hug and a slap to the back.
When my dad looked back at me, he grinned. “I think someone is waiting for you.”
His finger pointed over my shoulder, and when I glanced back, everything went still. The laughter died. The crowd quieted, and it was just me and the man who asked me to meet him at the fifty-yard line.
Emotion filled my chest as I pushed through the crowd, my eyes never leaving Preston’s as he stood tall amongst the river of people.
