“Maybe,” I replied. “But I think he’s going to go back East for therapy.”
Lennox changed the subject and started talking about volunteering at the youth center before he shifted back to his second favorite topic after football. Food.
“You gotta go with me sometime.”
“Sure, sounds good.” What else did I have to do?
“Hey, let’s go shoot some pool and get a burger at the Squid tonight. I’m dying for one.”
I laughed because he sucked at Billiards, but hanging out with him was always fun. “Yeah, okay. I’ll see if I can get Mason to go. I’ll call you later.”
“Sounds good.”
Before I got into my car, I leaned against the side and did a quick Google search for Colin Kearney. When the page populated, his face filled the screen. He didn’t wear the usual scars of a rugby player but had thick, dark hair and a beard. And the required tattoos down his right arm.
But the more I read about him, the quicker my original concerns returned. The article I read indicated the man was a certifiable hothead with the temper of a pit viper. If that was the case, we might all be fucked. And not in a good way.
Chapter 4
Colin
Fuck me dead.I was going to America.
After making the initial call to Craig Henderson, he’d scheduled another one that included the owner of the team, Mr. William Carlisle. Both were nice gents, but before we moved forward, I needed to make sure they knew all there was to know about me.
It was embarrassing to explain, and if it blew up the deal, better it be here than there.
“I’m not a bad person. I don’t openly hate people or try to hurt anyone. It’s just when I’m engrossed in the game sometimes I get carried away. The adrenaline gets to pumpin’ and that gets me going. I won’t blame it on anyone else.”
I wanted to defend myself and tell them the coach asked for that, but I wouldn’t give them the impression I wasn’t a team player.
The coach nodded as if he understood. “I get that, Colin. Where rugby plays continue until a whistle, ours end when the player or the ball hits the ground. We also wear specialized equipment to minimize injury. That could work to your advantage.”
I bit my bottom lip and frowned. “Running with a head topper seems strange.”
Coach laughed. “Our helmets are state-of-the-art and technologically advanced to detect head injuries. The sensors inside help our staff monitor our players. They can still happen, but helmet-to-helmet contact can get you ejected from the game along with a hefty fine. Hopefully, that won’t be an issue. If you use your rugby tackling skills, you won’t have a problem.”
I had a fucking lot to learn, and I would need to study, sooner rather than later.
“That’s good to know. But all that’s gonna take some time to get used to.”
His relaxed manner made me feel more at ease with everything.
“It will, but we know you can do it, Colin. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have pursued this with you. Our coaches and your teammates are ready to help. You basically have one job as a safety, and that’s defending the secondary. No ball handling or kicking is involved. Unless you intercept the ball, and I’ll be delighted every time.”
I smirked, thinking about how simple it was to run blokes down. “That sounds easy enough.”
Both men appeared as if they believed in me. They knew my history, and they still wanted me on their team. That was going to take me a bit to get used to.
“Are you interested in giving the NFL a try?” Mr. Carlisle asked.
I smiled, more excited than I had been in months. “Yes, sir. I’m ready.”
Coach Henderson’s smile stretched across his face. I still couldn’t fathom how happy they were to have me play. It had been a long time since anyone was excited to see me.
“If you’d like to talk it over with your agent,” Mr. Carlisle said, “we can email the proposed contract to you. If all goes well this season, we may be able to extend another offer for next season.”
My gut tightened, thinking about Leland. Did I want him involved in this? He was ready to ship me off to South America, for fuck’s sake. He never entertained the idea that I could play American football.
