It took hours for me to fall asleep.
We drove for another six hours the next day, and then... we parked in a stadium parking lot.
I looked at the sign through the windshield.‘Home of the Dolphins’was written in orange lettering.
I looked over at Grey only to see him climb out of the truck and close the door. I watched as he rounded the hood, came to my side, and opened my door.
His hands came to my hips as he helped me down, and for once, I didn’t give him shit for his overprotective side.
He wrapped his arm around my waist and pulled me tightly to his side.
Then side by side, we walked into the stadium.
Two hours later, I still didn’t have an answer for why he would be like this at a football game.
“Come on, bud. Come on.” Grey murmured under his breath.
I lifted a brow and looked at where he was staring, or I should say who he was watching.
Thankfully, we were close enough that I could make out his form and his number but that’s it.
“Who is that?” I asked.
He glanced at me, and seeing what I saw in his eyes, something that was nothing short of pain, I twisted my body and then wrapped him in my arms and squeezed.
And I stayed like that until his body seemed to loosen after another play.
I felt him bury his face in the side of my neck where he whispered, “That’s my nephew. Warren Caprise.”
I stilled.
His nephew?
But how was that possible?
That meant she had to have given birth at... Grey answered my train of thought, “Fourteen.”
I felt the air in my lungs go still. Fourteen?
“Was she?” I asked, not wanting to put a voice to that heinous act.
He shook his head, “No.”
I winced. “I’m so sorry that happened.”
He shrugged, “Shit happens for a reason.”
I bumped my shoulder with his, “I wouldn’t say having a child is shit.”
He narrowed his eyes at me, “Smartass. You know what I mean.”
I did.
He was right. Shit definitely happens for a reason.
Then he shared, “Got word, this is his last game. He’s retiring after this. Too many knee issues.”
And then I watched as the player who wore number twenty-nine raced to the sidelines and took off his helmet.
