Whatever my father is saying makes my boyfriend’s whole face light up.
“Sure thing. I can get there in ten minutes.”
As soon as the call ends, he starts unstrapping Marley from his chest. “Sorry, biscuit. Gotta run.”
“Everything okay?”
“Yeah. It’s kinda crazy, but your dad asked if I’d like to work on some offensive drills. Said he wants to go over a couple of things before practice.”
Billy conditions in the early mornings before class, then has practice in the late afternoons and early evenings. He’s gone all day Saturday for games, and if it’s an away game, he might have to leave the night before.
And yet my dad wants him to domoreduring the only spare time he has. I shake my head. Football interrupts my life once again.
At least Billy will get to do something on the offense. He looks excited.
As I watch him walk away, I try to remind myself this is just a one-time thing. Except when Billy gets home that night, he says he’s practicing drills with a few of the guys during lunch for the next few weeks and can’t meet in the afternoons anymore.
I tell myself it’s not the end of the world.
It just sometimes feels like it is.
43
BILLY
“I feellike we’re doing something illegal,” Nick Silva, one of the transfer quarterbacks, says under his breath as we make our way out of the tunnel and onto the field.
The guy has a hell of an arm. He’s a senior but redshirted his sophomore year because his girlfriend died in that tragic car crash. He says he’s not looking to return another year, though. He’s got a three-year-old at home, and that has to be tough. I get wanting to graduate and move on.
And while I might never get to play quarterback again, I find that doesn’t bother me when Nick’s throwing instead of Ezra.
“I’m sure Coach has something up his sleeve.” This is our second week of practicing trick plays and formations with me, Nick, Deke, Cam, and a few of the guys who don’t click with Ezra’s offense. “Coach wants us to see if we have any chemistry before he moves forward.”
These aren’t sanctioned practices. Coach can’t even attend, but we’re encouraged to report back to him and give him our thoughts. He and I have had long talks about what I think works with this group.
One thing is for sure. The man knows what he’s doing.
I almost stumble when I realize how much I trust him. Santos has been strangely nice to me since Marley was born. Maybe he sees I’m really dedicated to my relationship with Roxy? I don’t know, but I’m not gonna question it.
It’s possible that health scare changed his outlook. Coach is not as quick to yell these days, and he smiles more. And Roxy and Marlena are on his ass to eat healthy because we all want him around for a long time.
Nick pauses and turns to me. “You don’t think it’s weird as fuck that you’re a defensive player coming in to practice offensive plays during our lunch?” He scans the field. “That we’re supposed to keep this top secret?”
We have to lock the tunnel entrance after we arrive, so no one accidentally stumbles in on our sessions.
I chuckle. “Yeah, I do. And yes, a two-way player in college is rare, but if it makes you feel any better, I was a QB in high school and wide receiver freshman year.”
His brow quirks up. “How’d you end up on defense?”
“That’s a long story.” I smack him on the back. “C’mon, let’s go before we’re late and piss off Coach.”
“As long as you watch my back and keep me from getting sacked, D-man.”
“I’ll do my best.” I motion to him. “Hey, how’s your daughter doing? Is she handling the transition to Charming okay?”
He scrubs his face, suddenly looking exhausted. “No, she’s not, but keep that between us. I don’t want Coach to think I can’t handle my responsibilities.”
“I get that, more than you probably know. My girlfriend just had a baby, and while that kid is cute as hell, I don’t think I’ve slept since early August.”
