My heart sinks. There has to be a way. We’re so close…
41
BRADY
Piper checksher bag at the front desk and we follow Coach Walker to the porte cochere out in front of the hotel. Cars clog the entrance, a mix of taxies, rentals, and a single police cruiser that’s parked in the fire lane.
If the hotel is this jammed up, imagine the stadium.
My gut clenches. I may have avoided charges, but the universe is clearly making me pay for losing my shit earlier. I can’t even be mad about it—it’s no less than I deserve—but for a minute there, I thought I’d be able to come through for the team.
For Coach Walker.
For the fans.
Piper takes my hand, lacing her fingers through mine.cv
She squeezes gently and my frustration is immediately replaced with the warm glow of affection.
I still can’t believe she came.
This whole day feels like a fever dream, but here she is, at my side, and she loves me. Her words echo in my head, where they’ll be living there rent free for the foreseeable future.
Whatever happens today, it’s going to be okay.
I’ve got my family, my friends, and the love of an incredible woman.
Coach leads us to a black sedan near the front of the line, but before we can climb in, a police officer waves us down.
“Hold up!” he calls, jogging toward us with a hand on his belt.
Just fucking great. What now?
Has Mike changed his mind? Is this another one of his sick games? The douchebag clearly has no aversion to blackmail, so I wouldn’t put anything past him at this point.
Piper looks up at me with worry in her eyes and it’s clear she’s thinking the same thing.
Coach Walker steps in front of me, shoulders rigid. “Can I help you, officer?”
“I was actually hoping to help you,” he says, grinning. “I’m a Waverly alumnus and I’d like to do my part to support Wildcat Nation today.”
I guess it’s true what they say: There are only six degrees of separation between Waverly alumni.
“I’m a big fan of the football program,” he continues. “What you all have done this year is incredible. I mean, I never thought I’d see the day Coach Collins would put a woman on the team, but the Wildcats have never looked better. I’m rooting for you, and so are a lot of the folks back at the station. It’d be pretty damn cool to see my alma mater make history and break that dry spell.”
Coach Walker nods and I can almost hear him begging the officer to get to the point.
“Anyway.” The officer gestures to the cruiser parked in the fire lane. “On behalf of the Miami-Dade PD, I’d like to offer you a courtesy ride to the stadium.”
Coach Walker glances at the black sedan, which is still blocked in, and then at the green and white car with a slim light bar fixed to the roof.
“Let’s do it, Officer?”
“Melton. Jim Melton.” He extends his hand and Coach Walker shakes it.
“We appreciate this ride more than you know.”
Truer words.
