Play Maker (Bitsberg Knights Duet)

We quickly moved the ball up the field and with twenty-eight seconds left on the clock, I hit Paul Anderson on a post route down to the Vultures twenty-yard line. We were out of timeouts and the clock was ticking. I quickly lined up my team and then looked up at the clock. This was it—last play. I took the snap and dropped back to pass.

I looked to the left and then to the right. There weren’t any options. Two of my receivers lost their footing and were on the ground.

There was only one person they weren’t on top of...

Me.

I tucked the ball in tight and took off like I’d just hitched a ride on a cruise control missile. My target—the end zone. I dodged the Vultures as they scrambled to catch me. I could almost see the shock on their faces as I cruised by. I was a nobody. A fuckin’ stand-in. I wasn’t supposed to be able to run a quarterback keeper in clutch time.

I took on a huge middle linebacker head on and sent him flying as I crossed the goal line for the winning score. Nobody saw that coming. I roared a cheer of victory as I ran along the back of the end zone. I didn’t have a fancy touchdown dance, so I did a victory lap as the crowd came alive cheering our first playoff victory.

My shoulder would hurt in the morning from that hit, but I didn’t give a damn. It was more than worth it.

7

Shelby

Even though I knew nothing about football, I found myself swept up in the excitement of the final few minutes. When Ross landed in the end zone, I burst out into a deafening cheer with the rest of the crowd.

“Damn! Your man has balls!” Rayna hollered beside me.

“Right? I can’t believe he won!” I shivered and pulled the blanket tighter around me. “Damn! It’s cold!”

Rayna tugged on her blanket. “All right, girl. I’m out of here. You have fun tonight.”

“You bailing already?”

“Hell, yeah.” She plucked a wayward strand of hair out of her lip gloss. We were under the protection of an overhang, but the wind and snow could still whip through and catch us. “I have to get up early and the traffic is going to be ridiculous. Plus, my ass is frozen. It’s too fucking cold out here. I don’t know how you talked me into this. I’m gonna grab an Uber and get home.”

My eyebrows knit together. “No. I can totally give you a ride.”

She waved her hand. “Don’t worry about it. I want you to have fun tonight. You deserve it.” She leaned in and gave me a quick embrace before she re-wrapped the blanket around herself and headed back up the stairs that led to the nearest exit. I followed her with my eyes, and she gave me a little wave before ducking through the doorway and disappearing.

I turned my attention back to the field and joined in with the rest of the crowd as the announcer proclaimed the Knights as the winners of the playoff game. Media ascended onto the field, and I watched Ross get plucked up by a blonde reporter with a camera crew. A smile played at my lips as I watched him smile for the camera. Even from my seat, I could see the joy and pride radiating from him. Every few minutes, one of his teammates would walk by and say something or slap him on the ass.

I laughed and rolled my eyes. “Men.”

The crowd filtered from the stadium, and I noticed that I was left alone in my section. I wasn’t sure what to do. I could easily slip from the stadium and join the mass exodus to the parking garage, get in my dad’s SUV and drive home. But something was keeping my ass frozen in the seat—and it wasn’t just the cold weather.

Ross left the stadium, and I wondered how long it would take him to shower and change and do the post-game interviews. Surely, it couldn’t take that long. Could it?

I fished my phone out of my purse and pulled up his number on my contacts list. I’d programmed it into my phone even though I hadn’t used it yet. No time like the present, I decided, starting a new text:

Hey, it’s Shelby. Great game! You might make a convert out of me after all. My friend bailed. If you want some company, lmk.

I sucked in a sharp breath as sent it without editing. When my phone buzzed to let me know the message was sent, I got up from my seat and made my way up the stairs. The interior of the stadium was still a madhouse.

The air inside was considerably warmer than the stadium, but it was still chilly. I tugged at the collar of my coat and wished I’d worn a scarf. I certainly hadn’t been prepared for the arctic blast. I passed a coffee cart and got into line behind a few Knights’ fans decked out in team t-shirts, face paint, and hats. They were going on and on about Ross, and I couldn’t help but smile as I listened to their conversation. I knew the pride I felt was a little premature, considering Ross and I had barely spent an hour together, but it felt like something more. Like they were talking about a good friend of mine.