Peyton pulled her gaze from Noah rallying his teammates. “Believe, June. Just believe.”
“No guts, no glory.” Darius muttered the quote with his eyes set on the field.
“You both are going to be the death of me.” June swiped the sweat from her brow.
Sequoia returned to the field. Noah patted the quarterback’s helmet as he jogged past his teammate. The ball handler took the shotgun position. Noah was farther down the line on the right. Two Heritage defenders stood away from the receiver. The center snapped the ball. The game clock drained: twenty-one, twenty, nineteen, eighteen . . . The quarterback took four steps
back. Linemen formed a protective pocket around him.
Peyton found Noah. He raced down the field desperately trying to shake his defenders. The quarterback bounced on his toes, buying time. Scanning left, scanning right, looking for an open man. Seventeen, sixteen, fifteen . . .
Throw the ball to eighty-one!
Noah’s strides carried him ten, fifteen, twenty yards. Peyton willed him faster, stronger, farther than the backs chasing him.
Heritage defenders dogged the Sequoia linemen, crashing through the pocket. The quarterback pivoted free. Fourteen, thirteen, twelve . . . He sent the ball high. Silently, Peyton chanted, I believe. I believe. I believe.
A collective gasp rose above the stadium as the ball arced toward the end zone. Eleven seconds, ten, nine . . . Peyton’s gaze scrambled to Noah. He jerked right, then cut left toward the goalpost. He sprinted toward the end zone, arms pumping, feet barely kissing the ground. He was flying.
But his back was to the ball. Peyton slowly rose to her feet. She wanted to scream, “Turn around!” But she couldn’t form the words. She didn’t have the breath. All she could do was watch . . . and hope . . .
I believe. I believe. I believe.
Noah crossed into the end zone, dogged by Heritage defenders in blue. Eight seconds, seven, six . . . He spun right, sighted the ball, then sprang to meet it. Defenders jumped with him. Noah reached higher, stretched farther, and pulled it into his chest. He fell back to the end zone, tucking the ball into his body, then rolled to his feet.
Touchdown!
Time ran out. Sequoia Soldiers 26, Heritage Warriors 23. With the extra point, the final score was 27, 23, Sequoia.
Sequoia faithful roared their victory. Peyton threw her arms wide and leaped into Darius’s arms. She kissed him. Hard. He kissed her back. His arms tightened around her, pulling her into his body. Peyton froze. What was she doing?
She pushed against Darius’s chest. “I’m so sorry.”
“I’m not.” He set her back on her feet, then pulled June into a bear hug.
“We’re undefeated!” June released Darius to embrace Peyton. “We’re undefeated!”
“Even better, we’re going to the championship.” Darius turned his cover model grin on Peyton. “How did you know?”
Peyton couldn’t meet Darius’s eyes. She’d literally thrown herself at him.
She nodded toward the field. The entire Sequoia team was celebrating on the fifty-yard line. “Noah’s your brother. Determination runs in your family.”
“They’re both strong-willed men.” June sounded giddy.
Darius’ smile grew. “Well, ladies, I know some losers who owe us a drink.”
“That’s right. During the Books and Bakery Halloween event, your friends bet that Heritage would win.” June threw her head back with a laugh. “Suddenly, I’m very thirsty. But I’d better take a rain check. I need to meet the team bus back at Sequoia High.”
“I guess it’s just you and me, then.” Darius met Peyton’s eyes. He stepped back to allow June and Peyton to lead him down the stairs. “I’ll drive us to the bar.”
Peyton followed June from the bleachers. Why had she thrown herself into Darius’s arms and kissed him? What had she been thinking? She hadn’t been. Instead she’d given in to impulse. What had happened to the staid, dutiful Dr. Peyton Harris? Trinity Falls was changing her—or was it the sexy small-town newspaper reporter?
At the bar, Darius took a long drink of his soda, then gave Ean a smug smile. “Best I’ve ever tasted.”
His childhood friend shook his head. “You’ve said that after every drink.”
“And I’ve meant it each time.” Darius sighed.