by Ana Balen
Rory smiled and kissed me again. This one was fast though, and just like the one before, it was also wet and hot as hell. She then pulled out of my arms, bent down, and started working on my leg. When she was done, she tapped the player nearest to her on his calf to indicate we were ready for them to go.
“Go win the game, QB,” she bossed, kissing me on the cheek just as the huddle broke and everyone in the stadium could see. Which meant everyone cheered. “My brothers know about the passes now, and they expect the same for the Super Bowl.”
I just shook my head, smiling, and grabbed my helmet from the bench. I stood up and walked onto the grass and giving her a wink over my shoulder, jogged onto the field to do as she said.
Epilogue
Rory
Ten years later
“Please, stand up and give a mighty applause for the best QB the Thunders ever had, Jason Harris. This is the last time we’ll have him in this role. The last time his name will appear on the players list. After ten years, the best QB in the league has decided to put his helmet down, and even though he’s not here with us today, I’m sure he’s here in spirit. The Denver Thunders thanked Jason. You have been the best player and the best friend we could possibly ever ask for.”
“We could have been there,” Max whined, his hands extended to the enormous TV that was hung on the back wall of the house. “We could have drank in this energy. Damn, we could have even stood in the center of the field.” His hands now at his waist, Max hung his head and shook it. “You wound me man,” he muttered, not lifting his head up.
The chuckle that came from behind me still gave me goose bumps. I turned around, and my eyes found Jason’s as I rolled mine and grinned. He was standing at the grill, the light smoke surrounding him, a beer held in one hand and his eyes that were aimed at Max through his whining and begging came to mine the second I turned around, and he gave me a sexy smile.
It was the first game of the season, and the last official one in Jason’s career. He didn’t want to be there. He decided he was going to retire last season, but the Thunders didn’t want to announce it, hoping he would change his mind. So, they held off, and when it became clear he was determined, they had no choice but to do it today, without Jason there. We all were invited to the ceremony, but Jason said he spent enough time on that grass and was looking forward to watching the game from home. We still had our own little ceremony, but it was for family only.
Everyone was here, my brothers with their wives and kids, my Mom and Sebastian. Jason’s parents, Dolores and John, Logan and his wife, Dylan and his, and Matthew. Jimmy was at the stadium, since he still played. I still couldn’t believe my brothers found their wives and that any woman in her right mind would have them. Then again, I still had the bail fund, only these days it was used for their wives and me. They took every opportunity to rub that in my face, and no matter how many times I tried to explain it wasn’t my fault, but they’d met their match in female form.
Ten years ago, after the game that I rushed to in order to tape up Jason’s leg, Jason took me to his hotel room and told me everything. He then took me out the next day to look at houses. We didn’t find one for a long time though. Even at the slight wrinkle in my nose, or me inspecting something too much, Jason took it as indication that it wasn’t the home of my dreams.
In the end, he moved into my apartment, and five years ago, he bought this land and started working on building my dream home. Five years ago, we also got married. The only ones who were present were the people standing in our backyard today. It was a long road, one that was extremely rocky, but Jason did forgive Logan for what he did. It probably had something to do with Logan calling every day to check up on me, and anytime I needed to go somewhere or do something, he was always there to help. I still sometimes could see ghosts lurking in his eyes, more when he went through his painful gig with his wife, but they were becoming less and less visible. I tried to talk to him, tried to get him to stop feeling guilty, but he just said, “Give me that, Rory. I almost cost you and Jason your future, but most importantly, I almost cost you your life. I thought I learned my lesson, but as it is with life, it gave me one I will never forget. And in doing so, it gave me more of the understanding of how it felt, and honestly, I don’t want to ever forget it.”
After that, I backed off, but I still hoped he would stop tormenting himself with what was done. I watched him hug his wife from behind, his face tilted down to her neck and his eyes closed, I also understood he never would forget. He had a taste of that fear and hopelessness, and he didn’t want to.
It took me almost a year to get Jason to sign a contract with Sebastian. He flat-out refused when I mentioned it the first time, saying he didn’t want it; he would figure something out. Sebastian was family, and he didn’t want anyone to ever have the thought of him using me and my connection to Sebastian. It took Sebastian to come to our home, sit Jason down and explain a few things. It was also after I called him and said I failed once again in reasoning with Jason.
“I’m a fifty-five-year-old man who didn’t have anybody before I met Teresa. I built an empire but no one to leave it to. And then Teresa came into my life, giving me three sons and a daughter. And the daughter gave me one more son. Now, tell me, boy, who in their right mind wouldn’t do anything possible to help their family? So, no more of this bullshit, no more refusing, and come into the office Monday morning and sign the damn contract, so we can get to business.”
And that was that.
He went in, they signed the papers, and Sebastian made sure Jason played for only one team the rest of his career. The Denver Thunders. It didn’t take long for Chace to start working with Sebastian, and surprisingly he was good at it.
“Mommy,” the high-pitched squeal made me turn just in time to see Carter swinging Amelia, our four-year-old, up in his hands, over his head, and settle her to sit on his shoulders and walk my way.
The moment the words I’m pregnant came out of my mouth, Jason lunged at me, fucked me in our bed, and then pulled me out of it when we were done to drive here to tell him my vision. We got married the week after. We moved into the house that resided in my mind, which Jason made a reality, a year and a half later.
Amelia was a carbon copy of her dad in a little girl form. She was also spoiled rotten by every member of our family. But her favorite, besides her daddy, was her uncle Carter. I still couldn’t believe he held such a huge secret from me, and it took me a long time to forgive him. But I totally understood why he did it. “Are we gonna play?” she asked, pulling on Carter’s ears and bouncing up and down on his shoulders.
“Go easy on your uncle, princess, or I won’t be able to work tomorrow,” Carter chuckled, coming to me and pulling her down so I could take her.
“How dangerous is tomorrow’s gig?” I asked quietly, searching his eyes for any indication it was indeed dangerous.
“It’s routine,” he dismissed my concerns. “Do you think I would jeopardize what I have now?” He asked the question he always asked when I started to interrogate him. And I knew he wouldn’t, it was just that he held a huge part of his life a secret before it blew up in his face. “Besides, your husband holds me on a short leash.”
Four years ago, Jason went into business with Carter opening a security agency that did anything and everything under the sun, thanks to Carter’s expertise. Unfortunately, it meant Carter was a PI playing bodyguard. It did however bring him to the woman who was now his wife, and she held him on an even shorter leash, only allowing him to occasionally put himself in danger. The fact that he found her meant Carter stopped chasing that adrenaline rush and started to slow down, not that he would ever admit that.
“Mommy, let’s play,” Amelia whined, her little hands pulling my face to her.
“Okay, baby,” I murmured, smiling. “Go get Daddy and let’s play.”
I put her down and watched her run to her hero and tug on his hand. I started walking in their direction, and we met halfway just as C
arter whistled to get everyone on the lawn.
“You okay?” I asked my husband and rounded him and our daughter, who was in his arms, with my own.
“I’m perfect,” he muttered, leaning down to me. “How are you?” he whispered. I knew he was asking about the morning sickness by the glint in his eyes. Two days ago, I shared the news we were going to have another baby, and we still hadn’t told anybody, since we wanted to wait for the first trimester to pass and we were sure everything was as it should be.
I shook my head and gave him a small smile in answer but asked, “What are you going to do now, QB?”
“He’s gonna play!” Amelia shrieked before Jason could open his mouth.
“I’m gonna play,” Jason repeated, his eyes dancing.
Five minutes later, we were split up into two teams, and as the whistle from the TV could be heard, I watched my husband as he threw a football for the last time in his professional career right in our backyard, cheered by the crowd that was miles away.
The End
The adventures of Ryan family will continue with story of Max and Skylar
Acknowledgments
I hate this part. I’m terrified that I’ll (unintentionally) forget someone.
So, I’ll start from the start.
Zulfa Cupido, woman you’re a godsend. I cannot nor will I ever be able to express how much all the things you did mean to me. The way you cheered me on, never letting me stop and even start to think about just throwing in the towel and calling it quits, is beyond words. Yeah, it left me speechless. Thank you!
Sue John, you are the best alpha, beta reader and all the other letters in the Greek alphabet there are. Your gentle nudging and cheering, not to mention every time you’ve read a chapter sending me a message of I LOVE IT, kept fueling me on. Thank you!
Sean Hurdle, not only do you spread the word about my books, but you also took on an enormous task of formatting this little gem of mine. I can’t say thank you enough… But, Thank you!
To my readers, you stick with me with every new story that comes out. I love whenever you reach out to me just ask a question or talk about some part of the book that you just can’t get out of your head. It’s the reason why I do this. Thank you so much for letting me know that I am doing a good job. Thank you!
And as always, last but most important, to my husband and son. Sven, you leave me speechless every time you ask if I have to write today and then just scoop up our baby boy and go entertain him, even though I know you’re exhausted and all you want to do is sit on the couch, eat and snuggle (with me...LOL). Thank you so so much, I love you to the moon and back. Thank you!
Baby boy, you’re just the perfect human being. You’re the force that drives me day in and day out. If I ever come to wonder if in life I did one great thing all I have to do is look at you. Thank you!
That’s it, that’s all I have to say...for now.
All that is left is…HVALA SVIMA!!
About The Author
Ana Balen was born in Zagreb, Croatia, where she still lives with her husband, their son (read boss!) and the son’s pet rabbit named Shhh! (or some other gibberish that’s the favorite of their son for the day.)
She spends her days driving her husband up the wall (when he can’t get her ass up from the bed in the mornings), reading and daydreaming, or following orders from a three-year old. In the hectic life she leads (and loves every second of it), she never thought about writing. But, then one day a name popped in her head, then, the snippets of things, and she sat down and started typing. Next thing, she wrote a book. And now, she’s trying to write another one ;)
Also, by Ana Balen
Good Intentions Volume One
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07QK3Z73R/
Good Intentions Volume Two
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07ZQKLRMV/
Good Intentions Volume Three
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B083VW1Q64/
Good Intentions Trilogy Box Set
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B084V8R6GH/
Wishing For A Star
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07DGM7TQ5/
Never Too Late (part of Christmas Wishes box set)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07XXJPMW9/