Quarterback Sack

by SE Hall

  “So you went to college here. Tell me about the craziest night you had here.” Oh, shit. This is a loaded question; one that if answered honestly is sure to send her running in the other direction. Do I really tell her what kind of guy I used to be? Women flocked to me, and I rarely went a night without two in my bed. If I tell her about all of that, she’ll only assume that’s what I want in my life now, which I don’t. But I believe in honesty and she asked the questions, so here goes everything.

  “I can’t really isolate one night as being the craziest. I pretty much partied every chance I could around my football schedule. The guys and I were never in shortage of fun, booze, and girls, so needless to say I’ve had my fill of all of that.” I try to wrap it up in a frilly ass bow, but I can see the wheels turning in that pretty little head of hers.

  “How many girls have you been with?” Fuck my life. Who started this damn game and why did I agree to answer all of her questions? Doesn’t she know that’s the one thing you never ask a guy?

  “Honestly, I have no idea.” Her face drops in shock and I know that answer wasn’t the best way to respond, but saying ‘hundreds, hell thousands’… would’ve been worse. “That’s who I was, Ava, not who I am now.” She looks down at her hands as I put the truck in park and I know what’s coming next, so I save her from having to say it out loud. “I’m clean. I’ve been tested and I’ve always used a condom… until you.” The air between us is heavy and this isn’t how I wanted this day to go. It’s supposed to be light and fun, an indication of what spending time with me would be like if we could do anything we wanted without the cameras being all over us.

  I reach for my beanie and sunglasses before handing her the pair and jersey I picked up for her. She slides the glasses on, looking in the visor mirror as she does. “I know that’s all in your past, it’s just crazy to hear that you really don’t know how many women you’ve been with.”

  I won’t deny how bad it all really is with her. If I want anything to happen between us, she needs to know I’ll always be honest with her.

  “I’m not proud of it. I guess you could say I let some of it go to my head at times and it took me getting my ass whipped in the pro league to get my shit together. I had to get back to being humble and remember where I came from and who I wanted to be.” She finally looks at me and I exhale the breath that I’ve been holding as I waited for her to either freak out or take in what I was saying as me making a huge change in my life. “I haven’t been with anyone since I met you though, so I guess that should tell you something.” I open the truck door and leave her to sit on that statement as I watch her from the back window. She looks around a few times before she slides on the jersey and then opens the door to join me.

  “Have you ever been tailgating?” She looks sexy as fuck. In fact, the only thing I can think of that would make this view even better, would be if that jersey were blue with my number on it.

  “You’ve been to all of the games I ever attended. So, no I haven’t experienced any of this.” The parking lot is filled with the usual fans, all of them ready to celebrate a win with their tailgates down and their grills going. Those shade tents litter the parking lot, giving protection against the sun and even a few large TVs and stereos with pre-game chatter from the broadcasters.

  “Well, this is what we call ‘The Quad.’ My parents should be up here next to the gate.” I take her hand, and feel her hesitate as she slowly slides her fingers between mine. We walk and take in all the invitations to have a drink or a bite to eat from people just excited to be here today, the smell of barbecue and hamburgers filling the air.

  “Holy shit. Rush Riggins. I’d know that stance anywhere.” A guy in my brother’s jersey comes from the back of his tent and hands me a beer. I smile and think about attempting to deny who I am, but I know he has pegged me and he won’t be easily convinced otherwise.

  “Thanks for the beer, man.” I lift it up in a salute before I take a swig and start moving us down the lane. “This is going to get crazy if we don’t move now.” She walks with me and I glance back to see that he’s just grinning as we walk. Maybe he’ll get the hint that I’m trying to be here without all the attention and won’t send the fans to attack us. “So, my stance is recognizable. What exactly does that mean?”

  “Yeah, you stand more on one leg than the other with your butt shifted to one side all the time.”

  “Shit, you make me sound like a fucking flamingo or something.” Her laughter makes me happy and if it takes me making jokes all damn day, then that’s what I’ll do.

  “No, crazy. You just shift your weight in this sexy way is all.”

  “So now you think I’m sexy?” She squeezes my hand and refuses to answer, which is perfectly acceptable because my mother screams just as I ask.

  “Oh my God, I’ve missed you!”

  “Mom. Remember… you’re supposed to keep it cool and not draw attention to me today.” I talk to her as she crushes my chest with her tight grip. “Mom, this is Ava. The girl I told you about.”

  “I know who this is. Don’t you think I follow everything about your team, Son?” She hugs Ava, forcing her to let go of my hand in the process as she whisks her to the back of their tent. My dad grins at Mom and Ava as they walk by, no doubt giving me a sign that he approves of my date for the day.

  “Damn, Son. Didn’t imagine the first girl you’d bring home for us to meet would be the owner of a damn professional football team. Nice catch.” He pats me on the back like he’s proud of me and I skip the part where she’s not really mine to show off. I don’t feel like going into all the details of what’s going on with the two of us, when I’m not even sure myself.

  I watch my mom talk and laugh with Ava, surely happy to have another girl around for once. She only searches for me a couple of times, but I keep my eyes on her hoping that she really hits it off with my family. It’s obvious she’s not used to having the support I’ve always had and I know sometimes a close family like mine can be a bit overwhelming. “Your mom and I will be at your next home game. When do you think they’ll clear you?”

  “I’m supposed to check in on Tuesday. To be honest, I think they just wanted to make me rest this weekend because I feel fine. I didn’t fight it too hard since I wanted to come see Jett play.”

  “Don’t mess around with a concussion. There’s a reason they have the rules they do. You don’t need knocked around when you’re still trying to heal.” He reaches for a second bottle of beer and I decline it, still sipping on the one the guy handed me earlier. I’m not out to get shitfaced today.

  “You know I hate it, but I’m doing what they say.” He knows me well enough to know I’m impatient as hell about getting back on the field. I turn just as a few fans line up to meet my parents. This has been their reserved spot for years. It was something they started when I was a freshman, so you can only imagine the people they’ve met through here. I’m not used to being on this side of things at a game, but it entertains me. After all it’s part of why we all play.

  “Oh my God, it’s your older son, Rush Riggins.” A woman recognizes me and I realize I’m an idiot for thinking I could come here and hide under a damn beanie and shades to fool the people who spend their lives watching and rooting for me to win.

  “In the flesh. How are you, sweetheart?” And that’s all it takes for the screaming to begin and more people to come toward us. I refuse to bring any attention to Ava, so I keep my focus on the fans trying to get the chance to meet me. I sign jerseys, hats, programs, and even one set of tits before my dad asks them all to give us space.

  My phone buzzes just as I step away from everyone and I see a text from my mom saying she has taken Ava away from all the fans and moved her to the entrance of the stadium. How in the fuck am I going to get through this day without making things worse with her publicly? This was a terrible idea.

  “I’ll see you after the game, Dad.” I wave as I leave him and the fans as he holds them back from following me thr
ough the side gate where security knows who my parents are.

  “Nice to see you, Riggins.” I get a high five from three of the security officers before I see my mom and Ava.

  “I’m going to go help your dad.” Mom leaves me in a hurry and I turn to Ava to tell her that we have to go.

  “We should just leave. People know who I am and this was a terrible idea. I need to come back some other day.”

  “You came to see your brother play and that’s what you need to do.” She seems adamant about it.

  “It’s out that I’m here. The press will be looking for me and when they see you with me, rumors will start.” This all sucks and I hate that we can’t just do what normal people do and watch my brother’s game.”

  “Well your mom has a plan.” She holds up a bag with a huge smile on her face and I reach for it slowly, not sure I’m ready for what she’s going to suggest. I pull out two red wigs, made like mop hair and a few tubes of body paint along with pom poms and a huge foam finger. My mom has lost her damn mind if she thinks I’m going to wear this stuff. “She also got us seats away from where they sit, hoping to give us a chance to stay away from the cameras.”

  Ava pulls one of the wigs from the bag and tucks her long hair inside of it before she starts to paint half of her face white, holding the red for the other side. She looks hysterical and I can’t refuse to do this if she’s willing to, so I follow her lead. She helps me paint my face and I touch up hers; trying my hardest to make this purely innocent, especially when I’m painting near her plump lips.

  Before long we both look like mega fans with zero fucks to give about how we look. She pulls out her phone to take a selfie of us and I see just how ridiculous we look. I stick my tongue out to finish the look off with the kind of insanity that one dressed like this would have. “I don’t think anyone will recognize me now.”

  “Just don’t stand like that and we should be golden.” She points at me with a single finger and then begins to walk away before I have the chance to look down and see what she’s talking about.

  “Jesus. How am I standing now?” I hold my arms out in defeat and try to shift my ass so I’m not standing like usual. “This doesn’t feel normal. What the fuck is wrong with people? The way I stand should be how everyone stands.”

  “Believe me… it’s not. Now come on. We have to find our seats.”

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  AVA

  We find our seats and manage to blend in without anyone recognizing either of us. Not that anyone would know who I am, but he’s and alumni icon here, having “rolled” the Tide to as many victories as he will the Thunder. I’ve never laughed as hard as I have today, Rush’s carefree side taking over once he escaped the fans. And I have to say, he’s kept his promise, making me forget about all the stress I have waiting back at home, even though he’s the main source of it.

  I love that he brought me here today. It’s been a very long time since I’ve been able to do something fun, not caring what anyone says or thinks about me. The electricity in the air is contagious, everyone screaming and yelling as Alabama continues to run the scoreboard. His brother is doing an amazing job at quarterback and I can’t help but laugh every time they huddle. Jett stands the exact same way Rush does.

  Rush’s leg brushes mine often, his arm finding its way around me even more so, infusing me with a comfortable warmth. My hopes that this trip would make it easier for me to end things between us are being crushed by the second. Every time he smiles, a small dimple popping out and his sapphire eyes even more vibrant than usual, I fall a little deeper for him. He’s truly happy here, watching his brother lead his team down the field with a pride that can’t be faked or hidden.

  Once the game ends, Bama slaughtering the yellow and purple Tigers they were playing, Rush’s mouth finds my ear. “Now we meet at my parents for the traditional, celebration cookout. Jett will be there, can’t wait for you to meet him, but we’ll let some of these people clear out before we go.”

  If I hadn’t already met his parents, I’d be terrified right now, but his mother made me feel beyond comfortable. She’s everything I always imagined a “good mom” would be, never having the actual to experience. “How’d you like the game?” He sits back and props his arms behind his head as people file out around us.

  “It was a blast. Honestly, I had more fun watching this one than I did my first pro game.”

  He doesn’t miss my blatant taunt, or the chance to harass me right back.

  “Only because you got to sit with the red-headed sexy beast of your dreams.” He playfully fluffs his wig and I elbow him in the side.

  “Right. My secret’s out, I have a thing for crimson hair.”

  “Of course you do.” His focus shifts to the field, as he’s watching the team come together to celebrate their win. “I love that Jett’s getting to experience all of this, living the dream. He deserves it.” He’s so proud of his brother, and the selfless side of Rush is the sexiest thing I’ve ever seen. He wanted this day to be about his brother and have the opportunity to enjoy the game with no distractions. I’m glad he got that. He may have started out doing this for me, but it’s clear that he’s thoroughly enjoyed being on this side of things, even if only for today.

  He stands and grabs my hand then turns his back to me. “Hop on. Maybe I can prevent my famous stance if I’m giving you a piggy-back ride,” he laughs.

  “Uh, no. You’re out of your mind.” My refusal is futile, only causing him to insist even harder.

  “Uh, yes. Hop the fuck on, Ginger. It’s time we blow this stadium and I take you to have the best steak of your life. Here, hold these.”

  Continuing our carefree day, I grab the foam finger and pom-poms in one hand and his strong shoulder with the other, allowing him to hike me up and twine my legs around his waist. His muscles ripple under my arms as he walks us down the stairs and through the gate of the parking lot. I choose a random young girl and hand her the fan gear as we pass so I can wrap my arms tighter around his neck, shifting myself even higher as he continues to carry me.

  “Love those tits against my back,” he grunts.

  “You’re impossible. Put me down.” I release my grip, expecting him to let me slide to my feet, but he just keeps moving.

  “Not on your life, sweet cheeks. This may be the only chance I have to hold you today, so I’m fucking taking it. Plus, we don’t need anyone chasing us because of my fuckin’ flamingo stance.”

  “Gonna let that go anytime soon? I already said you don’t look like a flamingo.”

  “Oh, that’s right. I believe the word you used was sexy.”

  I snicker but don’t respond, too busy looking around in awe. There are so many people out here, all still cheering and excited over the win. It’s truly a sight to see, and something everyone should witness at least once in their lives. All these people, no doubt of different economic statuses, religious and political beliefs, walks of life… but on game day they come together as one, because of their love for their team. Their love of the game. Perhaps I haven’t given football a fair chance.

  We finally reach the truck and he helps me slowly slip down his body until my feet hit the ground. Turning quickly, he crosses his arms over his broad chest and smirks at me. “Alright, show me how I stand.” I put one hand on my hip and cock it to the right side, popping my ass out and shifting my weight in an attempt to copy him. “Turn around,” he twirls a finger in the air. “I need to see this from all angles.”

  “Maybe you should stand in front of a mirror and look at yourself do this.” I laugh, rotating to show him what it looks like from behind, well aware this is just his way of getting a glimpse of my ass.

  “Okay, I see what you’re saying. Not sure I can change it though.” He pulls the wig off his head, tossing everything in the backseat before coming around to open my door for me.

  “Thank you for today, Rush. I had a great time,” I say once he’s behind the wheel. He nods in acknowledgment then
pulls out of the parking spot and gets right in the middle of all the other traffic.

  My stomach is growling and I can’t wait to try this steak he claims is the best. And I’ll have to be sure to thank his mom for thinking ahead, making it possible for us to stay and enjoy the game… a memory I’ll never forget.

  Rush

  Today has been perfect. My parents love Ava and my brother practically salivated when I introduced them. And of course, he made things awkward with her right away. I’d expect nothing less.

  I’ve been standing outside with my dad while he mans the grill, only seeing Ava every once in a while since my mom took her under her wing… and into the kitchen. They both step out onto the back porch and I swear the smile on my mother’s face has never been brighter. Ava’s obviously won her over; doesn’t surprise me at all. Mom loves easily, and Ava’s easy to…

  “How much longer?” Mom times her yell perfectly, interrupting my shocking train of thought.

  “I’m just about to pull the steaks off, do you have everything else ready inside?” My dad drops a quick kiss on my mom’s lips while Ava stands next to me awkwardly. I pull her against my side, and when she doesn’t fight me on it, actually relaxing in my hold, I lean over to kiss her as well. She may as well stop fighting this connection we have, we both know that she can’t resist me. Nor I her. My father clears his throat, his way of asking if we’re done yet, and I reluctantly take a step back, mentally cursing my old man.

  Jett strolls up, a cocky glimmer in his eyes. “So, Ava, you think you’ll be ready for the better Riggins to take QB position when I graduate?” Dickhead. She laughs at his bullshit question the second it leaves his mouth.

  “Well, we’ll just have to see how you’re looking by then, but I’m pretty sure we’ll still be set at QB. It’d take a lot to replace this guy right here.” She shifts so that we’re no longer touching, but hikes a thumb in my direction with her compliment.