The Anderson Brothers Complete Series

by Kristin Coley

  “She’s a writer and a teacher. We got stuck in a blizzard together,” The words spill out quickly. “In fact, she’s the one that texted you,” Ford was looking at me curiously now, and I knew I needed to explain. “I told her about what happened,” I waved my arm, indicating the past and Hannah. “I told her I forgave you the first time I stepped on the field as a Bronco. Because I did,” I told him, answering a question I knew he’d been wanting to ask me for months. He never would ask, and it lingered between us. I felt the emotions pressing in on me, but I needed to finish, because he deserved to know.

  “Sophie wanted to know why I hadn’t talked to you. I told her the truth,” I took a deep breath. “I didn’t know how to talk to you. I let it go on so long, that when I finally wanted to talk, I couldn’t find the words. She laughed at me and took my phone. She’s the one that texted you.” I saw Ford nod, his look one of understanding. “Once she did, it was like the pressure was gone.”

  “I’m glad she did too,” Ford answered, not caring that our first communication came from a woman he’d never met. “Dude, I’d have taken a message by pigeon carrier,” he said, making me laugh. “Am I gonna get a chance to meet this Sophie?” he asked.

  “She’s my date for your wedding,” I answered. “So unless you change your mind ….”

  “Oh hell no. I’ve waited too long for this. Nobody’s changing their mind,” he assured me, very seriously. “You ready to go?” he said, jerking his head to the door.

  “You sure I can’t just hide here?” I questioned him, hoping he’d convince Mom to leave me alone.

  “Only if you want them all to come here,” he answered, killing my dream. The thought of my entire family showing up at my door was enough to persuade me to leave.

  We got to the house, and there was no place to park. “Dude, I didn’t think we had this much family,” I muttered looking at the cars lined up along the driveway and down the road.

  “Ha, she invited the entire town.” I froze, causing Ford to grab my arm and pull me. “Might as well get it over with. You’re the town hero. Local boy made it big. I’m guessing you didn’t see the paper this morning.” I felt my eyes widen at his words. “Front page news, brother.”

  “They do realize I'm home because I’m injured? There’s a chance I’ll never play pro again,” I responded, dumbfounded by his revelations.

  “Doesn’t matter. They love you. They want to show they support you. Wait till they hear you’re coaching the high school team. Gonna go nuts,” Ford said, shaking his head. “Glad I’m not you.”

  I couldn’t comprehend the overwhelming support of my town. I knew I was famous. People chanted my name and begged for autographs, but I hadn’t been back to this town in years. I was ashamed of myself. I’d let these people, my first supporters, down. I hadn’t bothered to appreciate their loyalty to me. As much as I didn’t want to be part of a huge party, I resolved to greet everyone there. My momma didn’t raise me to be ill-mannered, and it was time I paid back what was owed.

  The crowd was massive when we got to the house, and I heard them cheer my name. The emotion that hit me was stronger than any I’d ever felt in a game. These people knew me, they weren’t fans of the Denver Broncos. They were my fans. They supported me, no matter what. I took a second to control the emotions running through me, before I started shaking hands. The smile on my face was genuine, even hours later.

  I felt a hand on my back, and I was turning to shake another hand, when I realized it was Hannah. I said the first thing that came to my mind. “I’m sorry I missed your graduation.” She gave me a soft laugh, saying “You were there for the one that mattered.”

  I saw she had a plate of food in one hand and a drink in the other. “You need help?” I asked her.

  “Yep. This is for you,” she told me, smiling, lifting the plate up. “I figured you were hungry by now.” My stomach rumbled at the smell of food.

  “You’re a lifesaver,” I groaned, grabbing the plate from her. “Sit with me?” I asked, uncertainly.

  She nodded, and we settled on the ground under a tree. The yard and house were packed with people, the heat not stopping the kids from running around, and I saw some guys throwing a football. I wanted to join them, but I knew my shoulder wasn’t ready for it. I tore into the food, letting the silence settle over us. It was oddly comfortable.

  After I finished off the plate, Hannah started talking, “I hear you have a date to my wedding,” she said, smiling.

  I laughed, “News travels fast.”

  “Luckily for you we haven't mentioned it to your mom,” Hannah teased. I admitted to feeling relieved at that knowledge. I’d like to postpone Sophie meeting my parents, indefinitely.

  “Ford’s really glad y’all talked. I’m not sure you know that,” Hannah said, pulling up grass and shredding it. I watched her for a second. “I am too. It needed to be said,” I admitted.

  “He’s not the only one I forgave that day,” I continued, watching her hands pause in the grass. “I forgave you too.” She looked up at me, and I saw the tears glistening in her eyes. “But I need to ask you to forgive me,” I told her, watching the surprise cross her face. Her mouth opened, but I rushed to continue. I’d been needing to say this for a long time. “I need you to forgive me, for not being there for you. For Grace. You didn’t tell me, because you knew how important football was to me, but I failed you, because I never told you how important you were to me. It took a few years, but I finally understood why you didn’t tell me. You were right. What we had wouldn’t have survived. I wouldn’t have been good for either of you, if I’d walked away from my chance to play football. But I walked away from you twice. I walked away the day you told me about Grace, and when I did, I walked away from my daughter.” I paused to clear my throat, and I saw tears slipping down her face. “I’m sorry for that, and I ask that you forgive me, if you can.”

  “Colt, there’s nothing to forgive,” Hannah sighed, swiping at her tears. I reached into my pocket and pulled out one of the handkerchiefs I got from Sophie. I handed it to Hannah and she took it with a shocked laugh. “Sophie gave them to me. Said if I made a woman cry, I should at least give her something to blow her nose in,” I said, with an uncomfortable shrug.

  “I want to meet Sophie,” Hannah said, with a gasping laugh. She wiped her face with the hankie and clutched it in her fist. “I’m serious, Colt. There’s nothing to forgive. I’ll say the words if you need to hear them, but that was a hard day. You had reason to be upset. We took away your choices.”

  I nodded, the regret over losing four years still there, but I was lighter now. I’d needed to tell Hannah I was sorry. She deserved to know I hadn’t stopped thinking about them. I rolled up the sleeve of my shirt, so she could see my tattoo. She nodded in understanding. Suddenly, a whirlwind of pink landed in my lap. “Uncle ‘Olt!” it exclaimed, clueing me in as to who was encased in pink. She immediately gave me a smacking kiss on the lips. “I missed you!”

  “And I missed you, little darling,” I told her, smiling. She settled herself into my lap, as Ford walked up to us. Grace reached over and touched the tattoo, “My name is still here,” she told me.

  “Yep. It’s permanent,” I told her, as she looked at me curiously. “Permanent?” she questioned.

  “It means it’ll be there forever,” I answered. I was in awe of this small girl, and startled by the realization that I had no idea what she was capable of.

  “But why?” she persisted, curious as to why her name was forever etched on my skin.

  “Because you are very important to me,” I told her seriously. She nodded easily, as if that answer was sufficient, before settling more firmly against my arm.

  “Tell me the story of Snow White please!” she commanded, a tiny pink dictator that already had me wrapped around her finger. I leaned against the tree, desperately trying to recall the story of Snow White.

  “Well, um. Once upon a time, there was a beautiful girl with a wicked stepmother an
d three evil stepsisters. Snow White was forced to work day and night for them, spinning gold, until one day, a huntsman came along and kidnapped her. He was going to kill her, but couldn't, because she was so sweet and kind. Instead, he released her into the woods where she stumbled onto a cottage. She was very hungry and tired, so she ate all the porridge on the table and then went to find a bed. She couldn’t find one that was comfortable, so she sat in a giant chair instead. Later on, seven dwarfs came home to find her sleeping in the beast’s chair! They fussed and carried on, frightened of what would happen if the beast found her in his chair. All of their noise awakened Snow White, and she immediately told them to stop. She then shocked them when she introduced herself, because no one ever talked to the dwarves. They introduced themselves at her request, making her laugh at their funny names. There was Farty, Snotty, Gloomy, Grim, Teacher, Tyrant, and Silly.”

  At this point, I stopped to take a breath, I’d really gotten into telling Snow White’s story. I took a second to look and see what they thought of my storytelling abilities. Ford had a hand covering his mouth. I could tell he was fighting not to laugh. Hannah was shaking her head at me, and when I looked down at Grace, she sighed.

  “Uncle ‘Olt, it’s a good thing you play football, ‘cause you’re not good at telling stories,” she said, with a terrible frown. She huffed and crawled out of my lap, before running to join a group of kids playing.

  “Burned by a four-year-old. But, man, I enjoyed that tale,” Ford told me, laughing uncontrollably now.

  “And that was my story of Snow White,” I concluded, listening to Sophie’s peals of laughter in my ear, having phoned her to relate the day’s events.

  “I think we need to work on your knowledge of classic fairy tales,” Sophie said, snorting. After I caught myself thinking her snort was adorable, I knew I needed to call it a night.

  I’d finally gotten home around midnight, after shaking seemingly every hand in Waco. Between that and my early morning flight, I was running on fumes, but I couldn’t sleep, until I’d called Sophie.

  “How was your day? Are you enjoying teaching the workshop?” I asked, around a yawn. I was mentally and physically exhausted from a day of soul bearing, but I didn’t want her to think I didn’t care.

  “My day wasn’t nearly as long as yours, and yes, I’m enjoying the workshop. But you’re exhausted, and we can continue this conversation tomorrow,” Sophie replied lightly, her voice flowing over me. “Good night, Prince Charming.”

  “Good night, Snow White,” I answered, half asleep.

  The next day, I got a text from Sophie saying, “I sent you something that should help with your storytelling.”

  “Awesome,” I replied. “It seems I’ve been roped into babysitting next weekend. I have a feeling I’ll need all the help I can get.”

  “Lol. Sucker,” I laughed at her reply before telling her, “I took the job.”

  “What? That’s fantastic. You need something to keep you busy.” I frowned slightly at how well she knew me.

  “Have you set up our rehab schedule there?” she asked.

  “Yeah. Mom got several recommendations for a place. I’m going five times a week, until the coaching job starts, and then I’ll drop down to three times a week, depending on my progress,” I told her, unwilling to admit how frustrated I was with the slow pace of my recovery. I knew it was a marathon, not a sprint, but I wanted to be back on the field.

  “That’s good. You’re recovering. Be patient,” She replied, reading my mind. “Don’t rush it and damage your shoulder further.”

  “Yes, mother,” I teased before asking, “When does your workshop end?” I was hoping she might be able to visit before classes started again.

  “July fifteenth. It’s only a six-week course,” she answered.

  “Any plans for the rest of the summer?” I fished for information. I could have asked her directly, but I didn’t want to seem eager.

  “Michelle wants me to go to Denver and visit her before the baby comes.” I growled at that news. I’d forgotten Michelle was pregnant. A second text came in “But I’m not going. I can’t afford another trip to Denver.”

  Now I felt guilty. She couldn’t afford it, because she’d spent her savings to visit me. “I’ll pay for the plane ticket. It’s my fault you don’t have the money.”

  I didn’t get a reply for several minutes, and I started to worry, until I saw a wall of text come in.

  “You won’t be paying for ANYTHING. I can pay my own way. It’s not like I didn’t see her when I was visiting you. I don’t need your money, or anyone else’s! It’s not your ‘fault’ I don’t have the money. My coming to see you was my choice. I’m an adult. But I get what you’re trying to do and I appreciate the thought. Just don’t have it again, okay?”

  At this point, I couldn’t decide if she was mad at me or not, so I typed ‘Ok’ and hoped for the best.

  “When does coaching start?” she texted, changing subjects so fast, I was getting whiplash.

  “July eighteenth,” I answered. “Mostly workouts and drills, to get them conditioned.”

  I heard the doorbell, so I walked over with the phone in my hand, waiting for her reply. It was Ford, there to take me to the dealership. She didn’t text me back, so I shoved my phone in my pocket and headed out with Ford.

  A few days later, I got a package from Sophie. When I tore it open, I found a well-loved book of fairy tales, with a note.

  Prince Charming,

  My mother read this to me and my sister every night. I adored the stories, my sister not so much. Hence, my possession of the book. I figure you need this more than I do, seeing as how I’ve memorized them all. I hope Grace enjoys them as much as I did.

  Sophie, aka Snow White

  I rubbed my chest, because it felt like my heart was trying to burst out of it. I knew how much this book must mean to Sophie, and I felt privileged that she was sharing it with me.

  “I received the book. It’s perfect. I’ll put it to use tomorrow, when I watch Grace,” I texted her. The words seem inadequate, considering how I felt, so I texted, “Thank you.”

  Immediately, a text popped up, saying “I know,” Followed by a dozen smiley faces. Some of my tension eased, because she of all people would understand what I felt.

  The next night, I prepared carefully for my evening with Grace. It was the first time I’d be spending any one-on-one time with her, and I wanted it to be special. Ford and Hannah were taking a much needed date night, to celebrate her graduation, so I decided I’d do the same with Grace.

  I wore navy slacks with a white button down and a tie I’d found the day before. It had Cinderella’s castle on a navy background. I grabbed the tiny wrist corsage I’d had the florist create for Grace and the book of fairy tales from Sophie.

  I rang the doorbell and waited nervously for it to open. A minute later, Grace opened the door wearing a miniature ball gown. I saw Ford, Hannah, and Olivia hovering in the background, but I kept my attention focused on my adorable date.

  “Good evening, my lady. You look beautiful tonight,” I said, giving her a low bow. She was beaming, as she curtsied to me.

  “Thank you,” she remembered to say, after Hannah cleared her throat. I bent down to put the corsage on her wrist. It was a perfect fit, and I saw her brush her fingers across the flowers. I held out my hand to her, calling over my shoulder, “I promise to have her home before midnight!”

  As I buckled Grace into the booster seat I’d borrowed from Ford earlier that day, I saw them peeking out the window. When I’d come up with the idea earlier that week, they’d jumped on board. Olivia had even said, “I might actually start to like you.” I figure it was mostly because she could play dress up with Grace, but I’d take what I could get.

  As we headed to the restaurant, I played the soundtrack to Frozen, at Hannah’s recommendation. It was apparently a movie about two sisters that Grace loved. Based on the fact that Grace sang along, and knew every line, it wa
s a good call. A few minutes later, I pulled into Chick-Fil-A.

  “Yay! My favorite, Uncle ‘Olt!” she cried out from the back seat, making me grin. We gorged on chicken nuggets, and I watched her play on the playground, completely comfortable in her ball gown. I was still amazed Olivia found a ball gown that small. A few women approached me, while I watched Grace, but I pretended to play on my phone, to discourage them. I could understand fans, but this night was about Grace. Plus, I was coming to the slow realization that Sophie might have ruined me for other women.

  After Grace declared she was done with the playground, I took her to get ice cream. We both got chocolate, hers with sprinkles, and I took a picture of us together with our ice cream cones. I sent it to Sophie, knowing she’d appreciate it.

  “Yum! Wish I was there!” she responded back instantly. I pocketed my phone and watched chocolate ice cream drip onto Grace’s gown. Hopefully, it was washable. After we finished, I took Grace home, where she told me she wanted to play beautician. However, it took me a few minutes to figure that out.

  “Let’s play booty school,” Grace exclaimed, dragging me into her room. I knew I looked confused, because I had no idea what a ‘booty school’ was.

  “Booty school?” I questioned her.

  “Yep. I’ll make you bootiful,” she said, dragging a box out. Once she opened it, I realized what she was saying. There were all kinds of play makeup and bows in her box. I had a feeling this was going to be embarrassing for me, but I knew I wouldn’t refuse. I let her put on blush, lipstick and eye shadow, before clipping bows in my hair. She handed me a mirror to see how ‘bootiful’ I looked. I admired myself for her benefit, while sincerely hoping no one ever found out. I wasn’t sure my reputation could handle dress up night with a four-year-old.

  I noticed it was almost her bedtime, so I offered to tell her a bedtime story. She looked at me warily before agreeing. I smiled and pulled out Sophie’s book. As soon as she saw the cover, she got excited, tracing the gold embossed letters saying, ‘A Collection of Fairy Tales.’