We were still catching our breath when Landon led me upstairs to bed. He fell asleep almost as soon as he wrapped his arms around me, but I lay awake, wondering if we were ever meant to be more than this. If we could connect on more than just a physical level and give the other what we truly needed.
Chapter Fourteen
LANDON
My entire life had revolved around football. From the pee wee leagues to high school, college, and finally the pros, I’d been training to get to the next level or fighting to stay there. I ate, slept, and breathed the game. That was why I didn’t know how to stop.
I woke before Jenna. I watched her sleep, her reflection smiling at me in the mirror by my bed. I meant what I said last night. I needed her, but I didn’t know if I could be enough for her. If I could put football aside and be what she needed. I wanted her to say she’d come with me to Winnipeg, to the ends of the earth. She did promise, in the heat of the moment, but her promises had limits.
Truth of the matter was, I didn’t want to go to Winnipeg. I wasn’t sure if I had it in me to start from scratch one more time—to be the guy who carried the team on his shoulders, the one who everyone was looking to knock off his throne. I didn’t want to meet the next Tyler Jones—the guy with all the promise, the next me, and hand him my dreams for safekeeping.
But without football, I was nothing. I didn’t have anything else to offer.
Tuesday was our day off, and it was almost poetic. Today I’d get a taste of what my life was like without football. Holiday Falls twinkled as the sun struggled to come up.
“Hey, Landon,” a complete stranger approached me as I stood in line for coffee. He bounced on his heels, giving me a nervous smile. “Hell of a game on Sunday.”
That was one way to put it. “An ugly win is still a win.”
He waved his hand. “Those are the exciting ones. I don’t worry so much with you at the helm. If anyone can get the Bloodhounds out of a pile of shit, it’s you.”
“Thanks, man.” He had no idea how deep those words cut on this cold morning. I ordered my coffee. “Put this guy’s order on my tab.”
His face lit up. “You didn’t have to do that.”
“Nope. I wanted to.” It was the least I could fucking do for him. Guys like this would keep me going for the rest of the season. I wouldn’t let them down.
“I can’t wait to tell everyone at the office Landon Fox bought my coffee.” He placed his order.
“Holy shit, that’s Landon Fox!” the guy behind him said to woman next to him.
“Mom, look, Landon Fox is here!” It rippled through the line. A disorganized F-O-X! M-V-P! chant broke out in the coffee shop. They didn’t want it to end, either.
I turned back to the cashier. “Put it all on my tab. Everyone in this line.”
Taking a table in the corner, I waited for everyone to order. A few of them waved and mouthed their thank yous, but others came over to shake my hand or share their favorite memory of me on the field. The most astounding thing was how different they all were, and how deep they ran. Some of these people had been following my career since my college days. They knew I’d be a star, they said. I just needed a chance to shine, like I had on the Bloodhounds.
This is what you wanted, my animal reminded me. You’re fucking lucky. Your dream came true.
And now it was time for a new dream. Even if I decided to go to Winnipeg, my career was still coming to an end.
I drove around town, but wound up at my favorite place. The practice facility. All these years and I still loved the game. Football didn’t stop just because there was no practice scheduled. The gym was always open, the team doctors and therapists holding appointments. A lot of the guys, especially road warriors like me who never found their forever team, congregated here on our days off.
I had a promise to keep to the fans. No matter where or when I called it a career, I’d go out on top.
Tyler was already at the gym, doing chin-ups near the free weights. His biceps strained as he raised himself to the bar. I nodded when I saw him, my animal grumbling, and picked up a weight.
He jumped down at the end of the set. “How are you doing, Fox?”
I met his gaze in the mirror. He was looking at me like he’d found out I’d been diagnosed with something terminal. “Not as good as you.”
His brow wrinkled, and I realized I might have said too much. That the whole organization might not be out to get me. He looked me over and shook his head. “Is this about Fiona?”
The only good thing about Coach pulling the plug on my career was I hadn’t thought about Tyler with Fiona since I’d left practice yesterday. “No.” I had to choose my words carefully and stop being such an asshole to this kid. Yeah, he had what I couldn’t—a future in the league. If it weren’t for the guys who’d come before me, I wouldn’t have had the same career. “After this season, I won’t be the Bloodhounds quarter back anymore. You will be.”
Tyler nodded.
“You knew?” I asked.
“Yeah.” He took a deep breath before he elaborated. “Coach was pissed one of the guys in the front office said something to me. But he called me in to the office when Winnipeg offered on you, because he wanted to make sure we knew before rumors started swirling.”
“When was that?”
“Yesterday. Coach said he’d already talked to you.”
I nodded. “This doesn’t mean I’m going to start going easy on you.”
“That would suck.” He laughed. “Listen, man, I grew up watching you play. I had all your jerseys—which is quite a collection. They’re still at my mom’s house. And I always played as you in all the video games.”
“You’re making me feel like a museum-quality piece.” I laughed.
“No way. I’m still in awe of you every time you take the field. Coach let you think it was you who had the bad game, but I watched that film again today. The offensive line struggled. They couldn’t hold the defense away from you. On a lot of plays, you got knocked on your ass before you could find an open man. He knows how to get in your head because next week, you’ll show Vancouver no mercy.”
My animal growled, its mouth watering to take a bite out of the Vancouver Vipers. “We’re going to eat them alive.”
“Fuck yeah we are.” Tyler high-fived me, but then stuck his hands in the pockets of his hoodie and shuffled his feet. “All my life, I never thought I could be like you, Fox. And you showed me I can. I might not be half the player you are—yet—but having the chance to learn from you and actually call you a teammate has been a dream come true.”
Wow. It was fucking humbling to have a guy with so much talent, like he said—a teammate, say that. I’d been hard on Tyler because all along, I knew he was the future of the organization. I was hanging onto my dream by my fingernails. But standing here with him, I realized what the next step in my career should be.
I hugged him. Not one of those shitty man hugs, but a real embrace. “I’ll be honored to hand the reins over to you. Never show them any mercy.”
He grinned when he pulled away. “I learned from the best.”
We were the only two in the gym. “Have you seen Coach today?”
“Of course. I think he lives here.” Tyler laughed.
I left Tyler in the gym and walked through the empty halls of the stadium. I loved having the place to myself, without all the noise and bullshit, so I could really think about football. I realized as I knocked on Coach’s door, I was feeling better than I had in a long time. A weight had been lifted.
“Hey, Fox,” he said when he answered the door. “I’ve been thinking about you ever since you left my office yesterday. How are you?”
“I had a hell of a night. I shifted and got in a fight with my girl.” I didn’t usually talk about my personal life with Coach, but since he dropped a bomb in it, it seemed right to share. “I’ve come to tell you I’ve made a decision.”
“Oh yeah?” He sat on the corner of his desk. “What’s that?�
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“Why don’t we have a quarterbacks coach?”
A slow smile spread across his face. “Because I couldn’t find anyone who was available—and I have to be honest, willing to come to Alaska—who had more experience than you in the position. You would’ve been coaching them, not the other way around.”
I had a feeling that was the answer. The position coaches were considered entry level in the coaching world. “Same can’t be said for Tyler.”
The smile faded. “No, it can’t.”
“I’d like to apply for the position.” I’d never applied for a job in my life. “Because I want to coach Tyler and watch him grow into the quarterback we all know he’s going to be, and because I helped you build this team from the ground up. I’m not a quitter. I want to see this through.”
“You’re a hell of a football player, Fox.” Coach stood and shook my hand. “And even more of a man. I’ll talk to the front office. But I can’t see them having any objections to keeping you in Holiday Falls.”
“I have another reason I want to stick around.” I laughed. “Tyler’s got his eye on my daughter. She’s a little bit of a wild child. I need to put the fear of God in both of them.”
“Good luck with that.” He pulled me into a hug. “I look forward to working with you on my side of the world. Now get the hell out of here and enjoy your day off. You don’t get many of those as a coach.”
I made a stop before I headed back to my condo. It was still early in the day, and Jenna’s car was still parked out front. She sat at the island in my kitchen, the place that had become the hub of our relationship, pouring over paperwork with a mug of tea in her hand.
“I didn’t know you wore glasses.” I kissed the side of her head.
“If they didn’t keep printing things smaller, I wouldn’t have to.” She chuckled. She took them off and gave me a once over. “What are you hiding behind your back?”
“I meant to give you these last night, before all hell broke loose.” I handed her the bouquet of Alaskan wildflowers. “For signing your lease.”
“Oh.” She accepted them with surprise. “It’s not too late for me to get out of it.”
“Your lease? Why the fuck would you do that?” I didn’t remember her banging her head into anything last night.
She inhaled the aroma of the flowers before sliding off the stool to find something to put them in. It was a miracle she found a pitcher. “Because I keep thinking of you alone in Winnipeg and I hate it. Maybe the restaurant can wait a year.”
“No, the restaurant can’t wait a year.” But my heart swelled with an unfamiliar feeling. I’d experienced flashes of love before but I never let myself completely fall. It was overwhelming and scary as hell and I was so happy it finally happened to me. “I’m not going to Winnipeg.”
“You’re not?”
“No. I ran into Tyler in the gym, and—”
Her eyebrows shot up. “Will the police be here soon?”
“No.” I chuckled. The last time we’d talked, I was fucked up and irrational. “He was the one who made up my mind. As long as everything goes through, I’m going to be the quarterbacks coach of the Bloodhounds next year.”
Jenna’s lips parted. A tear slipped down her cheek, followed by another. She wrapped her arms around me, rocking me slightly. I put my hands on her shoulders, and we were dancing to music only we could hear. And it was perfect.
“I’m so proud of you,” she finally said.
“I’m so glad you’re back in my life.” I stole a quick kiss. “I had no idea what I was missing.”
Epilogue (A Few Weeks Later)
LANDON
My date for the grand opening of Holiday Falls’ hottest new restaurant was the most beautiful woman in the city—my daughter. The more I got to know Fiona, it became clearer she was an untamed mix of her mother and me, with her own special twist.
“Isn’t it adorable?” She squeezed my arm when we entered. The room was dotted with small, rustic wood tables flanked by plush chairs. Each table had a succulent centerpiece. Warm light illuminated the concrete walls from round chandeliers. “I’m just worried it’s too small.”
“It’s perfect,” I said. Jenna had named the restaurant Ocho, and there was no false advertising. Only eight tables were available. For the opening night, she’d invited some of the Werewives and their chosen dates. Tessa and her crew got a table. They had their equipment with them, but they were guests to this party. Or so Jenna thought. “This is exactly what your mom wanted.”
“I know.” Fiona kissed Tyler, who met us at the restaurant before sitting down. He nodded to me. Fiona picked up the menu and wrinkled her nose. “I hope there’s something I can eat on here.”
“What diet are you on this week?” I couldn’t keep up.
“It’s not a diet, Dad. It’s a lifestyle.” She rolled her eyes. “I’m doing keto. Or I’m trying. This one’s hard.”
I glanced at Tyler. “Do you even know what that means?”
He shrugged. “Not really. I stick to an all-protein diet.”
I didn’t bother asking—by the time she finished explaining it to me, she’d change her mind anyway.
Tessa waved when she saw me, and came over to the table. “Everything still going according to plan tonight?”
“Everything’s good on my end.”
Fiona’s head snapped up from the menu. “What plan?”
“Don’t worry about it.” I was nervous as hell, and I couldn’t have Fiona messing anything up trying to help. She always meant well, but I had to do this on my own.
“Are you keeping secrets from me?” She pouted. “I’ll go tell Mom you’re up to something.”
“Don’t you dare bother your mother.” I’d have a talk with Tessa about keeping things to herself later. Her boundaries were blurred after months of confessionals and sneaking out of hot tub dates. “She’s nervous as hell about this opening.”
She’d also asked us not to come into the kitchen. This was a soft opening—just friends and family, and of course, a camera crew, because that was part of life as a Real Werewife—and she wanted to make it as much like a normal dinner service as possible. Once this episode aired, there would be no room for error. She’d be busier than she ever dreamed. The first episode was about to launch, and just from internet buzz, the town was crawling with tourists hoping to spot the Werewives and a potential mate match in the making. Fans of the team were lined up tonight outside the restaurant and I’d signed a couple autographs on the way in.
“Which is exactly why I should go back there. I grew up in the kitchens of her restaurants. I always helped her with the little stuff.” Fiona put her napkin on the table. “It feels weird to be out here.”
“Relax. You’ll make her more nervous.” And I needed the distraction of having her here.
“What are you getting?” she asked, picking up the menu again. “Molly’s tending the bar. Maybe I can talk her into making me a Werewife Woohoo.”
They’d actually made the menu. “No.”
Summer, another Werewife, came over and took our order. Jenna hired as many of them as were interested in working with her. “I’ll get the open-faced tuna burger on cauliflower toast with a side of fried brussels sprouts.”
Jenna decided to go with a comfort food theme—burgers, pizzas, and things people craved on cold nights when they were looking for a taste of home.
“That sounds so good. Do you think it’s keto?” Fiona asked.
“That’s what I’m getting. And who cares?” Tyler laughed. “Tonight’s a celebration.”
“Right. There are no calories on celebration nights, holidays, and nights that people choose their mates.” She gave Tyler a knowing smile and then handed her menu to Summer. Shit, was I that obvious? “Make it three.”
Tessa interviewed the Werewives and Bloodhounds at the tables, and Fiona was getting antsy. “Why isn’t she coming over here? We’re Mom’s family.”
“She’s got a plan.”
It was more like I was the one with the plan.
“I would just think that Mom would want help.” Fiona glanced toward the kitchen. “The plates are coming out. I should help the girls run them.”
There was no arguing with her. She was up before I had a chance to answer. I turned to Tyler and shook my head. “I don’t know how you handle her.”
“There’s no handling Fiona Fox. You buckle up for the ride and hang on for dear life.” Truer words had never been spoken. “Still doing it?”
“I am.”
Once dinner was served and everyone was happily eating, Jenna came out of the kitchen. She’d pulled her copper hair into a bun on the top of her head and her face was bare and beautiful. Her black chef jacket was unbuttoned, revealing a camisole underneath. She looked exhausted—and sexy as hell. The room broke into applause as she exaggerated collapsing on her barstool. The best thing about being a part of the TV show was we’d all learned to celebrate each other’s victories, because it reminded us our own was just around the corner.
Jenna sat up, and waited for Tessa’s cue. “Okay, you can tell me the truth, guys—is it good?”
The words that echoed through the room were awesome and delicious. Jenna beamed with pride. She caught my eye and bit her lip to contain her smile.
“Thanks to everyone for coming out and sharing this night with me. Ocho is more than the number of tables. This is the eighth restaurant I’ve been a major part of, but I should’ve named it Primo, because it’s the first one that’s been entirely mine. So thank you for helping make one of my dreams come true. Please come back often, and I hope to see some proposals here.” She wriggled her eyebrows as everyone laughed.
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