Page 19 of The Maverick's Homecoming

“What?” she said, cutting him off. “Don’t let anyone else ever hear you say such a thing!” she whisper-shouted. “Of course, you’ll win the championship this year!”

“Whoa, Kenzie! Tell me what youreallythink.” He winked at her.

“I think you’re going all the way this year.” She glared at him across the booth. “Now, say it back to me like you mean it.”

“Hmm. Well, let me put it this way—I do intend to give it one hell of a try.”

* * *

Finn could have sat there in that booth across from Kenzie straight through to the next morning. They had so much catching up to do.

But how would Ruby Satterfield make a success of her new restaurant if the customers hung around indefinitely? He picked up the check and they thanked their hostess for a terrific meal.

Outside, the warm evening had cooled a little. They strolled along Central Avenue under a slowly darkening sky. Too quickly, they reached her street, and from there it was only a minute or two until they were walking up her front steps.

“Thank you, Finn.”

“Anytime.” He was kind of hoping she might invite him in.

But she only smiled again and whispered, “Good night.”

As he climbed into his crew cab and headed for his place, the past felt so close. He remembered everything about his senior year with perfect clarity…

He would never forget the homecoming game. The Titans won it 35–6.

And then, the next night, he took Kenzie to the homecoming dance. He was king, Kenzie was queen. She wore a red silk dress and they danced every dance.

They were inseparable, he and Kenzie, all through senior year. They used to sneak off to be alone together in his old Ford pickup. It took flexibility, a lot of it, and determination, too—making love with their clothes half on and half off, trying not to bang their elbows or knees on the steering wheel.

Those were good times. Nothing got him down back then. Not his father’s constant carping at him to be the best no matter what. Not the never-ending warnings that he needed to be careful, that he was too wrapped up in Kenzie, that he had his future to think about and he was too young to waste focus on a girl.

He’d ignored most of the crap that came out of the old man’s mouth. The way he saw things then, he was going to have everything—the girl he loved and football, too. The future was his. Nothing could stand in his way. They might end up at different colleges, he and Kenzie, and that would be fine. They would make it work long-distance.

He’d been eighteen and unbeatable. He and Kenzie were forever. They weren’t like other people. Nothing could tear them apart—

And then they were having a baby and he was terrified—of the responsibility of trying to be a father. He was terrified and hoping he could do better than his own dad. He obsessed over how they would manage. He considered just quitting football and getting a damn job.

And then the baby was gone and…

All he’d wanted then was to get away, start out fresh, forget all the hard emotions he didn’t know how to deal with…

Suddenly, a rabbit darted across the pavement in front of him, breaking into his memories. Finn hit the brakes and the rabbit hopped off into the tall grass on the far side of the road.

Blinking the past away, he reminded himself to focus on the road ahead. He wasn’t some crazy-in-love, high-school kid anymore. His big dreams were behind him and the woman he’d once loved was having some other guy’s baby…and doing it on her own.

Life could really surprise a man. Sometimes in ways that made him wish things had turned out differently.

But, hey. He’d had a great evening with the girl he’d never forgotten. He sold real estate now and he did a damn fine job of it. And he was going to do everything in his power to get the Tenacity Titans in shape to play serious ball this season.

Finn rolled down all the windows, cued up his favorite country playlist and sang along as he drove home.

* * *

For the rest of that week, practice was nonstop action and full contact. Finn worked the team hard. He tried to keep his goals realistic, but his players were improving by leaps and bounds. He had a damn good quarterback in Remy O’Dare, whose dad owned O’Dare Auto Repair there in town. As for the rest of his prospective starting lineup, those boys were beginning to look a whole lot like a real team.

He had to keep reminding himself not to get cocky. This team he and Barrett had put together worked hard, but they weren’t tested. They needed time and they were only going to get so much of that before the season opener. Finn knew damn well he was already getting too invested in the success of the Titans. The more he worked with these kids, the more hewantedthem to kick ass. And maybe he overestimated what they could do.

One thing was for sure, every day was a whole new adventure. He was loving it. It raised his spirits even higher to see his favorite nurse first thing in the morning, with her baby bump stretching the front of her sports-themed scrubs and that smile of hers that could make the darkest day bright.