Page 67 of The Maverick's Homecoming

He loved what they’d found together since he moved back home. And he hoped that eventually she would see her way clear to giving him another chance—arealchance, the kind that lasted for the rest of their lives.

“Whatareyou thinking?” She pressed her smooth palm to the side of his face.

You. I’m thinking of you and me. Of finally making it real after all these years, of building a life together, you, me and the baby…

“Not going to tell me, huh?” She didn’t wait for an answer but instead got up and held her hand down to him. “Come on.” He didn’t budge, just stared up at her as his mind spun sweet fantasies of the future they could have together. “Finn…” She wiggled her fingers at him.

He took them. “Where are we going?”

“To bed.”

He thought how fine she was, inside and out. “Now, that is an offer I cannot refuse.”

“Well, then, get up. Let’s go.”

He rose and pulled her close. They shared one of those kisses that curled his toes and sent his pulse into overdrive.

“This way…” She took his hand again and led him to her room.

* * *

That Friday afternoon, the Titans boarded the bus for the hour-and-a-half drive to Buffalo Butte High, home of the Bulldogs.

It was a big deal, this game. The Titans hadn’t played the Bulldogs in almost a decade. Why? The economy, of course.

During the rough times, people had pulled up stakes and moved on seeking somewhere they could make a living. That meant Tenacity High could no longer field a team large enough to play the Bulldogs.

But this year was different. The Titans were back, the energy high. Every player on the bus was pumped and ready to go. Finn had the realistic expectation that the team would bring home another win.

On the field, the Titans won the coin toss and chose to defer. The Bulldogs received the ball…and the Titans dominated from the start.

They started out strong, racking up two touchdowns in the first twelve minutes of play. Their kicker, Kevin Brown, came through with the extra point both times.

The crowd was at fever pitch. Then Remy O’Dare ran the ball to the end zone for a third touchdown and Kevin put the ball between the goalposts for a third time.

By halftime, the score was 35–3 in the Titans’ favor.

But then in the opening play of the third quarter, the Bulldogs finally scored a touchdown and their kicker made that extra point. It was now 35–10. Finn’s confidence remained high, though. They would win this game.

But six minutes into the third quarter, it all went to hell. The Titans’ center, Skip Riley, snapped the ball to Remy, who executed a perfect pass to running back Sean Coolwater. Sean took off for the goal line.

He didn’t make it. The biggest linebacker Finn had ever seen on a high-school football field caught up with Sean and brought him down. It was a brutal play. Finn thought he heard the sound of a bone snapping as Sean hit the ground.

When that linebacker got off him, Sean didn’t move. The tackle had not only broken Sean’s leg but knocked him unconscious as well.

Pulling her wheeled medical bag, Kenzie arrived at Sean’s side a moment later. The Bulldogs’ two trainers came running up, too. Sean regained consciousness quickly. But his leg did not look good. He’d suffered a compound tibial fracture.

The paramedics loaded Sean into the ambulance. They let his father ride with him to the hospital in Billings.

Having played the game for years and seen all kinds of ugly injuries, Finn knew that a compound fracture could take from four months to over a year to heal completely. Sean would most likely make a full recovery. But it would take time. He wouldn’t be taking the field again this season.

The game went on.

But the Titans had lost both their spirit and the momentum. Finn did his best to get them back in the game, but it wasn’t working. They never scored again.

The Bulldogs did, though. When the game clock ticked down to zero, the Bulldogs triumphed 43–35.

* * *