Tears spring to my eyes as I clutch my chest.
He didn’t make this right to win me back…he did it because he truly believes it’s the right thing to do.
With or without me.
Lucky Seven doesn’t deserve a second chance…
But Colton does.
He takes a piece of green fabric out of his locker…then hesitates.
Jaw flexing, he swivels his gaze my way. “Would you get the fuck out of here, man? Jesus.”
I quickly hustle toward the door…then pause.
“Good luck today, Colton.”
With that, I walk out.
Chapter 57
Cole
A slow surge of anger fills my veins as I watch Todd Harris throw his fourth touchdown of the game.
Half the people in the stands go nuts, and the two scouts I spot from Duke’s Heart start furiously scribbling on their notepads.
He pumps his fist in the air, dancing like he’s already won. The bastard.
With only two minutes left in the game, they kick the extra point, making the score thirty to twenty-seven. Coach Stalter looks like he wants to puke…two minutes isn’t a lot of time.
He’s ready to accept defeat.
I’m not.
Lennox looks at me with remorse in his eyes as he walks off the field.
However, it’s not the defense’s fault we’re losing this game.
It’s the offense…specifically me.
My gaze wanders over to Izzy—Sawyer.
I had no idea. Although I probably should have guessed last week. Izzy’s never been one to drop to his knees in the middle of a game to start praying.
My chest coils. She saw me.
“You ready, man?” Dwight drawls.
Cortland snorts. “Man, first he steals our QB’s girlfriend, then he steals our championship. Might as well bend over. Cole. You’re fucked.”
A swell of determination rises within me. “Nah. Fuck that.”
Todd might screw my ex, poach my offer from Duke’s, and win the game…
But if I’m going down…I’m going down fucking swinging.
I’ll bleed my goddamn black heart out for this sport.
My stare veers to Sawyer again. For her.
“We’re not going out like a bunch of pussies.” Grabbing the front of Dwight’s helmet, I crack mine against his. “You with me?”
He grins. “Fuck yeah!”
I clap my hands. “Let’s do this.”
We start our steady march down the field. I can tell Coach is playing scared, sending in one run play after another. He doesn’t trust me to pass, afraid I’m going to choke in the clutch. Fuck that. I’m Cole fucking Covington and I am clutch.
We still have half the field to go and a glance at the scoreboard reminds me we have less than a minute to play.
Less than a minute left in my high school football career. I’m not going out like a sucker.
My eyes find Izzy, down on her knees again, and I have to smile.
Keep praying, Bible Thumper, but I got this.
Ignoring the play our running back just brought in from the sidelines, I call my own. Dwight runs his slant route perfectly, never breaking stride as my pass falls right into his hands. He heads toward the end zone, but their safety is lightning fast and manages to take him down from behind on the nine-yard line.
I hear Coach screaming for a timeout, our last, and I look to see how much time is left.
Ten seconds. One play.
All or nothing.
We head to the sidelines and Coach gets in my face.
“Don’t pull that shit again, Covington. And don’t push me. Duke’s Heart won’t take you without my recommendation. Am I clear?”
Fuck. “Yeah, Coach. Loud and clear.”
He diagrams the play and sends us back out onto the field. It won’t fucking work. I know it won’t. I’ve been watching their linebackers all night and they’re smart. If I run Coach’s play, we lose.
I don’t fucking lose.
“Huddle up.” I call the offense together once we’re back on the field... an unusual move after a timeout. Their confusion is replaced with apprehension when I call a new play.
“Zero right Y jet knightmare on one.”
“Cole, that’s not what Coach—”
“Zero right Y jet knightmare on one. You got this, Dwight?”
He looks around the circle, then at me. “We got this, man.”
I look every player in the eye before I ask, “Are you with me?”
Their affirmative growls are exactly what I expected to hear.
“Our entire season comes down to this play, boys. Let’s have some fun.”
I’ve never been more sure about anything in my life.
Except her.
My team runs up to the line of scrimmage and I line up in the shotgun formation, alone in the backfield. I watch their safeties and linebackers shift now that they know we’re going to pass. I hear Coach screaming in the distance, but I ignore it. We’re out of timeouts, so he can’t stop this.
The guy needs to relax.
“Ready. Set,” I call out, my voice carrying over the noise of the crowd. I stomp my foot, sending Dwight in motion. Just as he passes behind the left guard, I call, “Hike.”
The defense is caught by surprise when the ball is snapped directly to Dwight, who takes off toward the right end of the line. I watch and wait…the longest three seconds of my life. When I see the linebackers and the safeties bite, all heading to the right side of the field, I take off left as fast as I can run.
No one on the defense pays any attention to me. They’re all fixated on stopping Dwight. I’m three yards from the end zone when I turn, just in time to see Dwight pivot and throw the ball with everything he’s got.
The throw’s high and farther ahead of me than I was expecting. I power through two more yards, then launch myself as far and as high as I can, never taking my eyes off the ball. The leather hits my hands with more force than I expect, but they close around it and I pull the ball in just as my shoulders hit the ground. I hear the crowd go crazy and the buzzer signaling the end of the game.
The ref closest to me throws his arms up indicating a touchdown. I jump up and spike the ball like it’s my bitch. “Fuck yes!”
Holy hell. We fucking did it.
The crowd storms the field and seconds later my entire team rushes me.
But as thrilled as I am with our well-deserved victory—there’s only one face I want to see right now.
I zero in on the mascot who’s currently doing the sprinkler, revving the crowd up even more.
I might not deserve Sawyer…but I want her.
All of her.
No walls. No guardrails. No safety nets.
No stupid contract or bet.
Just us.
For real this time.
Chapter 58
Sawyer
The air buzzes with shock and excitement as the Knights score the winning touchdown.
They did it. I jump up and down on the sidelines as exhilaration pumps through my system.
I know how hard they’ve all worked for this and they deserve to soak up every second of this.
“Shit,” Bianca mutters right before her and the rest of the cheerleaders race toward the field.