The Journey Collection (16 page)

Travis smiled. “Our first time.”

“Yes,” Penelope breathed. “I was so nervous.”

“Me, too,” Travis whispered, leaning his forehead against hers. “I didn’t want to hurt you.”

“You didn’t,” she murmured. “You made it perfect. I never regretted giving myself to you that night, Travis.”

“I regret letting you go,” Travis admitted. “I was such a fool.”

“We both made mistakes, but we can’t change the past. We have to look toward the future and our life together.”

Both team captains met on the middle of the fifty yard line for the coin toss. The Broncos won the toss and elected to receive the ball, which meant that they’d kick off at the start of the second half. As the captains rejoined their teams at the edge of the field, Travis murmured, “Here we go, boys.”

***

Chapter Ten

Going for the Title

As the Broncos ran onto the field, Max jumped to his feet and started cheering. Travis and Penelope stood up next to him and clapped to the sound of the band playing the fight song. Moments later, the Seymour Panthers rushed onto the field, their forty-five players seeming more intimidating than the thirty Broncos standing on the opposite sideline. The sheer size difference alone made it seem like the Broncos were the clear underdogs, and Travis could almost feel the nerves rolling off of each player.

Once the National Anthem had been played, the two teams filed onto the field. Travis held his breath as the Panthers kicked the ball to one of the receivers: number four, Andy Hobbs. Andy started to run to the left, but then spun to the right when a defender came at him. He was finally brought down at the thirty-three yard line.

“Damn, those boys are quick,” Russ hissed.

“That they are,” Travis agreed, sitting on the edge of his seat.

As the teams set up on the line of scrimmage, Travis couldn’t help but notice the size difference between the Broncos’ offensive linemen and those on the Panthers’ defensive line. Out of the six boys making up the opposing team’s linemen or linebackers, there wasn’t one who was under six-two, according to the program. Plus, the smallest guy weighed in at just less than two hundred pounds; the biggest at almost three-fifty. Compared to the two-seventy-five that Trey Williams, the Broncos’ right tackle, carried, they were giants.

The Broncos’ quarterback, Cody Holland, caught the snap from the center and took a few steps back, searching for an open receiver. However, there weren’t any, and one of the linebackers from the Panthers was rushing up on his left side. Tucking the ball under his arm, he took off to the right, spinning away from a tackle at the last minute. He managed five yards before he was brought down. Scrambling to his feet, Cody called his team back into a huddle.

“He’s got some good reflexes,” Travis murmured and looked down at Max. “He saw that he didn’t have the pass, made a decision, and then acted on it.”

“How’s he able to know he doesn’t have a pass in just a few seconds?” Max asked.

“I don’t know about Cody, but for me, it was almost like I saw the field like a grid. You know what those are?”

Max nodded. “Like in battleship. Always have to know where your ships are.”

“Exactly.” Travis smiled. “For me, the field was like that, and my teammates were my ships. I knew where each person was going to be before they were able to get there — most of the time, at least. Sometimes, there would be a breach on one side or the other. When that happened, I’d find myself flat on my back, but most of the time, we worked like clockwork. I’d see the pass and throw it. The ball would get there just when the receiver’s hands did.”

“But how do you know that he’ll be there? What if he’s off by a step?”

Travis laughed. “Then the ball hits the ground, and we try again. When you practice with a team every day for weeks, months, or heck, even years, you learn how they move. Think about your team. By the end of the season, couldn’t you figure out where they’d be?”

“Just Matthew,” Max stated. “He was always in front of me because he told me he had one job: to protect me.”

“And he did,” Travis said. “The more you boys play together, the more you’ll be able to read each other, like Cody is able to read his teammates.” Travis shrugged his shoulders. “In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if in eight years we’re back right here, and I’m watching you play on this field.”

“That’d be so cool.” Max grinned. “Then I could be just like you.”

“You just be yourself, little man. You’re perfect just how you are.”

“But feel free to start picking up your underwear off the floor,” Penelope added, looking past Travis at Max. “Seriously, the hamper is right there.”

“Mom!” Max looked around like he was afraid someone had heard her. “You’re so embarrassing!”

“Sorry,” Penelope snickered.

“Whatever.” Max began to sulk and leaned back in his seat.

Travis turned to Penelope and shook his head. “You never bring up a man’s drawers in public, woman. Never.”

“Oh, I didn’t realize that was a part of the ‘man code’ or anything,” Penelope replied, rolling her eyes. “But for the record, it wouldn’t kill you to pick up your underwear, too.”

“Mom,” Travis feigned a whine and looked down at Max, who had started laughing. “Girls!”

“I know, right?” Max snorted. “They just don’t understand us men.”

“No, little man, they don’t,” Travis agreed, but he winked at Penelope to show that he was kidding.

While Max and Travis had been talking, the Broncos had managed to drive the ball down to their twenty yard line but lost control when they fumbled on the third down. The Panthers had recovered the fumble and were now working their way toward their end zone. They had speed on the outside and size on the line. At the end of the first quarter, the Panthers’ quarterback handed the ball off to one of the running-backs, who ran for thirty yards and a touchdown.

“Damn it,” Russ snarled as the opposing team’s fans began cheering.

“It’s still early,” Travis said. “They just have to regroup and put this one behind them.”

“Let’s hope they can,” Russ muttered.

The extra point was good, giving the other team a seven-to-zero lead. Setting up for the kickoff, the Panthers sent the ball out to Andy. He broke through several tackles before being brought down just past the fifty yard line. Cody called his team in for a huddle, giving the defense time to set up on the line. As the game clock ticked away, Cody and the offense set up on the line of scrimmage. He called for the ball; however the center, Zach Harden, snapped it too aggressively, sending the ball flying over Cody’s head. The Panthers’ linebacker was on the ball before anyone could move, causing the Broncos to lose control of it yet again.

By the end of the first half, the Panthers had scored again, giving them a fourteen point lead. When the buzzer rang, sending the two teams to the lockers rooms, Travis stood up and told Penelope that he’d be right back. The Broncos were letting their opponent intimidate them. He stopped outside of the locker rooms and took a deep breath before going inside. Just as he expected, they looked tired and worn out. When he entered, every single player turned away.

“Hey, look at me,” Travis ordered, pulling their attention to him. “You can do this. You can win, but you can’t do it with that attitude.”

“We can’t,” Andy huffed, running his fingers through his matted, brown hair. “Every time I get my hands on the ball, they’re in my face. I can’t think of what to do before I am tasting grass. Let’s face it; they’re bigger and faster than us.”

“Maybe they are bigger and faster,” Travis admitted. “But that doesn’t make them better. I’ve watched you play teams that were both bigger and faster before, yet you beat them. How?”

“I don’t know,” Andy replied. “Luck?”

“Heart,” Cody said, stepping through his teammates and coming over to stand next to Travis. “He’s right. We’re lying down and taking it up the ass.” Cody looked over at Coach Reynolds with wide eyes. “Sorry, Coach, but that’s how it is.”

“Don’t be,” Coach Reynolds laughed.

Cody smiled before turning back to the team. “I didn’t spend the last ten years working my butt off to get this far, just to throw it away because we’re facing a team that’s bigger. Now, if we go out there and give it everything we have and we still lose, then at least we can walk off that field knowing that we put it all on the line. I won’t settle for less, not from me, and not from you guys.”

“Come on, you jackholes,” Trey roared, standing up. “I ain’t a quitter. We can do this!”

Andy slapped his hands together before he scrambled to his feet. “When we found ourselves down against the Bobcats, we shoved that ball down their throats and got the win. I say we go out there and teach those Panthers how the Broncos play football.”

One by one, the rest of the team stood up and began cheering. Travis could see the pride and determination on their faces. With just two quarters left in the game, they’d have their work cut out for them, but he knew they could do it. They were fighters. Travis stayed with them until it was time for them to go back out onto the field. Stopping outside the door, he smacked each one of them on the back of the head as they walked past him.

Coach Reynolds came out last and stopped next to Travis. “Thanks for that, Travis. These boys have been a bit overwhelmed with all of this. Most of these kids haven’t seen a stadium this big before — other than on television, of course.”

“I remember,” Travis said, nodding. “They’ve earned this chance. I just don’t want them to beat themselves.”

“Me either, but, you know, they don’t listen to me like they did to you.” Coach Reynolds sighed. “Maybe it’s because I’ve been yapping in their ears for four years, I don’t know, but they needed you here today to tell them they could do it. So, thank you.”

“You’re welcome. Just glad I could be here.”

Travis returned to his seat just in time for the beginning of the third quarter. Penelope gave him a questioning look, so he tilted his head toward the team, hoping that she’d understand where he’d disappeared to. Based on the smile that slipped over her lips, she had.

Since the Broncos received the ball at the beginning of the game, the kickoff team set up on the field. The referee blew the whistle, and Brody Mallory strode up and sent the ball flying down the field with a swipe of his foot. The Panthers’ receiver caught the football but had hardly managed to take two steps before Andy had him flat on his back. Travis laughed when the Broncos fans cheered.

“Now, that’s what I’m talking about!” Russ roared.

“Woo-hoo! Go Broncos!” Max screamed, jumping to his feet. “Did you see how fast he got down there? That was awesome!”

“Yeah, it was,” Travis agreed. “They know what to do now.”

“You talked to them, didn’t you?” his son asked, sitting back down.

He nodded. “They needed to know they could do it.”

Smiling, Max turned back to the game. “Good.”

The Panthers tried to get a first down, but the Broncos stopped them each time, eventually causing the Panthers to punt on the fourth down. Andy received the ball, spun around a defenseman, and ran down the sideline for a touchdown. He kicked for the extra point, closing the gap to just a touchdown between the Broncos and the Panthers. The stadium exploded when the Broncos fans cheered their team on. Broncos pride could be heard loud and clear.

Setting up the ball to kick again, Andy made sure the team was ready before he ran up and sent it soaring through air once more. Just like the last time, the Panthers’ receiver managed just a couple of steps before Dusty Huck planted him in the ground.

As the third quarter ticked away, both teams battled back and forth for control of the ball. The Panthers were able to get to their fifteen yard line, but the Broncos stopped them from scoring again. When the buzzer rang, Travis released a heavy breath and dragged his fingers through his hair.

“Nothing like a bit of pressure, boys,” he muttered under his breath.

“You used to say the pressure was the best part of the game,” Penelope said, leaning her head on his shoulder.

Travis laughed. “Nah, it was always getting the girl.”

“Oh, is that so?” she cooed, bringing her lips right up against his ear. “Hmm, you can get me any day, baby.”

Gasping, Travis choked at the same time that Max stood up and yelled, “Go Broncos! Kick their butts!”

“Max, language,” Travis and Penelope shouted at the same time. Looking at each other, they burst out laughing.

“Oh, baby, you’re a mean tease,” Travis growled, sliding his arm around her waist and kissing her.

“I’m not a tease if I mean it,” she purred. “I’m yours — just yours.”

“Promise?” Travis asked, feeling a sudden sense of vulnerability.

Penelope brought her hand up to his cheek, caressing him with a gentle touch. “I’ve always been yours. Since the day you asked me to be your date to the spring dance.”

“I was so scared to ask you,” Travis whispered.

“Why?”

Closing his eyes, Travis shook his head. “If you’d said no . . .” He paused and took a shaky breath. “I didn’t want to ruin our friendship, but I couldn’t stay away. I loved you even then, and I never stopped. Not once.”

“Me, either,” she murmured, kissing him. “Never.”

“Eww. Gramps, they’re doing it again!” Max complained, grabbing Travis’s shoulder and pulling. “We’re here to watch the game, not play kissy face.”

“We are watching!” Travis exclaimed.

“Oh, yeah?” Max scoffed and pointed out to the field, where the referees were debating a flag that had just been thrown. “What just happened?”

“That’s easy,” Travis joked. “The Broncos caught the Panthers checking out the cheerleaders. They didn’t like it, so the Broncos hit the Panthers, and before you knew it, everyone was Kung Fu fighting!”

Max fell back in his seat and laughed. “What? Where did you get that from?”

“You’ll see,” Travis said, tilting his head to the field. The head referee turned toward the Broncos’ side of the stadium and brought his arm up in front of his face, bringing it down like he’d grabbed the front of a facemask.