A Sacred Duty by Rhona Weaver

Author:Rhona Weaver
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Rhona Weaver
Published: 2022-09-15T00:00:00+00:00

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Trey threw the ball a good fifty yards down the field, and Win sprinted to make a fingertip catch. He’d left the guy playing safety in the dust ten yards back. Win crossed the goal line and heaved the football back to his quarterback as the guys around him broke into high fives. The volunteer referee blew his whistle to signal the end of the game, and the weighty discussions of who owed who a beer began in earnest.

“Whoo-hoo! The mighty Pine Martens are 1 and 0! Adult beverages at Jazmine’s place!” one of his team’s two female players hollered for everyone to hear. Win slapped a few more backs and headed off the makeshift football field at Mammoth’s abandoned elementary school. The school had been closed for years now, and various parts of the complex were used as a community center of sorts for the park rangers and their families. It was located at the edge of Lower Mammoth, a modern subdivision of sixty-four houses and rental units that adjoined the Historic District of Fort Yellowstone. Park Service budget cuts and changes in the ways rangers educated their kids had shuttered the school; Mammoth’s children were now bused to Gardiner for classes.

Win had been hitting the employee gym behind the Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel since his mom had left town, and Trey had talked him into the flag football league a few weeks ago. He’d only managed to make two of their practices, but now that he wore the yellow rodent jersey, he guessed he was in it for the long haul. Playing the game again, even though it wasn’t tackle, was a great stress reliever, and he had to admit to himself that he missed football. The social activity outside of work also gave him points with the Headquarters’ shrink he was required to video conference with twice a week over the shooting incidents.

The only downside to the practices and games was his constant need for reasonable excuses to avoid Jazmine Jackson after each outing. Trey said the young ranger, who’d transferred in from St. Louis when Win was in the hospital last month, was smitten with him. Smitten. Trey had used that word. Just tell her you’re not interested. Be a man! But Win hated to hurt her feelings, so he avoided her hopeful glances and drifted away with Trey as the team meeting broke up.

Trey tossed the ball to him as they both walked back toward the parking lot. “You headin’ over to Jazmine’s with the single folks?” Trey cut him a knowing grin.

Win shook his head, but before he could fabricate an excuse to miss the heavy drinkers, Trey lowered his voice and offered him an option.

“I’m cooking steaks on the grill tonight and Cindy made strawberry shortcake. A couple more rangers are joining us. Why don’t you grab a shower and come by around 7:30?”

“Strawberry shortcake? For real? That’s the best offer I’ve had in weeks. I’m in.”

Win palmed the ball and slapped another departing teammate on the shoulder.

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