Law #3: Don't Fall for the Athlete: Sweet Second Chance Romance (Laws of Love) by Agnes Canestri

Author:Agnes Canestri [Canestri, Agnes]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2021-03-01T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter 18

(Wyatt)

After finishing the game, Oliver, Max, and the others accompany us to the park’s exit.

“We’re here on most Fridays. Come by whenever you can,” they shout behind us.

“I’ll try,” I yell back to them, waving.

Their faces light up like the sugar plum fairies in the magical holiday drive-thru Candy Rush I took Mom on when she visited me in Atlanta last Christmas. Seeing their joy, I promise myself that I’ll squeeze in one more game in the park before heading back to my team.

Ellie smiles at me as we merge onto West Encanto Boulevard. “You made their day. Or probably their entire year.” There’s an appreciative edge in her voice and an unusual warmth in her gaze.

“You think?” My chest swells with pride as I think about not only the grins on the kiddos’ faces but also Ellie’s approval.

And all that, while I was having the time of my life.

Ellie bobs her head. “Oh, yeah. Didn’t you see their joy? I bet they’re going to print that picture I snapped of you into a poster, and each of them will tape it above their beds.”

The image of my old room in Kingman flashes into my mind. “I had a picture of Rich Gannon.”

Ellie wrinkles her nose. “I don’t think I ever heard of him.”

I snort. “I imagined, but don’t worry, he’s been sort of overlooked, even by big NFL fans, though he brought the Raiders to Super Bowl XXXVII. And he also won the Most Valuable Player award in 2002.”

“That’s a prize you aspire to also, right?”

“Yeah. Or at least I used to.”

We amble past a large villa covered with creeper vine. There’s a bushy tree in the garden, adorned with vintage tungsten lightbulbs that create a whimsical ambiance. Ellie stops and turns to me. The delicate, golden light shimmers in her green irises.

“Why ‘used to’? Is it not anymore? That night after the Russian ballet, you told me receiving the MVP was your fantasy.”

Ellie naturally mentions our shared memory, obviously forgetting that she’s now violating the rules she set up for us.

I shrug. “It’s still on my bucket list, I guess. But I’m getting farther away from it with each season.”

Ellie’s brows jump up. “You don’t sound as disappointed as I expected. How come?”

She’s right. The same bitterness that spreads in my mouth every time at the thought that my career might end without ever achieving the MVP isn’t there.

Weird.

Ellie studies my face. “You were great with the kids in the park. And you seemed like you had fun.”

“I did. Loads of it. These kids…they just—” I pause because I want to make Ellie understand what’s going on in my chest. “Their eyes glistened with sheer, uncontaminated enthusiasm for football. They didn’t want to win the Super Bowl or get a fat sponsorship through their performance. They just wanted the thrill of the game—like I used to. Being among them made me remember what I truly love about football.”

Ellie’s eyes widen, then she smiles. “I think you’d be an exceptional coach.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.