Lexi didn’t know about my history with Parker. Nobody I ever dated did. I put her in the past and tried to fool my heart that we never existed. I hated that the wound was fresh again. It was fine. Just a lot of saying the same thing over and over.

That’s great! I knew you could do it.

I didn’t feel like talking right now. I needed to clear my head. Thanks. Gotta go. See you tonight. As I turned to walk into the building, I was surprised to see Grayson on the field holding a child. When it finally registered that he was holding his own daughter, it was too late for me to stop looking.

My eyes darted in search of her even though I tried to tell myself to look away. I saw her and she saw me. Fifteen years later and I was back on that field after winning the game but losing my heart. She had the same sad smile on her face. I tried to look calm. The fluttering of my heart only got worse when our eyes met. I could feel it. We always had that connection in school. I could find her in the cafeteria, or library, or even the football field and we would share a promising look across the large space. It was harder to hide it during our games because I wanted her approval. Everything I did out on the field was for her. Now, she had Grayson.

I broke eye contact first and tried to walk casually back to the offices. I felt more comfortable dealing with the sharks inside who were desperate to derail me with their slick questions than the free-falling I was experiencing inside. At least during the questioning, I had words. I nodded to a few of the defensive coaches still on the field and kept walking until I was safely inside the building. I had to get away from her ridiculously blue eyes drilling into mine, searching for answers to questions never asked from a long time ago.

Chapter Five—Sacked

Past

“Do you think you can sneak away?” I was desperate to see Parker. I missed her and I knew she was having a hard time settling into her new school.

“My dad is constantly checking my mileage. I don’t think it’s a good idea right now,” she said.

Instead of running plays with the team, I was sneak-calling Parker from the empty girls’ locker room. We had tried blocking our numbers with *67, but her parents checked the phone records and threatened to take away her phone. Now I called the pay phone on her school campus fifteen minutes after the last period let out. We only got a few minutes each day so we treasured them.