“We’ve been to Spain, Mexico, Canada, and we usually head to Disney World with my parents after the season ends.”

My lips twisted when she mentioned her parents. I’d tamped down my feelings for them for so long that hearing her say “parents” took me by surprise. I couldn’t hide my reaction quick enough.

Parker frowned. “My parents are still the same. I’d like to say they’ve gotten better with age, but I’d be lying. Only two things give them happiness. Their church and their granddaughters.”

This fledgling relationship was too tender for bad memories. “I’m sure it’s great for your daughters. I remember how much fun I had with my grandparents when I was little,” I said.

It was surreal to see Parker, a grown-up with a family, sitting in front of me. She was calm, like always, and looked amazing, like always. We settled into a nice conversation about her daughters, football, and Crowbar, who was sprawled in his bed oblivious to the anxiety in the room. We were keeping it light. I think she was just as scared of dipping below the surface as I was.

We were startled when Brandon knocked on my open door. “Meeting starts in five, Sutton. Hi, Parker. Nice to see you again.”

“Hi, Brandon,” Parker said. She stood and grabbed her purse. “Thanks for letting me crash your lunch, Sutton. It was good to see you again. Give me a call if you free up any time for something other than football.” She smiled playfully.

I nodded at her and held up the cup of coffee. “Thanks for stopping by.” I was surprised it was already time for the meeting. It had been fifteen years, but we had easily fallen back into conversation. It felt like no time had passed.

I waited until she left my office before I followed Brandon to the team meeting room. We were reviewing this morning’s full scrimmage. Our first game was this Sunday, and we were playing the Cleveland Browns. Their defense was average, and they relied on zone offense. We’d have to start off conservatively, much to everyone’s chagrin. The players wanted to go out and wow the NFL, but us coaches were hoping we would safely get through the game without getting hurt.

We had lost all three of our pre-season games. Pre-season didn’t matter. We needed to finalize the team and several players were fighting for spots. Now that we had firmed up our roster, we had to strategize about our first game. There was an energy in the room. The players were itching to show the world their worth and I was nervous, knowing so much was riding on me.