Jake glanced at Dominique. “Let’s head to my car. I’ll drive you over to wherever you’re parked.” She fell into step beside Jake and her son. The area surrounding the field was almost empty, and the heels of Dominique’s boots beat a steady rhythm across the asphalt. Jake winked at Dominique before turning to Justin. “What do you say we do something to take your mind off the game and what happened today.”

“Like what?” Justin asked, as if he knew of absolutely nothing that could make him forget one of the worst days of his life.

“Like flying to Oakland so that we can watch the Raiders play tomorrow.”

Justin stopped in his tracks. “Coach! Are you serious?”

“I wouldn’t tease about something like this.”

Justin let out a whoop, his eyes shining with excitement. In a moment, the excruciating pain of his first grade-school football loss seemed all but forgotten. He turned to his mother. “Can I go, Mom? Please say yes.”

Jake knew this next move was a bit risky but then again, he felt, nothing ventured, nothing gained. “Your mom can come too, if she wants.”

“Yes!” Justin said, pumping a fist in the air. Then, without warning, he threw himself into Jake’s arms, hugging him tightly. “Thanks, Coach,” he whispered, his voice choked with emotion. Then he looked at Dominique. “Mommy, can we go?”

A war was waging inside Dominique’s head. On one side was logic—saying that it would be ridiculous for her to shuck off the day’s responsibilities and hop a plane to watch twenty-two grown men fight over a pointed ball. On the other side was love—saying that sometimes one had to do the ridiculous to experience the sublime.

They reached Jake’s truck and she allowed Justin to sit up front with him while she sat in the back. “We’re going—right, Mom?” Justin repeated, before Jake could start the engine.

“Buckle your seatbelt, Justin.” After she’d buckled her own and Jake had started across the parking lot to her car, she continued. “I’d love to go, Justin. But Mommy has a lot of work to do. You can go. And I want you to have lots of fun and remember everything so that you can tell me all about it.”

“But you’re always working, Mommy,” Justin replied, his voice reverting to the whine he perfected when he was three years old. “Why can’t you come with us?” He turned to Jake. “Don’t you want her to come with us, Coach Mac?”

“Yes,” Jake said, looking intently at Dominique in his rearview mirror. “I very much want her to come.”

41

41

“We will, we will rock you!”