“Actually, he didn’t know we were seeing each other. Not until after Tommy died. No one knew. We just thought there would be too many complications. I guess I’d be lying if I said Tommy and I didn’t get a kick out of the secrecy.”

Bernice returned with their order. She placed the plates on the table and moved off without a word.

Savannah paid no mind to the food. “So there it is. Guess you can see why I don’t get too involved in football anymore.”

“You loved him,” Cole said—more as a statement than a question.

“What?”

“Tommy. You loved this guy, didn’t you?”

She shifted in her seat. “I’d never felt that way about someone before, if that answers your question.”

It did. But it also explained a lot more to Cole.

“So that’s why your father was so adamant about my not suiting up Friday night. Given what all had happened to me, I guess he didn’t want another Tommy Beck on his hands.”

“It’s also why he doesn’t want to field that team tomorrow night, Cole. He doesn’t want forty Tommy Becks on his hands. He thought he’d lost them once. Now that they’re back, he’s not going to want to lose them again.”

“They’re already lost, Savannah.”

“He doesn’t know that . . .”

“Maybe he needs to. Maybe you need to tell him.”

“I can’t.”

“Why not? Why can’t you talk to him? You said you don’t blame him anymore for what happened. So why all the distance between you two now? Why are you like strangers?”

“We were like strangers even before Tommy’s death. I was fourteen when my mom passed away from cancer. After that, Dad and I just didn’t relate to each other anymore. Dad found solace in football, or at least tried to. He threw himself into the game. It was all he did, all he thought about. It was like he used it to tamp down all his pain. Then when Tommy died, the gulf between us only grew. When Dad decided to come here … he just came. He didn’t ask me if I wanted to move; he just did it. Took me away from my home, my school, my friends. Right before my senior year. It wasn’t an easy move.”

Cole pushed his plate away untouched. “This game tomorrow night could help him as much as anyone, Savannah. Whatever faith or hope or nerve your father lost could be found with a win tomorrow night. Can’t you see that?”

“Yes. It’s the only reason I agreed to go along with you in the first place.”

“So go further. You have to talk to him.”