Intercepting Love

17. Cooper

17

COOPER

The day of my first game had finally arrived. We were playing on our home turf against Tampa Bay. The parking lot was full, and the sound of everyone cheering echoed through the halls, making the guys all pumped and ready to go. It was going to be a great victory.

“Dude, what’s wrong with your back? Did you get attacked by a cat?” Derek asked.

The hulking linebacker smirked and waggled his eyebrows before continuing on his way, his gaze alit with humor. His head was freshly shaved, but the scruffy red beard on his chin made up for the lack of hair up top. When I turned my back and looked in the mirror, he chuckled and said, “All I can say is you better hope Evan doesn’t see that.”

Fuck, I forgot.

Kate raked her nails down my back so hard last night that it drew blood. There were red marks all across my skin. It was a shame Luke didn’t get the chance to see them when he came by last night. I didn’t even think about others seeing it today.

“See what?” Evan growled, rounding the corner. I turned my back away from him as he glared at me and Derek, who stalked away. “You know what, never mind. I’m sure it has to do with Kate, and I probably don’t want to know. How’s the arm?” he asked.

My arm was doing a lot better; it was the staying away from the Vicodin part where I had issues. I stared at the bottle for twenty minutes this morning, wanting to open it up and grab another pill. The only thing that stopped me was the thought of Kate. The journey to stopping was about to get a lot harder when I had to lower my dose next week.

“It’s doing good,” I told him. “Kate worked with me this past week, showing me different exercises to help.”

“Speaking of Kate, you know she’s out there with Luke right now. That’s not going to bother you, is it?”

Immediately, my blood pressure shot through the roof. The thought of Kate with Luke pissed me the f**k off, especially after he threw a fit at her house last night. It took all I had not to kick his a*s after he pulled her outside. My jaw still hurt from clenching my teeth as hard as I had. Kate wanted to keep her promise to him, and I respected that she wanted to uphold that, but dammit if it didn’t piss me off. I knew that if I demanded she go against her word it would only cause a rift between us. That was only giving Luke what he wanted. So in other words, I bit my tongue.

Evan stared at me, waiting for a response. “You’re not going to let your anger about my sister and Luke make you play shitty, are you?”

“What the f**k, Townsend, what’s with all the questions? Yes, I know she’s out there with that cocksucker. Trust me, I’m focused on the game and nothing’s going to change that.”

He chuckled and nodded his head. “All right, that’s what I like to hear. Just use that aggression against the other team. I had to make sure nothing was going to bother you out there today. The boys are counting on you to help us win.”

“And win we will, boys,” my uncle hollered behind me, slapping me on the shoulder. “Okay, everyone, huddle up.”

The team still didn’t know that our coach was my uncle. One day I was sure they’d find out because secrets always made their way known. Out of all of the coaches in the league, Joel had to be the most driven and down to earth. I’d met plenty of them over the past couple of years, and none of them had the heart like my uncle. At first, I was embarrassed about being on his team, especially since they weren’t known for their amazing wins like the other teams I’d been on. They just needed the right element on their team and I think we had it … confidence.

After all the guys huddled around, Joel entered the circle and looked at each player, one by one. “All right, boys, this is the first game of the season. We need to show our fans what we can do and that we’re winners. You all have what it takes to kick Tampa Bay’s a*s, and by God, I better see you kick it … hard. No holding back today. This is our time, boys. This is the season we make it to the Super Bowl, I can feel it. Now let’s get out there and show them what you’re made of!”

The team’s thunderous roars were music to my ears. Rushing out of the room, they hooted and hollered all the way down the hallway, their shouts bouncing off the walls. Before I could join them, Joel held me back with a hand to my shoulder.

“I just wanted to say that you’ve been doing amazing in practice. I know we haven’t spent much time together one on one since you’ve been here, and I’m sorry about that. Just so you know, your parents asked about you yesterday. They’re flying in tomorrow for a family gathering I’m hosting at my house. I know you could care less, but I want you there.”

What the hell? My parents were the last people I wanted to see. “Did you by any chance tell them what you just told me?” I asked. “That I’ve been doing well?”

He nodded. “I did, and they’re really proud of you. So will you come tomorrow?”

I didn’t believe that for one second, but I didn’t want to let him down. “Yeah, I’ll go, but I’m bringing Kate with me. If anyone can help me deal with our family it would be her.”

Joel’s eyes went wide. “So does this mean you’re going to tell her the truth as to why you’re here? I thought you spent a good deal of money trying to hide that fact.”

“I did,” I confessed, “but I trust her. She’s not going to say anything to anyone.”

“All right, son, it’s your choice. Just be careful with our girl. I don’t want her leaving because things didn’t work out between you two. She’s one of the good ones.”

Yes, she is.

Grinning, he slapped me on the shoulder and pushed me toward the door. “Now come on and let’s go kick some a*s. Prove to them all that you’re still the best.”

Joel sprinted down the hallway and I followed him. The cheering crowd grew louder and louder as the field came into view, and with each step my heart pounded harder. The second I stepped on to the grass, it was as if everything changed inside of me and became clear; I felt at home, and for the first time, I didn’t want to win for myself. None of that mattered anymore. All that mattered was the beautiful blonde haired, gray eyed girl whose smile I could see the instant I looked in her direction. I will win the game for her.