Page 25 of Jason

“Promise you won't leave me ever again.”

I wanted to tell her everything. About how I sold the house, the papers were signed just two days ago, about her needing to get out and find the house she wants, so I could buy it for her. I was still on rocky ground with the team; they weren't very pleased with the stunt Curt pulled trying to get me released from our contract, and I got called into a meeting again where they informed me they were thinking about doing just that. I have to admit it was disappointing to hear that after our initial meeting. But, I didn’t object. They needed to do what they needed to do. I didn't think about it; I just thanked them for letting me know and left the office. I didn't even look at any of the offers. I didn't care. If they released me, it would mean the end of my career. So be it.

My life was in Denver.

Rory was in Denver.

And that meant I wasn't going anywhere.

I would simply find something else to do.

And even if it took me years, I would live in that hotel room, waiting for Rory to forgive me, and then take her to find us a home. For us. For our future family. I didn't have time for all of that right this second, so I made sure she knew I loved her, hoping it would be enough for her to stay until the end of the game, so that we could talk.

“I promise,” the words barely left her mouth before I leaned in and kissed her. It wasn't a light peck on the lips. I went whole hog. It was slow and wet. It was also hot as all hell.

“Thunders, huddle!” Dylan roared so everyone could hear, standing behind his back.

My teammates jogged to where we were, Rory still kneeling, me sitting on the bench and they circled us, giving us their backs. As one, they all extended their arms back together, each holding a helmet in his hand, and one by one, the helmets clicked in place, right above our heads hiding the two of us.

“What's going on?” she asked, looking up to the helmets that hovered over us.

“The Thunders huddle,” I explained, still holding her face. I looked up smiling and was glad to see even Logan's helmet hovered over. Logan tried to talk to me, but I still wasn’t ready. I could barely stomach seeing the man on a daily basis and not give into the urge to kill him, since he was the one who helped with breaking Rory and me up. Swallowing the bitter taste that only thinking about it left in my mouth, I looked back to my girl. “They're giving us privacy, baby. In the last place you can expect to have it.”

Rory smiled and kissed me again. This one was fast though, and just like the one before, it was also wet and hot as hell. She then pulled out of my arms, bent down, and started working on my leg. When she was done, she tapped the player nearest to her on his calf to indicate we were ready for them to go.

“Go win the game, QB,” she bossed, kissing me on the cheek just as the huddle broke and everyone in the stadium could see. Which meant everyone cheered. “My brothers know about the passes now, and they expect the same for the Super Bowl.”

I just shook my head, smiling, and grabbed my helmet from the bench. I stood up and walked onto the grass and giving her a wink over my shoulder, jogged onto the field to do as she said.

Epilogue

Rory

Ten years later

“Please, stand up and give a mighty applause for the best QB the Thunders ever had, Jason Harris. This is the last time we’ll have him in this role. The last time his name will appear on the players list. After ten years, the best QB in the league has decided to put his helmet down, and even though he’s not here with us today, I’m sure he’s here in spirit. The Denver Thunders thanked Jason. You have been the best player and the best friend we could possibly ever ask for.”

“We could have been there,” Max whined, his hands extended to the enormous TV that was hung on the back wall of the house. “We could have drank in this energy. Damn, we could have even stood in the center of the field.” His hands now at his waist, Max hung his head and shook it. “You wound me man,” he muttered, not lifting his head up.

The chuckle that came from behind me still gave me goose bumps. I turned around, and my eyes found Jason’s as I rolled mine and grinned. He was standing at the grill, the light smoke surrounding him, a beer held in one hand and his eyes that were aimed at Max through his whining and begging came to mine the second I turned around, and he gave me a sexy smile.

It was the first game of the season, and the last official one in Jason’s career. He didn’t want to be there. He decided he was going to retire last season, but the Thunders didn’t want to announce it, hoping he would change his mind. So, they held off, and when it became clear he was determined, they had no choice but to do it today, without Jason there. We all were invited to the ceremony, but Jason said he spent enough time on that grass and was looking forward to watching the game from home. We still had our own little ceremony, but it was for family only.

Everyone was here, my brothers with their wives and kids, my Mom and Sebastian. Jason’s parents, Dolores and John, Logan and his wife, Dylan and his, and Matthew. Jimmy was at the stadium, since he still played. I still couldn’t believe my brothers found their wives and that any woman in her right mind would have them. Then again, I still had the bail fund, only these days it was used for their wives and me. They took every opportunity to rub that in my face, and no matter how many times I tried to explain it wasn’t my fault, but they’d met their match in female form.

Ten years ago, after the game that I rushed to in order to tape up Jason’s leg, Jason took me to his hotel room and told me everything. He then took me out the next day to look at houses. We didn’t find one for a long time though. Even at the slight wrinkle in my nose, or me inspecting something too much, Jason took it as indication that it wasn’t the home of my dreams.

In the end, he moved into my apartment, and five years ago, he bought this land and started working on building my dream home. Five years ago, we also got married. The only ones who were present were the people standing in our backyard today. It was a long road, one that was extremely rocky, but Jason did forgive Logan for what he did. It probably had something to do with Logan calling every day to check up on me, and anytime I needed to go somewhere or do something, he was always there to help. I still sometimes could see ghosts lurking in his eyes, more when he went through his painful gig with his wife, but they were becoming less and less visible. I tried to talk to him, tried to get him to stop feeling guilty, but he just said, “Give me that, Rory. I almost cost you and Jason your future, but most importantly, I almost cost you your life. I thought I learned my lesson, but as it is with life, it gave me one I will never forget. And in doing so, it gave me more of the understanding of how it felt, and honestly, I don’t want to ever forget it.”

After that, I backed off, but I still hoped he would stop tormenting himself with what was done. I watched him hug his wife from behind, his face tilted down to her neck and his eyes closed, I also understood he never would forget. He had a taste of that fear and hopelessness, and he didn’t want to.

It took me almost a year to get Jason to sign a contract with Sebastian. He flat-out refused when I mentioned it the first time, saying he didn’t want it; he would figure something out. Sebastian was family, and he didn’t want anyone to ever have the thought of him using me and my connection to Sebastian. It took Sebastian to come to our home, sit Jason down and explain a few things. It was also after I called him and said I failed once again in reasoning with Jason.

“I’m a fifty-five-year-old man who didn’t have anybody before I met Teresa. I built an empire but no one to leave it to. And then Teresa came into my life, giving me three sons and a daughter. And the daughter gave me one more son. Now, tell me, boy, who in their right mind wouldn’t do anything possible to help their family? So, no more of this bullshit, no more refusing, and come into the office Monday morning and sign the damn contract, so we can get to business.”

And that was that.

He went in, they signed the papers, and Sebastian made sure Jason played for only one team the rest of his career. The Denver Thunders. It didn’t take long for Chace to start working with Sebastian, and surprisingly he was good at it.