Page 106 of Waiting for Friday Night

Willie let out a heavy breath. “I believe it. That man was horrible.”

“Khris admitted the same. He said I had the better father. The thing is, he didn’t have to tell me that. I already know I have the better father. I knew back then that you were the better man. I just wish you would have told me.”

“What are you going to do now that you do know?”

He shook his head. “Nothing. I’m not trying to build a relationship with anyone over there. You’re my dad.” He was angry and upset they’d lied, but he knew that with every part of his being.

His dad let out a relieved sigh. “Thank you.”

Quinton held up a hand. “But it’s going to take me a minute to get over the fact that you and Mom lied to me. For so long. I need you to respect that.”

Willie nodded. “We will.”

“And respect what I’m trying to do with my own family. You’ve got to take the car back. Let me and Halle figure out the best things for Shania.”

“But—”

“No buts. You tried to do what you thought was best for me back then and it backfired. Trust me to know what’s best for me now.”

His dad met his eyes and after a few seconds he nodded. “I trust you, son.”

Thirty-Four

Halle couldn’t believe it. She watched as their quarterback threw the ball toward Octavius, but the Peach Ridge defensive player had him covered. Peachtree Cove was down by one point, and if Peach Ridge somehow got this interception, they would win. Her eyes jumped to the timer on the board. One minute to go. She sucked in a breath with the rest of the crowd. Then, out of nowhere, Shania cut across the field and caught the ball. The Peachtree Cove fans cheered.

Laura jumped to her feet. “She got it!” Laura called.

Willie was on his feet as well. “That’s my grandbaby!”

Halle joined the rest of the fans on the Peachtree Cove side who’d jumped up and beamed with pride. Then cringed as the defensive player Shania had cut off tackled her to the ground. The ball remained in Shania’s hands. The referee blew the whistle. Shania jumped up and the rest of the team ran over to her, clapping and cheering.

“That’s it,” Dawn said. “If we score, that’s the ballgame.”

“We’ve still got a little over a minute left,” Halle said.

Dawn waved the Peachtree Cove flag in her hand. “They’ll make it.”

Sure enough, Peachtree Cove scored just as the timer went off. Cheers erupted as for the first time in seven years, Peachtree Cove finally beat their across-the-river rival, Peach Ridge, South Carolina. Halle slapped hands and cheered with the rest of the fans. This was a long time coming. She watched with pride as her daughter was slapped on the back and raised onto the shoulders of her teammates.

Halle couldn’t help but smile. They’d started the football season with people doubting her ability, but she’d proven them wrong. Quinton hadn’t given her special treatment, nor treated her as if she wouldn’t be able to keep up. Shania had wanted to prove not just to the team but to herself that she could make it on the team, and she’d done just that.

“I’m so proud of her,” Willie said.

Halle nodded. “So am I. Let’s walk out of the stadium and get ready to greet them.”

They made their way toward the exit but were stopped constantly along the way. Many of the same people who’d questioned her letting Shania play were now praising her for doing such a great job. Halle let them take back their words and give her daughter the praise she deserved.

“The people in this town are really proud of her,” Laura said with pride when they’d finally made it out of the stadium and got a moment alone.

“They are now, which is good enough for me.”

“I’m glad we’ll be living here so we can watch her play every year.”

Halle gave them a double take. “You’re moving to Peachtree Cove?”

Laura gave her a hesitant look before nodding. “We just made the decision. We mentioned maybe moving to Quinton, but...with everything that’s happened, he probably forgot to mention it.”

Halle didn’t doubt that. Between Tracey’s troubles, their buying the car and the revelation about Quinton’s dad, they hadn’t had time to talk about much else. She was glad Quinton had talked things out with his dad and Khris. It was going to take a lot of time for them to work out the pain of withholding the information, but she was happy knowing Quinton was now speaking to his parents and they were mending fences.

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