Page 36 of Along Comes Trouble

COLTON

T essa pullson a heavy winter jacket and finishes the last of what looks to be a Long Island. I wrap an arm around her shoulder and wave at my sister and her friends before leading Tessa outside. She wobbles a little as she walks. “How many drinks did you have?” I ask .

“Just two.” She grins at me. “But I probably should have stopped at one .”

I pull open the passenger door to my truck and help her in. It’s not like Tessa to have more than one drink when she knows she has to drive, but she’s relaxed her hold on the rules lately. “You didn’t have to leave your friends .”

“I know. But I want to see whatever it is you have to show me .”

When I drove by Smitty’s on my way home and didn’t see Tessa’s car, I had to check on her, especially knowing what I know about Sarah. As soon as I saw Tess sitting at that table, I knew I couldn’t wait to share my news with her. It was rude of me, selfish even, to pull her away from my sister, especially with Michelle and her friends there. But I couldn’t help myself. I haven’t been this excited about something in so long, and it’s all because of Tessa. All of it. I wouldn’t have done what I did if it wasn’t for this woman .

“Where we going?” she asks when I climb into the driver’s seat .

“It’s a surprise .”

The moon hangs low and full in the night sky, a beacon of silver light in front of the truck. I navigate the streets of Brookside by memory, my body acting on instinct. It’s not a long drive from Smitty’s to the high school, and when I pull up in front of the Thunderhawks stadium and kill the engine, Tessa turns to me, looking adorably confused. The lights are on, illuminating the field. I reach into the backseat of the truck and grab a football .

“Play with me,” I say. My news is on the tip of my tongue but for some reason, I can’t quite bring myself to let it out. Speaking it will make it real, will make it terrifying, and as much as I want to share it with Tessa, it still feels special. Sacred. A glimmer of hope untainted by harsh reality .

Tessa pushes open the passenger door. “I promise you, I’m even worse at football than I am at darts .”

“That’s fine. The good news is that I’m even better at football than I am at darts. I’ll have you throwing like a pro in no time .”

We hop out of the truck and head toward the field. Tessa pauses before we step onto the grass. “Are we even allowed in there? Isn’t this trespassing ?”

“Come on, Blue Eyes. You worry too much.” I drag her onto the field that still, to this day, feels like home. The heels of her boots sink into the sod and she laughs as she stumbles, trying to find purchase .

“This might be a terrible idea all around,” she says, her eyes wide and bright .

“I disagree. With you here, looking as good as you do while standing in the place I love more than anything, all I know is this is a wonderful idea .”

I toss her the ball and she misses it completely. Laughing, she retrieves it and stares down at the thing, sucking in her lips as she tries to grip the pigskin properly. She hooks her arm back and lobs the ball at me. Everything about her approach is wrong, and it flies through the air about five feet to my left .

“Not bad,” I say after hustling to make the catch .

“You’re just being nice .”

I give her some pointers and shorten the distance between us. Before long, she’s catching the ball more than she drops it .

We practice for a while, our laughter and conversation punctuated by the leather slapping against our hands, and I let myself imagine being on this field again. Out here, I mattered and I miss the way it feels to have purpose. I picture what it would be like to have Tessa in the stands, night after night, cheering me on. The dream is almost too much. More than I can handle. I want it so bad, I can taste it .

“So,” I say as I catch one of Tessa’s wobbly throws. “I did something .”

“So I gathered.” She closes the distance between us, the color high in her cheeks, her eyes gleaming. She looks beautiful tonight and I take a moment to commit the scene to memory .

“I sure did.” I lead her over to the bleachers and sit, pulling her in close. “I thought a lot about what you said last week. About applying for a coaching job .”

Tessa’s lips part. “Colton! Did you do it?” She puts a hand on my thigh, excitement dancing across her face .

I nod. “I did. As of this afternoon, my application to coach the Brookside Thunderhawks is officially on file with the athletics department. I doubt anything will come of it but …”

Tessa leaps out of her seat. “I am so happy for you,” she says before she crouches in front of me. “This could be such a good thing .”

“It could be. I won’t lie, standing out here tonight, I let myself imagine it. I’m almost afraid to hope, you know? I was a fool to give up on football. It’s what I was made for .”

“You thought you were doing the right thing .”

I shrug and then sigh, closing my eyes as I smile. “I haven’t even gotten the job and I already feel better than I did yesterday. I didn’t realize how empty I felt. How useless. How meaningless my life was. It’s ridiculous what one little piece of paper did for me.” I shake my head. “I hate to admit it, but I can almost understand why my family looks down on me so much. I haven’t done anything that mattered since David came home. I thought that was the right idea. That taking life too seriously was a good way to get hurt, fast. But, now, after today? I can’t stop wondering if I’ve been wrong all these years .”

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