Page 65 of 5 Golden Flings

“Doesn’t mean the final blow didn’t hurt.”

“Of course, it hurt. But that doesn’t negate the fact that seeing you, touching you, kissing you…” Noah took a step closer. His hand bridged the space between them, settling lightly against the curve of her hip.

She should move. But she didn’t.

Silence hung in the air between them, heavy with the words he wasn’t saying. Until he murmured “Letting you go yesterday hurt more, Autumn. That phone call should have been the worst moment of my day, but it wasn’t.”

Noah stared deep into her eyes. Emotions swirled inside, hope, pain, heat. But most of all, earnest truth.

Her own chest tightened. Her mouth opened, but closed without any words flowing out. She wasn’t sure what to say. Her brain was screaming at her to push him away. To protect herself from the inevitable pain that was going to come.

But her heart…it wanted to rejoice and revel in that hope with him. To embrace the possibility of what she’d always wanted – a second chance.

Dropping his forehead to hers, Noah whispered, “Please, just give me a chance. That’s all I’m asking for, Autumn. Spend the day with me.”

She closed her eyes. Her stomach slowly spun, but somehow she found herself saying, “Okay.”

CHAPTER 5

The holiday festivalwas a Sweetheart staple. Each year in early December the square filled with local vendors, food trucks and Christmas cheer. Every inch of the park at the center of town was decorated in red, green and gold. Lights twinkled, carols hummed from the strategically-placed speakers, and once every hour, magic happened when manufactured snow rained down over the crowd.

It was an event, and something Noah hadn’t often participated in even when he’d lived there.

Christmas had been uneventful in his life. Despite his grandparents going out of their way to make the time special, his father had somehow always managed to make it…unhappy. Most kids looked forward to two weeks home from school, but for him that was just more time he had to work at gauging his father’s level of sobriety and staying out of the way when he hit the point of mean.

But today…he almost believed in the magic. His father was gone - headed to he-didn’t-care-where after his mom divorced him – and Autumn was beside him, brimming with excitement and possibilities.

All around them, kids laughed and played, running from one booth to another and hollering out excitement to the parents that trailed behind. The scent of chocolate, sugar cookies and popcorn filled the air.

Autumn slowly strolled beside him, her gloved hands tucked firmly into the pockets of her puffy jacket. She didn’t say much, but the quiet between them was…easy, comfortable.

“Noah,” someone called out from deep in the crush of people. Craning to try and find the source, Autumn set a hand on his arm and pointed several people ahead of them. The wrinkled face in the crowd looked so familiar, and somehow so different.

"Coach,” he responded, easing his way across the flowing sea of people to the man who’d taught him everything he knew about football.

“What are you doinghere?” The last place Noah would expect to find the hard-ass who’d run their team like a drill sergeant would be behind some colorful display of scented candles and jagged-edged soaps.

Reaching over the table, Coach slapped him across the back. “I could ask the same of you.”

Nope, not the same question, but Noah answered his anyway. “I’m in town for Harry and Ed’s fiftieth wedding anniversary this week.”

“That’s right. I’ve had the invitation on my refrigerator for weeks now. Just assumed you’d be too busy with rehab to make it back. Think you’ll be on the field in time to help make it through the playoffs?”

The question startled him. For the last few days he’d been so far removed from the world of football, the constant media cycle and conjecture that went with it. It hadn’t sunk in that the announcement of the end to his career hadn’t made it public yet. Matt had wanted to delay until after speaking to any interested teams.

The realization left him unsettled. But the gentle pressure of Autumn’s hand to the small of his back steadied him.

“Don’t say anything, Coach, but I’m not going to be back.”

Eyes cloudy with age widened. “I’m so sorry to hear that. Your injury looked bad, but we all hoped and prayed you’d be okay.”

“I am okay.” Or he was going to be. “But definitely not the outcome anyone was looking for. That’s life. I had a great run. Maybe I’ll come back to Sweetheart. Who knows.”

Autumn’s fingers stiffened where she touched him.

“The town would be lucky to have you. I’m sure the new coach for the football team would love it if you came by.”

“You’re not coaching anymore?”

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