Page 28 of Arrogant Rucking Player

I didn’t fumble the ball, and I didn’t get my ass ploughed by the opposition, but I did manage to take a clean intercept right through a gap between two players who watched me pass between them like they were standing still.

Because I sure as hell wasn’t.

The moment that ball was in my arms, my body worked on automatic exactly as it had been trained to do. I sprinted the length of the field close to the sideline, aware of someone running alongside me matching me pace for pace, but I didn’t look back because I didn’t need to. That tryline was there, and then I was over it, the ball planted firmly in the mucky, muddy grass that had already taken a pounding, my hand wrapped securely around the ball.

My brain registered the ref’s whistle and thehorn for the end of the game, and more than one body crashed into mine.

But all I saw was Brady bouncing up and down, cheering for all he was worth. Nyla stood beside him, a brilliant smile spread over her stunning face as she cheered right alongside him.

And that was all I wanted to see in the world.

EPILOGUE

MASON

For all the post game celebrations, the politics and talks afterwards, gifting to the charity, and close off for the unofficial season, it didn’t take long for the grounds to clear out. I waited until last with Leon, making sure I had showered and sprayed myself with enough deodorant to kill a locker room.

I bounced on my toes, still full of nervous energy despite my deadened thighs from that last run that no scalding shower or rub down would help. I’d stretched plenty, listened to Coach’s secondary pep talk that was for me alone, but for this next part no one could help me with, but me.

Any maybe one other, but that part would come a little later on.

“If you keep jumping around, you’re gonna need another shower,” Leon stared at me, looking more like a father figure than my trainer. Or maybe they were the same thing. I had a few of those, but he came on board as an extra a few years back and just sort of stayed.

Even Hansen had a few words of his own for me before he left. That talk had been nerve wracking enough.

“Alright. You think everyone’s gone?” I peered around the outside of the door, but the stands were deserted as far as I could see.

“You’d better get moving or she’ll be gone, too.” Leon clapped my shoulder hard enough to rock me forward onto my toes.

I took the hint and stepped out of the tunnel for the last time that night. The sun had started setting, leaving a slim strip of light above the horizon, through a deep haze had settled over the grounds. I closed my eyes and swallowed hard. If I screwed this up, I knew Nyla wouldn’t give me a second chance. I glanced back at Leon who gave me an encouraging nod.

“It’s okay to risk it all when everything is worth the risk,” he murmured.

I grinned. “You should get that tattooed overyour heart, Coach.”

“Who said I don't already have it somewhere else?” He sauntered away, flicking the giant floods on as he left me alone.

The grounds illuminated, but that would leave outside the stadium still dim enough that…

Ah, hell. I just needed to balls up and do this.

I pushed one hand into my pocket to reassure myself and jogged around the outside of the stadium to the parking lot. The whole place was deserted and after the brightness of the floodlights, it took me a moment to see the single car left in the lot.

I slowed to a walk, heading over to Brady and Nyla. Brady stuffed a hotdog into his face while Nyla leaned against her car.

“Are you always the last one out?”

I shrugged. “I thought you gave me that spiel once. Wasn’t it ‘first one in, last to leave’ or something like that?”

“Yeah. Something like that.” She tipped her head to one side as I leaned down to kiss her. “I have a night off, and Brady seems to be wide awake…if you’re not dead on your feet.”

“Yeah. I know you have the night off.” A lump grew in my throat I couldn't get around.

Nyla studied my face. “Are you okay?”

“That was a great try, Mason! You really ripped up the grass.” Brady mimed skidding across the car park on his tummy.

“Ah, that.” I winced. The groundskeepers would be fixing my dive divot for the next week or two. “Don’t lose your hotdog, okay? I just want to talk to your mum for a moment. You remember that game on my phone?” I passed the device over.

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