Page 81 of Final Down

I consider sending Jerry a text, but by the time Peyton wakes up and takes over Warner duty from me, I forget.

We tag-team a few chores around the house, finally putting our own laundry away and starting another load of onesies. I swear, our infant has more costume changes than a Taylor Swift concert. I fix Peyton her favorite sandwich for lunch, a toastedhoagie roll piled high with salami and prosciutto and those little yellow peppers she likes.

I try to remember to give her the little things, to remind her that I love her more than anything on this planet other than Warner. My dad always made sure he did the little things for my mom, like always making sure her gas tank was full or that she had a clean towel waiting for her after a shower. Peyton does them right back for me, too. I may be nearing thirty, but I still love pancakes decorated with chocolate chips. Peyton makes them for me, just like they do at Jack’s, then draws me a funny face in semi-sweet morsels every time.

“You should get to practice. I think we’re going to take a nap together,” she says, kissing Warner’s forehead as he sleeps in her arms.

“Maybe I skip today, take that nap with you,” I say, truly tempted.

Peyton playfully pushes my chest, though, coaxing me toward the door.

“I’m kind of looking forward to hogging the bed to myself. And you won’t fit in the bassinet with Warner, so . . .”

I chuckle.

“I got it. Okay, fine. I’ll be home in a couple of hours.”

I kiss her goodbye, then slip out the side door, gently closing it so I don’t make a loud sound.

The ground is beginning to take shape on the back acre of the property. I can see it from the guest house’s kitchen window, but the view is extremely clear from the driveway. Peyton and I decided to start building our place slowly. Her dad, of course, offered to help, but it’s enough that they gave us the land. We want to do this ourselves. And the money from my one-year deal is going to get us mostly there. From where I stand, the foundation looks good.

I climb into my truck and make my way to the high school. I pull in next to Reed’s truck, and the old Lions sticker he still has on his back window reminds me of the news I learned regarding Jerry.

Reed’s sitting on the first row of bleachers when I head out to the field, so I follow his gaze and see the group of freshmen and sophomores running the long route around the school’s perimeter.

“Someone show up late?”I’m late. I hope he doesn’t think I’m running too.

“Someone showed up with weed. The entire fucking locker room stinks. Theywishthey were late.”

I squint as I look across the field, honestly proud that they’re not half-assing things. They aren’t jogging this.

“Is this one of those ‘if you won’t tell me who did it, then you’re all being punished’ moments?”

Reed nods.

“Sure is.”

I take a seat next to him and reminisce about the time he and Coach Watts made us run bleachers in the middle of the night.

“Bunch of assholes, you guys were,” he mumbles.

I cackle out loud. He cracks me up when he’s ornery.

“Yeah, I’ve heard your stories from Buck, so don’t think you’re better than me,” I push back.

“Shit, I know I’m not. You don’t know half the crap we pulled.” He gets up to walk away after dropping that bomb, and I simply stare at his back. I tag along when I realize he’s heading to the field.

“Hey, you talk to Jerry lately? You hear the news?” I ask.

“I haven’t talked to him, but I saw on the news that he sold his shares. Good for him. That Mickey Payne character is bad for football. Jerry can do better. He’s got too much to give the game.”

I nod and pull my pack of gum from my pocket, unwrapping a piece and popping it in my mouth. I offer Reed one, and he takes two.

“Thanks. Coffee makes my breath stink.”

I consider how many cups I had to get myself moving today and decide I should add another dose of mint, too.

The upperclassmen trickle out to the field, and a few of them remark about the stench in the locker room. When one of them dares to make a joke, Reed sends him on a lap around the school. And when he asks if Reed is joking, he doubles his assignment. Nobody cracks a joke after that.

---