Page 57 of Accidentally Falling for My Fake Wife

Where I have every intention of kissing her soundly.

But first, I need to text Olivia and Nicole and tell them who I’m married to. They’re going to be even more excited than I am.

It’s the fourth quarter,and the score is fourteen-seventeen. The Mavericks are up by three against the Jaguars and have the ball.

Steve, my defensive lineman brother, has been giving me lip all game. He’s also been making me work for every block I get.

He’s good, great actually, but today I’ve been better.

Michaels, the Mavs quarterback, calls the play in the huddle, and the offense gets lined up. Michaels gives the call, and the center snaps the ball, putting the play in motion. The sound of pads hitting pads and grunts as players come into contact with each other is mixed with the crowd's roar. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Shaw, our running back, get past his blocker and wide open. Michaels lets the ball go, and it flies right into Shaw’s hands. He breaks free of another defender and runs it into the end zone.

Touchdown!

The crowd goes wild, and I look up to where Susie told me she would be sitting with Brie in the stadium. All I can think about is her wearing my jersey.

“Focus on the game, Daniels!” Steve yells at me jokingly from across the field.

Ignoring him, I line up for the extra point attempt. It’s good, bringing the Mavericks lead up by ten points. With two minutes left in the game, it’s the defense’s turn to shut down the Jaguars offense.

“I think I did my job where you were concerned today.” I walk over to Steve, smiling, and pat him on the shoulder after the extra point attempt. “Good game.”

“It’s not over yet,” he tells me before he heads off to the sideline.

Our win is pretty much guaranteed with a two-score lead, but you don’t stop playing until the score clock reflects zero.

The Jags are good, but the Mavericks were the better team on the field today. The clock counts down as Josh walks toward me on the sideline.

“Josh,” I yell as he claps my shoulder. I give him a chest bump and a one-armed hug.

“Great job today,” he says as we fist bump. “If you don’t get nominated for the Pro-Bowl, it’s rigged.” I slap his back and laugh.

“Well, that’s obvious.” I smirk at him and wink. “I’ll see you in the locker room. I want to talk to the Jags offensive coordinator before heading in.”

Running into my old coaches and teammates is easier than I thought. If someone had told me a month ago that I’d be settled in with my new team and feeling good about where I am, I would’ve told them they were crazy.

But here I am, happier than I ever believed possible.

It feels good to see my old teammates and the coaching staff, but the Mavericks are now my team, and this place is my home. It’s where I belong.

Susie’s face pops in my head, and I smile. With her, everything has become bigger than football. Where she is is where I want to be. She’s my home.

I grin as I see Steve walking over to me, a smile from ear to ear on his face.

“You were tough out there today.” He slaps me on the shoulder. “Trying to impress someone?”

I feel heat creep up my face, and a smirk settles in. I can’t stop the smack talk falling from my lips. “I just had to prove who the better half of the dynamic duo is once and for all.”

“Yeah, yeah, little brother,” Steve retorts. “You can’t deny that falling in love makes you feel superhuman. Especially when that woman is wearing your name.”

He’s not wrong—on both counts. Knowing Susie is watching and wearing my jersey made me want to play better than I ever have in my entire life. Knowing that I’m in love with her and want to make her proud quadruples all of that.

“I knew it.” He claps me on the shoulder and pins me with his gaze. “I’m happy for you. You deserve to have someone as amazing as Nicole by your side.”

Tears burn the back of my eyes at his words. To distract myself, I immediately start to take my jersey off so Steve and I can swap. It’s been something we’ve talked about but have never had a chance to do with each of us always being on the same team.

“I’m beginning to wonder if being traded was the best thing to happen to you,” Steve says as he pulls his jersey over his head. I turn around so that he can sign his name on it. Then I do the same.

“I’m starting to think that too.” I laugh. “Though I could’ve done without the drama that brought me to this place.”

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