Page 35 of Second Down Darling

The door to the apartment upstairs opens and out step Jake and Asher. Behind them trots Duke. Jake gives me a huge smile and whispers something to Asher, and the kid waves at us as his father carries him down thestairs.

Roxy grabs my hand to keep me in the car and whispers quickly, “Jake barely left your side for those first two days in the hospital. He was worried sick about you. I know you guys have a messed-up history, but maybe this is what you need to work it out. A second chance to talk about things and be friendsagain.”

“He didn’t want me to die, but that doesn’t mean he wants me to stay with him. Not after everything we’ve beenthrough.”

But then Jake reaches my door and opens it. Before I can get out, he hands me Asher. “Give your aunt a hug,buddy.”

Pudgy little arms wrap around my neck, and my nose stings. “Hi, Ash. I’ve missedyou.”

My nephew leans back, and his eyes widen excitedly. He’s Jake’s clone with dark hair and olive skin, but he has my sister’s startling blue eyes. “We got a dog. I wuvdogs.”

Jake chuckles and picks him up again. “Buddy, Duke belongs to Charlie, but since she’s staying with us, we get to enjoy Duketoo.”

My pooch sticks his nose in the car and rests it on my lap. “Hey, handsome.” I scruff behind his ear, and he wags histail.

I chew on the inside of my cheek. “You don’t have to do this, Jake,” I whisper. “You don’t owe me anything. If anything, I owe you for dragging me out of my apartment lastweek.”

“We’d love to have you,” he says easily. Almost like he means it. “If you don’t mind sleeping in Asher’s miniature-sized bed, that is. He’ll sleep with me, and you can get his room. He doesn’t mind. Do you,bud?”

Asher shakes his head frantically. “Can Duke sweep witus?”

Jake chuckles. “In case you haven’t noticed, the kid is obsessed with your dog.” He tickles Asher. “Pretty sure Duke wants to sleep withCharlie.”

Roxy nudges me with one eyebrow hiked high. “Won’t that be nice, Charlotte? You can keep Dukeandvisit with your nephew. Win-win. Plus, I got you a job. It’s nothing sexy or anything, so don’t get tooexcited.”

“I’ll take anything at this point.” Especially now that I need to replace all of my equipment andclothes.

“How do you feel about roller skates?” she asks as she grabs my bag out of the back seat like this is a donedeal.

But where else do I have togo?

14

JAKE

IwishI could say I’m excited to be back, but my stomach is in knots. I’ve never missed practice before—for any reason—but Coach didn’t give me a choice. I should’ve been cleared for yesterday’s practice, but I had some congestion, and Coach didn’t want to take any chances, so I got sent home one more day until itcleared.

Still, I can’t help but feel like I’ve screwedup.

Strangely, the locker room is empty when I arrive, and that feels ominous. Am I late?Fuck.

I rush to change and then beeline for the conference room, where everyone stares at me. Damnit.

“Sorry I’m late, Coach. I didn’t know practice time got movedup.”

“You’re not late, son. Come up here.” He smiles, waving me to come to thepodium.

My teammates’ expressions are solemn, like someone just died. It doesn’t mesh with Coach’s rare smile. I feel like I’m about to getpunked.

I brace myself to get my ass reamed out in front of the team for being late. Irresponsible. For letting everyone down. It’s the kind of lecture my high school coach would’ve leveled on anyone who wastardy.

Coach faces the guys, and I stand there next to him like adumbass.

He leans toward the mic. “Fellas, college football is about two things—winning games and molding y’all into respectable humans. Because if the latter isn’t part of the equation, it doesn’t matter how many games you rack up. Do I want to win a championship? Of course. It’s in my blood. Lone Star State wouldn’t have hired me if I didn’t eat, sleep, and breathe football. Just ask my wife. It annoys the hell out ofher.”

The guys chuckle, and I start to relax. Maybe he isn’t about to eviscerateme.

He taps on the podium. “But if you’re all dirtbags, getting arrested for DUIs and womanizing and partying like fools, I’m not doing my job either. College sports are rife with examples of talented athletes who get in trouble for doing dumbthings.”

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