Page 21 of Something New

“It’s not what I expected,” he replied, “but I enjoy coaching. I like working with the kids, mostly.”

“Do you miss professional football? Did you try another team, another league?”

That was the second time today he’d been confronted with those questions, forcing him to think about his past, his present, and how he truly viewed his changed reality. Instead of the flippant answer he had given Ethan, he paused and took his time, sensing Anna wanted more from him, needed more from him, especially given how their breakup had gone down.

“Yes, I am happy and, yes, I do miss professional football. That had been my plan, my complete focus for my entire life, ever since I held a football in my hands. Everything I did was with the goal of playing in the NFL. I was invited to other training camps but never got past the medical exams. There were too many questions about my knee. A quarterback doesn’t just need his shoulder and arm, but needs to be quick on his feet, able to move around. My knee, even with a brace, probably couldn’t take another hit. And those linebackers are huge.”

She laughed, a shaky sound. “You don’t have to tell me! I saw the hit and was physically sick. Wyatt, I am so sorry this happened. If I could change that night…”

Wyatt drew her between two of the food tents to give them a little privacy. He tilted her head up to look at him and was surprised to see tears shining in her eyes.

He swiped a thumb under her eyes. “Anna, it wasn’t just you. Those guys were assholes. You did nothing wrong.”

“You warned me not to be so flirty, that not everyone would take it innocently. And I kept going.”

He gripped her chin when she would have turned away, forcing her to look at him. “Anna, listen. I could have walked away. They could have walked away. There was no excuse for them to be such assholes to you. There’s plenty of guilt to go around about that night. We all share blame.”

She blinked at him. “So, you forgive me for ruining your life?”

He smiled, realizing, for the first time, that it was true. “You didn’t ruin my life. I blamed you for years, yes. But that wasn’t you. That was all me, being a sullen bastard, looking for someone to blame. Shit happens. We all had a part in it, and it’s over. Okay?”

She nodded, sniffling a little.

“Good. Now, can we go win this damn scavenger hunt so I can give the lamp to Ethan?”

Her brow furrowed. “Wait, I thought we were giving it to Delaney.”

He grinned. “It might be the same after this week. Those two are definitely not done yet. Ready? What’s first on the list?”

She crinkled her nose. “Funhouse mirrors and a picture. Why the heck would we have to do that?”

He shrugged. “No clue, but it’s pretty easy, so let’s get it done. I’ll grab the tickets.”

* * *

Within minutes, they were in line with a bunch of teenaged kids for the long trailer that housed the funhouse mirrors. The loud, raucous music blared all around them, and food smells permeated the air — sausage and peppers, popcorn, fried dough, hot dogs, and more. All the sounds and scents overwhelmed Anna, and a headache threatened. She had eaten little that day and certainly wasn’t accustomed to fairground food, which would be her dinner.

Whispers and pointing fingers from a group of girls drew her attention, and she strove to ignore it.

Wyatt followed her glance and frowned. “Are they taking a picture of you?”

She smiled, a little sadly. “No, they’re taking a picture of both of us. Be prepared to be an instant celebrity on the internet, Wyatt.”

“They can’t do that.”

Anna laughed at the outrage in his voice, and she patted his arm. “Of course they can. I’m public property, just as you would have been if you had played professional football. Actually, as a coach at UT, you might actually be their target. We know how Texans love their football.” She parroted his words back at him with a giggle.

He stared at her. “You’re kidding, right?”

She smothered a grin. “Just watch.” She pasted on a what she called her Hollywood face as the girls approached.

“Are you really Bianca St. John fromBlazing Passions? Oh my God, I love that show!” One girl squealed.

Anna nodded, but before she could speak, the rest of the girls squealed and started pummeling her with questions and comments about the show, Hollywood, and being a star. Wyatt winced next to Anna at the pitch of the girl’s voices, and he was pushed out of the way as they surrounded her. Anna took selfies with each of the girls, checking to make sure Wyatt was okay where he was. Wyatt stood in a broad stance, legs spread, almost like a bodyguard, scanning the crowd beyond them, ensuring no one else came closer, frowning at anyone else who might have considered it. She smothered a smile at his fierce protectiveness, feeling her heart tug at the action.

Finally, the girls finished and one of them asked, “Are you going in the funhouse mirrors? Oh my God, I can’t imagine how you’ll look in there. So different!”

That was when Anna got her first clue of what Caroline had in store for her. Wyatt waded through the crowd and took Anna’s arm. “I hope you don’t mind, ladies, if I reclaim my date for the evening.”

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