From The Wreckage - Complete (66 page)

“Hey, Jules.” They’re sitting in the stands waiting for kick-off when Carson leans around Mindy to grab Jules’ attention. “Send West a text.”

“A text? What’s wrong?” She asks confused as she pulls her phone from her back pocket.

“Nothing. It’s tradition. Dad has the game down to a science. He always sends one last text before game time. If you do it now, West will see it when he checks his phone one last time.” He winks at her,”Trust me.”

The thought of sending him a word of encouragement fills her heart with joy and, just as quickly, her head with fear. The pressure to send him the perfect note is thrust upon her and she waffles, looking around at Mindy, Carson, and then Cassie. 

Cassie shrugs, “Got a nude pic on there?” 

“No!” Jules cracks up and Mindy chokes on her drink. Fortunately, Carson is talking to the guys on the other side of them and doesn’t hear the suggestion. Thinking hard of something inspirational, she types him a message:

Jules: We’ve been on a boat, you and me. You were my anchor when I needed someone to keep me from sinking into my guilt. You were my strength, my compass, when I needed someone to help steer me through the roughest parts. And now you’re the sails. Your very presence lifts my spirits and propels me forward to a place I know we both want to be.  I’m in the stands cheering for you, Number Twelve. Good luck! xoxo

“I think I just threw up a little in my mouth,” Cassie whispers into Jules ear as she hits send.

“Shut up!” 

“That was some sappy shiz-”

“Another word and I’ll start sending every frat boy and ball player I know to your door for dates,” Jules interrupts Cassie with a playful sneer effectively cutting her off.

Looking over Jules, Mindy laughs and adds to the conversation. “Those two have always been full of sappy romance. Did she tell you how West took her to The Century Tree?”

“Noooo, she didn’t tell me that.”

“It was cute…” She budges closer to Cassie so she can fill her in on the one visit Jules had with them last year when she and West went to the campus and walked under the tree; legend has it that if a couple walks under the tree they will get married. As Mindy is finishing up and the marching band is finishing the opening song on the field Jules phone goes off.

Sinking to her seat, as everyone else remains standing and cheering, she reads a text from West:

Spike: I expect a victory kiss in about four hours! Fence behind team bench, be there.

Jules laughs at his order and presses her hand to her chest to slow her racing heartbeat. It doesn’t slow once the entire game. Her biggest shock comes when she watches number twelve take the field for Freemont’s first snap.

“Um, Carson?” she shouts over the crowd noise around her as she slaps at Cassie’s arm and grabs her in excitement. “Why is West on the field? He’s getting the start?”

Mindy and Carson laugh, pulling her gaze from West for a brief moment.

“He’s been the starter -” Carson informs her with a nonchalant shrug.

“He’s the what? He didn’t tell me, he… he said he might take a few snaps.”

Mindy smiles at her. “He wanted to surprise you.”

“Surprise me-”

“He’s amazing, Jules,” Carson interrupts her. “He was always the most talented player in the family.”

As a kid, playing pee wee football all the way into middle school, Jules recalls how gifted West was. Everyone wanted him on their team and everyone said he’d be the next big thing. Jules can’t help the tears of pride that fill her eyes as she listens for West’s strong voice to shout out the play call. As he hands off the ball for the first snap, she holds her breath and cheers as the receiver rushes for seven yards.

She blinks swiftly to clear the teary haze as Mindy leans close to her. “Think you can handle being the star quarterback’s girl?”

“Five years.” Jules shakes her head numbly as she watches another play. “He didn’t play for five years and he walked right into the starting QB spot. I…”

“He had motivation.” The tone of Mindy’s voice pulls Jules' focus from the field. “He had two goals coming out of Crestdale - win you back and prove to you he was worth another shot.”

Jules shakes her head. “He’s worth it with or without football.”

“I know that and you know that, but I don’t think he did.”   

The thought tugs at Jules' emotions as she settles in to watch this side of the man she loves. Her eyes stayed glued to West throughout the game. She feels every sack he takes as if it were her getting run over. Every scramble and forced throw catches her breath until the game is done. Four hours later she’s running down the stadium steps as the clock winds down and West is coming off the field after another brilliant touchdown throw.

“Hey, Rutledge!” she shouts to his back as he stands and goofs off with a few players while the extra point is kicked. 

He looks around before he turns and sees her. His face is red, his hair is a sweaty mess, but he has never looked sexier to her than at this moment. Every movement he made on the field today was filled with confidence and strength. It’s something she’s never seen in him before. The smile on his face and the way his eyes light up as he winks at her and holds his wrist up to point out the time all work towards confirming her suspicions. He is in his element; this is what he loves and she wants to cry with happiness at seeing him living out one of his dreams. He isn’t playing ball because he thought it would get her back. He’s playing because it’s part of who he is.

She waits at the fence as the final seconds tick off and West disappears into the melee of players, coaches, and press. The rivals shake hands and speak to each other while another group of players kneel and say a prayer. As the band plays the fight song behind her, and the crowd cheers, she sees West giving an interview one reporter after another as he tries to move. Finally, he is free and he locks his eyes on Jules as he makes his way to the fence, fist bumping and patting the butts of players who approach him.

“You lied to me!” she accuses when he’s almost to her and his brows rise. “You said you’d get to take ‘some’ snaps. You’re the freaking starter, West Rutledge, and your brother filled me in on how you’re on track to break records.”

He ignores her and reaches over the fence, pulling her face to his as he bends down and presses a kiss to her lips.

“And you are gorgeous.”

“West?”

“It’s what I do. I play football. That’s nothing.”

“It’s amazing!” She can see the hesitance to accept her accolades so she tones it down and switches to teasing him instead. “I’m very impressed and you should know it’s extremely sexy.” 

“It is, huh? I might have showed off a little for a certain girl I knew would be watching.”

“So what you’re saying is I should come to every game so you can cream the puny opponents?”

“It would help,” he agrees, kissing her again. “By the way, it’s not fair for you to text me things like that when I can’t see you, it kills me. If we’re going with boat analogies, though, I will respond with you are my moon. You are the gravity that pulls me wherever you go.”

“You do know the moon isn’t part of a boat, right?” 

“Stickler for details, are we? Fine,” West tilts his head toward the sky, his face the picture of concentration. “You, Buffy, are the waves in the ocean-”

Jules bites her lip to keep from laughing and West gives her a sharp, yet playful, stare.

“No? My rudder? My map? The wheel? All of these things guide me.”

Full-blown laughter erupts from Jules as she tugs on West’s jersey, their faces only inches apart.

“Damn, this is hard. You took the good ones. Can’t I just say that I would follow you forever if you let me?”

Jules sobers. “No. You’re not following me. We’re taking this journey side by side this time.”

“Hell, that’s what I should have said,” West whispers. They are standing in the midst of a still crowded stadium, a fence between them, and yet they are all alone. Two people deeply in love and not afraid anymore.