Total pages in book: 65
Estimated words: 60933 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 305(@200wpm)___ 244(@250wpm)___ 203(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 60933 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 305(@200wpm)___ 244(@250wpm)___ 203(@300wpm)
Brady was back, putting out the blankets, when Tallulah arrived with several bakery boxes and a bottle of sparkling apple cider. By the time it was all set up, the last field party looked more like someone was having a reception. Although we were using red Solo cups, there was champagne, red wine, sparkling apple cider for Maggie, and paper plates instead of just the keg of beer. Tallulah had even produced a roll of paper towels from Nash’s office. The night had fallen, and the fire was blazing. We had our friends, and we were all together.
“To the field that raised us,” Nash said, raising his red Solo cup into the air.
“To the field!” everyone said together before taking a drink.
“When did we get so damn fancy? Domestic and shit?” Gunner asked, taking another drink of his beer, then reaching for a cinnamon roll.
“Would you have preferred some bags of chips like the old days?” Willa asked him, smirking.
He shrugged, then grunted. “We rarely had chips then. Just the keg.”
“Fuck no,” West said as he chomped down on one of Tallulah’s mom’s brownies. “This is way better.”
“It’s the last field party. It should be special. Stand out,” Asa said, sitting with his arm around Ezmita, who I realized had never come to a field party. She was leaning back on his chest, and it was clear he was happy. Out of all of us, he had made the biggest transformation.
“I don’t think it could stand out any more than it already does. Three couples engaged, one having a baby, folks moving back to Lawton and settling down,” I said. Aurora was snuggled up to my side with wine in her cup. She hadn’t experienced many field parties herself.
“And we got a fucking football celebrity in our midst,” West said. “Who knew one of us would go big,” he added.
Then the other guys all said together, “I did.”
I laughed and looked at Nash.
“What?” he said. “We all knew you would be the one to make it. You were our star. Everyone knew that.”
I shrugged. I had wanted it, but I hadn’t been as sure as they had. Back then my world had been rocked by the woman at my side. She had given me more to want in life than football. I wasn’t so sure I could have done any of this had she not been there with me. When I needed her she always had the right words. She was my biggest fan and the center of my world.
“I’m not a celebrity,” I finally said.
Gunner laughed. “Dude, there are paintings and photographs of you doing incredible plays at Oklahoma for sale all over the internet. Google it.”
I reached for another cookie, wishing they’d talk about someone or something else. At home, with Aurora, I was just me. It was the two of us. She made my world complete. If I was injured tomorrow and had to end my career I would be fine. Just as long as I had her with me. One day soon I wanted a ring on my hand telling everyone I belong to her. I want to see her stomach grow with our child and to see her hold our baby. I was ready for all of that. It was what mattered. Not my career. Not football.
“I need to know how much you had to pay to get your house back, Gunner,” Nash said, taking the attention off me. He knew I didn’t like it.
Gunner shrugged. “Enough.”
Asa laughed along with West.
“He paid a fucking fortune,” Brady said. “That’s what ‘enough’ means in Gunner talk.”
Eventually the conversation fell into everyone’s plans, wedding dates, and where they would have them. I smiled, thinking about the fact that they’d have another wedding to put on their calendars soon enough. I didn’t expect it to surprise them, just as I knew Nash was making his own plans to put a ring on Tallulah.
I figured Asa and Ezmita would be the last of us to walk down the aisle. They were the newest couple. But I had no doubt they would end up there. Asa had never really gotten over her to begin with. We all knew it.
“In ten years, let’s come back. Make it a tradition. Leave the kids at home, bring the damn food, and come back for this. Our new grown-up-style field party, as disgusting, yet filling and delicious, as it may be,” West said.
I had no doubt in ten years we would all be here. The boys of Lawton High had found their forever. That wasn’t going to change. Even if our lives continued to.
CHAPTER SIX
RYKER
Nash stood beside me just inside the entrance of the gates to Hunter Maclay Field. Cars would start to arrive soon. The dedication was to begin in an hour. Aurora was getting ready with Tallulah in the offices. She was nervous and Tallulah had promised me that she would help reassure her as well as convince her to have a glass of the champagne that was chilling in the boardroom. When this was finished, our families would go inside to a reception. We would all need a drink by then.