I wouldn’t say I’m a super recognizable guy. Not many people pay attention to the defensive line. Football players who aren’t dating international superstars don’t get that much camera time on average. Still, this is Nash’s big moment, and I would never do anything to take away from that. The plan is to go in, cheer on the Moons, get a few brewskis in with the boys, and get out undetected.
Jaden elbows me, beer in hand. “You think Nash will introduce me to number fifteen? She’s smokin’.” I follow his gaze to the court where the Moons are warming up and a woman with dark eyes and beads in her braids, whom I recognize as Temi, is running a blocking drill.
I shrug, “I dunno. Maybe. She and Nash are pretty close. They played together in Italy.” Spending hours upon hours at practice and traveling for games will do that to you.
“I’m going to ask her on our way home.”
I chuckle. “You go for it.” Nothing I could say would stop him anyway. Jaden is indomitable once he’s set his mind to something.
Noah plops in the seat next to us and sets a humongous tub of popcorn down at his feet. I hand him his beer and we settle in.
Pretty soon the music starts bumping. It’s been a long timesince I was a spectator at a sporting event and not down on the field. It’s kind of nice. Though, the nerves are still there. I know Nash wants this team to work so bad. This is my first chance to see her play here. It’s her first true home game since her college days. I only got to see her play in Italy once. We took a family vacation and made sure to catch a game in Rome, but since I had my whole family in tow, Nash and I didn’t get to spend that much time together besides dinner after the game.
“Where are the cheerleaders?” Jaden asks.
“Why would there be cheerleaders here?” I look at him like he grew a second head.
He gestures broadly around us. “Um, it’s a sporting event, i.e., cheerleaders should be here.” He looks across my shoulders at Noah likeget a load of this guy. “I never get to see them. Coach is always like ‘keep your eyes on the ball’ and I do, but not today. I want to see some skirts and pom-poms.”
“Yes, today.” I snap. “We are here to support Nash and her team. So you’d better keep your eyes on that volleyball.”
“As long as number fifteen keeps swinging like that, it won’t be a problem, my man.” He pats me on the shoulder, and I shoot daggers at him with my eyes.
The announcer comes over the loudspeaker, letting us know that the game is about to begin and to please rise for the singing of the national anthem. I’ve done this hundreds of times in my life, from high school football to now, and it never fails to make my blood run faster through my veins. It’s like my body knows that this is the signal for go-time. As my blood starts buzzing, I have to remind myself that tonight we’re in the stands and I am only here to watch.
Our plan to lay low only lasts until about halfway through the second set. There’s not a ton of people in the standstonight, and there are only so many bodies for the camera man to pick on. I guess I really shouldn’t be surprised that he quickly found us. Not only are we three big dudes (well, two…Jaden isn’t that tall) crammed into these little seats, but we’re making tons of noise. It probably took someone running audio or video about ten seconds to clock us as Hurricanes players.
The next time a team calls a timeout, we show up on the big screen with a navy blue and white border around us and Houston Hurricanes in huge red letters. Jaden waves, eating this shit up.
He leans over to me. “Nice of them to get our team colors up there.”
Things devolve quickly after this. Several people from our section turn around to look at us. We wave politely at them trying to discourage them from coming up. I promised myself that I wouldn’t take anything away from Nash, and getting what little crowd there is in our section turned away from the court to stand in line for a picture is definitely taking attention away from the Moons.
The second an older lady with a Hurricanes shirt on starts coming up the concrete stairs, Noah takes control of the situation. He turns to me. “I’ve got this. You watch the game.”
There’s not much time left in the timeout, but for the remainder of it I watch Noah as he intercepts the lady—and anyone else—who had been coming toward us.
“Are you Noah Fox?” she asks, obviously starstruck.
“That would be me.”
“And who is that behind you?” She’s trying to see around Noah to get a look at me and Jaden. Jaden can join in if he wants, but I’m here for one person only.
Noah, smart as he is, turns her attention back on him. “Would you like a photo?”
Her eyes light up at his offer. “Oh, yes. That would be amazing.”
As the woman gets her phone out, I turn back to the game where the teams are taking their places on the court once more.
Nothing, and no one, will take my focus off of Nash tonight.
Chapter Nine
NASH
“One, one,” I call as the pass goes to Danica. Right before it hits her hands, I call louder. “Outside, outside!” I’m already in position, locked and loaded for my approach. If the set doesn’t come to me, I’m the decoy in this play, so I’ll be swinging at nothing trying to fool their defense.
I step forward, arms in front of me, gaining momentum as I swing my arms back behind me. Danica is sending it my way so it’s go-time-show-time. On my last step I close my feet and swing my arms back in front of me, letting the power bring me up in the air.