Page 46 of Gridlocked on the Gridiron

She squeezed his hand tightly, a clear reprimand, as they walked toward the picnic tables. There weren’t many people milling about who weren’t with the team, but the ones who were had their phones out, taking pictures. Colton grimaced and pulled Lucia closer as they made their way to Jenna.

“Hey, Jen.”

“Hi, honey. Rudy seems to need you over there.” She inclined her head to where her husband was jumping up and down, trying to get his attention.

“Will you keep my dear Lucia safe if I leave her in your care?”

“Colton, I swear to god…”

Jenna was already laughing, holding her arms out to envelop Lucia. “I’ll take good care of her.”

He jogged over to where the team was passing footballs around. Before he could even hug Rudy, two of Rudy’s three children were jumping on him. “Uncle Colt, Uncle Colt!”

“Hello, demons.” He wrangled them so one was on his shoulders and the other hung like a bat from his arms.

“Alright, they’re all yours. I’m going to have a conversation with your lovely girlfriend and my even lovelier wife.” Rudy was gone faster than Colton could open his mouth to protest.

Cooper walked up with a grin. “I see Rudy roped you into babysitting. What a chump.”

“Oliver, I’ll give you ten dollars if you tackle Uncle Coop. Twenty between the two of you if you and James tackle him.”

They jumped off him in an instant, Coop cursing as he ran halfway across the park before letting them corner him.

Colton turned to Hayley, Rudy’s youngest. He sat down beside her. “Why so blue, Hayles?”

She shrugged. “I’m bored, and Oliver and James won’t let me play with them again.”

“Hmm. Let me think up some way to get them back.”

“Who’s that pretty lady that came with you?” She was pointing at Lucia, who was watching them as she spoke with Rudy and Jenna. She blushed at being caught but waved at Hayley.

“That’s my girlfriend, Lucia.”

“You have a girlfriend?”

“I do indeed. Don’t worry though”—he tapped her nose—“you’re still my favorite.”

“What does she do? Does she play football too?”

Colton chuckled. “She certainly could if she wanted to. There’d be no stopping her if she got on the field. Luckily for me, she’s a numbers girl, and she’s making me a better player.”

He watched Lucia laugh at Oliver and James as they terrorized half of the Sabertooths’ offense. Finally, Jenna yelled to let everyone know it was time to eat. Everyone else formed a line beside the benches, and Colton chuckled at how the players dwarfed the little paper plates in their hands.

“You wanna eat?” he asked Hayley.

She only shrugged. Clearly, her brothers leaving her out of the game was still bothering her, so Colton tried another tactic.

“Hayles, I have an idea. Come with me? I know a game we can play with James and Oliver.”

She stood and followed him to the table, an excited smile on her face. Colton pointed at Lucia. “You, me, and Hayley against the demon twins and a player of their choosing. Each.”

“Dad! Dad! I call Dad!” Oliver shouted.

“And Uncle Coop! We’ll take Uncle Coop!” James joined.

Cooper groaned. “Man, I was gonna eat.”

Rudy set his plate beside Jenna’s. “What are we playing to?”

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