Page 219 of The Coach

“I’ll miss you.”

“I’ll miss you too.”

“I’ll be back soon.”

“I know.”

One more kiss. One more moment. “I’ll be waiting for you, I add.”

He smiles at me. And then, he walks out the door.

I stand there for a second, coffee cup in hand, watching him go. My heart full. My future wide open.

For the first time in my life, I’m not afraid of what’s next.

Because no matter what happens, I know one thing for sure.

Jackson Knox is my forever.

Chapter Forty-Five

JACKSON

February 6th - The Super Bowl

The noise in the Superdome is deafening. The energy? Electric.

But all I can hear is my own heartbeat slamming in my chest.

Because while the entire world is focused on the Stallions trailing by ten in the biggest game of the year?

I just got a text that changed my whole damn life.

Cassie: Ivy’s water broke. She’s at the hospital.

I freeze.

For a full five seconds, I just sit there, staring at my phone, my brain refusing to process the words.

Then?

Everything clicks into place.

Holy shit.

Our baby is coming.

"Coach, we gotta go,” Drew says, pulling me toward the locker room for halftime.

I snap out of it, stuffing my phone into my pocket as I follow him into the tunnel.

I’ve got fifteen minutes to figure out how the hell to balance the biggest moment of my career with the fact that nothing has ever mattered more than getting to Ivy.

The locker room is silent.

The guys are exhausted, frustrated, down ten points with one half left to play.

And really? It’s not even a decision.

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