Page 226 of The Coach

I barely have time to turn before she crashes into me, arms wide. I scoop her up, laughing as she tugs my cap off my head, plopping it onto her own.

“You see that play, baby girl?” I grin, kissing her cheek.

She nods furiously. “We won, Daddy! Just like you said!”

I chuckle, ruffling her dark curls. “That’s right, we did.”

The cameras are eating this up. Reporters trying to get a quote. Fans cheering. But I don’t give a damn about any of that.

All I care about is my family.

I glance back up at the suite—at Ivy.

She’s watching us, smiling, her belly with the little bump of our next baby.

Number three.

I wink.

She blows me a kiss, then heads down the steps.

“Looking good, Coach.”

I smirk, raising my arms. “You like that play call?”

“I like a lot of things about you.” She grins, then gestures to our two kids in the suite, both bouncing excitedly. “Your little fan club approves too.”

I chuckle. “Damn right they do. That’s my legacy right there.”

Carl’s voice cuts in. “Alright, lovebirds, save it for after the trophy ceremony.” He claps me on the back, shaking his head like he still can’t believe his daughter ended up with an NFL coach. “You did good, Jackson. Real good.”

Ivy’s mom steps up beside him, beaming as she squeezes Ivy’s hand. “And you—how are you feeling?”

Ivy rubs her belly with a soft laugh. “Happy. Really, really happy.”

Her eyes meet mine, and for a second, the whole stadium disappears.

Carl clears his throat. “Well, you better be careful, Ivy. Keep looking at him like that, and you’ll be at number four before we know it.”

Ivy snorts. “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves, Dad.”

I smirk, pulling her close. “Let’s not rule it out, either.”

She rolls her eyes but laughs, leaning into me.

“How ya doing, Coach?” She asks, nudging me.

And it’s not the first time in my life I’ve felt like this.

But I don’t need another ring to feel like I’ve won.

I already have everything I’ve ever wanted.

Epilogue Two

60 years later

The late afternoon sun filters through the trees, golden light stretching long shadows across the grass. The couple walks hand in hand down the familiar dirt path, their voices quiet as they take in the stillness of the place.

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