Page 121 of The Convict Gets His Girl

"I'm going to the football field. Maybe Parker will be out there or something. I'll wait for y'all there," he murmured.

Jewel opened her mouth to say something, but he didn't hear as he stepped away, the crowd too loud with teenage voices as he walked through the hall and to the door at the end.

When he stepped outside, he drew a big breath of fresh air, his shoulders relaxing slightly. The sidewalk to the football field was lined with names of previous graduates carved into the concrete, reminding him of all who'd walked this same path. He wasn't certain anyone had ever been in his shoes before though, and he was worried that he'd screw it all up again.

He'd had his whole life before him, planned out and working toward a bright future. Things had been going well… until they took a downward turn, a sharp nosedive that lasted a few months before his future shattered in an explosion that had rocked him to his core.

A whistle drew him out of his melancholy, and he glanced up, going to the edge of the fence where it separated the field from the parking lot. Hands in pockets, he stood there and watched his little brother in his element. He'd missed so much, including his brother's entire career as a professional soccer player.

Parker lifted a hand to wave, and Chase nodded. After a few minutes directing the girls and boys in a warm-up, he jogged over.

"Hey, what's up? Is everyone okay?" Parker said, slightly out of breath, his hair flying in the wind and falling over his forehead.

"Everyone's fine. Just touring the school with Destini and the stares got to me," Chase said, surprising himself with how freely he shared. This was his brother, sure, but if he'd learned anything in the past few years, it was how to share his feelings.

Except fear still held him back from telling Jewel he loved her.

Parker made a joke that had Chase rolling his eyes, then he asked about the drive from Houston with Destini. He wanted to know everything they'd talked about. Maybe it'd help him be a better father and get to know her better.

As he chatted with Parker across the fence at the soccer field, his brother blew his whistle and yelled out drills periodically.

Birds chirped as Chase watched Jewel walk with Destini from the main building toward them. He hadn't wanted to go inside with all his bruises, but Jewel had told him not to hide who and what he was. The stares had proven him right, though. Lord only knew what the consequences of his fight would be on Destini.

Parker snorted, making Chase's gaze turn from his girls to his brother.

"Man, you've got it bad, don't you? And another bites the dust," Parker tsked and shook his head. "And so close on the heels of losing Hunter too."

"What the fuck are you talking about?" Chase asked.

Parker grinned wider. "You're in love with Jewel, aren't you?"

"So what if I am?" Chase threw back at him as if tossing down a gauntlet.

Parker just laughed and shook his head. "Have you told her yet? I'm going to guess no."

Chase crossed his arms, careful of his ribs. "And there's only one Williams brother left to fall. Hm, I wonder how well you'll handle it, little bro."

Parker smirked, grabbing his whistle as Jewel and Destini neared. "Damn straight, I'm going to do better than all you fools who went before."

Chase barked a laugh as Parker blew the whistle and called for a drill change.

Jewel tilted her head, but he couldn't see past the sunglasses. "What's going on?"

He shook his head as she stopped near him, Destini watching the practice at the edge of the open fence. The look on her face said she wanted to run onto the field and play, but she hung back.

"Nothing unusual. Just brothers being dumb."

"Must be nice," Destini said absently.

"What?" Jewel asked, turning to her.

"To have brothers," Destini said just as a stray ball came sailing toward them. Destini reacted with a hop and a kick that sent it back.

His heart raced at the wistfulness in her voice. What if Jewel met another guy who had kids? That might be better for Destini, to have a step-dad who wasn't a convict. A good family man with a steady paycheck.

Unless he could convince Jewel to love him back, maybe have more kids. He didn't deserve her, but maybe she'd take a chance on him.

He glanced at Jewel, who was staring at him right back, neither of them able to see what the other thought of that comment.

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