Page 30 of Hello Quarterback

“Okay, lover boy,” my friend Krew said, bumping my shoulder and making our shoulder pads crackle.

I shoved him off, saying, “Get down there. Let’s get some passes in.”

Several hours later,the game was over with another win on our record. As the quarterback, I was one of the first players to be interviewed by the press after a game. I expected to be asked about the massive play we made toward the end when Krew ran sixty yards for a touchdown, but the first question out of the reporter’s mouth was, “Any comments on the special outfit Mia Baird, CEO of Griffen Industries, is wearing today?”

My lips formed a lopsided grin. “Thought y’all were supposed to be watching the game.”

The reporter laughed, tossing back her short brown hair. “There’s a reason news teams bring multiple cameras.”

I glanced toward the box, then rubbed my thumb over my bottom lip. “Mia sure looks good in purple, doesn’t she?”

Several reporters and dozens of questions later, I’d performed my duties. A few guys from the other team stopped me to say hello and shake hands. Guys I’d known for years—and after the game, we were all friendly. But mostly, I wanted to get up to the boxes.

My family had come to the game—and Tallie had informed me I was supposed to walk Mia out to her car for a potential photo op.

Photographers surrounded me, taking countless pictures as I walked off the field. When I first started as the first-stringquarterback, all the attention was unsettling. Now, I was better at accepting this part of my job.

Off the field, I found my family waiting for me outside the locker room. My brothers, sisters-in-law, nieces, nephew, and my dad were all there.

Over the years, the Madigans had grown, and living close by, I’d been lucky enough to see it, getting to know all my new family members just as well as the ones I’d grown up with.

As soon as I came into their view, my niece Emily came running up first. Taking her in my arms, I asked, “What did you think? Was I better at staying in the pocket? Did I throw enough?”

She nodded, making her curly brown hair bounce. “You did great. Tell Coach Hinkle good job.”

I grinned at the praise and gave my brother Knox and her mom, Larkin, a surprised smile. “High praise from this one.”

Emily smiled back at me. “You’re winning the Super Bowl this year. I can feel it.”

That made me even happier. “Thanks, Em.”

My preteen niece, Maya, came up next, holding her little sister, Leah, on her hip.

“Fud,” Leah said, reaching for me.

I chuckled, picking her up and holding her while tucking Maya under one arm. “Thanks for coming,” I told them. I didn’t really want kids, but having nieces and a nephew, seeing my brothers become parents, was the joy of my life.

Once the kids were bored of talking to me, my dad came over and clapped my back. Then, my brothers got a turn to say hello.

Fletcher was the oldest, then Knox, Hayes, me, and my youngest brother, Bryce, who was just about to start his senior year in college.

Hayes waved us all closer, kind of like a huddle, so we were the only ones who could hear him. “So the girl,” Hayes said witha salacious grin. He bit his lip ring like he was eager for all the details.

Knox rolled his eyes at our brother. “Locker room’s that way, in case you haven’t noticed.”

Hayes looked to our oldest brother, Fletcher. “Back me up.”

Fletcher held his hands up in surrender.

Now I was rolling my eyes. “Wimp.”

So Fletcher asked, “When do we get to meet her?”

I shifted uncomfortably because I didn’t like lying to my family. After all we’d been through, you learned just how important these relationships were. But I couldn’t risk word getting out either—there were eyes and ears everywhere in this place. “Maybe later,” I finally said. “I better get upstairs to see her. See y’all at my place?”

They said they would be there—everyone was going to stay the night, and I couldn’t wait to have us all under one roof except for Bryce. It was hard for him to break away with his school schedule.

I went toward the suite, but my dad caught up to me. “Hey, let me tag along.”

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