Page 84 of Hello Quarterback

I nodded. “I’ll tell them to look out for you.”

“Even then, they won’t see me coming.” He grinned and turned to walk away.

But I said, “Bryce?” I bit my bottom lip nervously.

He turned back to me. “Yeah?”

“Take care of him, okay? I can’t imagine what it would be like if... if he couldn’t...” I couldn’t bring myself finish the sentence.

“I know,” he said quietly.

There was nothing left to say, so I got in the car. My driver pulled away, leaving Madigan Ranch, Cottonwood Falls, and the love of my life in the rearview mirror.

47

FORD

The screen doorshut behind Mia, and we all flinched at the sound echoing through the house. Then it was so quiet, the sound of my racing heart was almost as loud as the things my brothers and dadweren’tsaying.

That is until Bryce gritted his teeth. “Are you going after her?”

I gripped the sides of my chair tightly, shifting my weight. “No. I wouldn’t even if I could.”

Bryce gaped at me then turned to my dad and Fletcher. “Aren’t you going to say something?”

Fletcher didn’t quite meet his gaze. Dad’s frown deepened.

Bryce let out a huff, then left the three of us in the dining room, going after Mia. I heard him call out her name.

My heart begged me to go after her with him, but to be honest, the biggest emotion I was feeling wasshame. Followed by abandonment. Worry. Devastation... all the above. I wasn’t good enough for her. Not then, and definitely not now.

Dad had the decency to stay silent, leaving me to my cyclonic inner thoughts, but Fletcher asked, “Do you want to talk about it?”

I shook my head.

All this time, I’d been admiring Mia for being a strong woman. She was fiercely committed to her goals, and the only time she’d strayed was during this crisis. Me on the other hand?

I’d been weak.

I’d become the kind of man who lost track of my priorities just to impress her. If she weren’t here, I never would have gotten on a horse, much less gone to the stream and messed around like that. Even once a year, when my niece had her tubing party, I wore protective water shoes at least.

Love had made me careless. Malleable. Subject to whims instead of my goals.

I was a better man on my own, without the self-indulgence of romance.

Mia deserved better. My team deserved better. My family, the kids I served in Texas... we all deserved better than what I’d done.

Fletcher’s phone rang, making all of us jump. He glanced at it, saying, “The team doctor.” He brought the phone to his ear. After a moment, he explained the situation with some medical terms I understood and some I didn’t. Then he listened for a while.

“What’s he saying?” I hissed.

Fletcher held up a finger, and when I pressed him again, he went to the other room altogether.

I slouched down in my chair, covering my face with my hands. This felt worse than losing the Super Bowl, because back then, at least one team had been happy. One team had been celebrating. People even told me how amazing it was to come in second place. Plus, there had been hope that we’d win the next time.

But no one was happy now. I could see it etched into everyone’s faces. Especially Mia’s. None of us knew how bad this was, what it would mean.

The door opened, and my heart jumped, wondering if she had come back.

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