Page 5 of Good Girl's Guide to Love
“I don’t know about that,” he says, his excitement fading. “I think the luck wore off last year. I was wearing it when Brad Rockwell got hurt.”
Don’t smile, don’t smile, don’t smile…
“Injuries happen, my man,” I say, trying to give a baseline answer. Even though Brad’s injury is the reason I’m sitting here today.AndI fucking hate the guy. “Believe me, you and your hat had nothing to do with it.”
In my years of playing football, I’ve never wanted a player to get hurt. I’m not a superstitious guy, never have been, but even I know it’s bad juju to do that. Plus, I wouldn’t wish an ACL tear on my worst enemy.
But Brad Rockwell is a shitty fucking human who would be rising up about twenty spots on my people ranking if he was given the title of my worst enemy. We’ve hated each other since college, when I transferred into the same conference and dethroned him as the best in the league. It didn’t help that he went to my rival school.
I’d never met him off the field, so I thought our rivalry was just that. Then I got signed to the Fury to replace him after his injury. Since then, he’s made it his mission to make my life miserable.
“I know that,” Caden says. “And it wasn’t all bad luck. I wore it when you started playing, and the luck came back. Do you remember that one catch you had? It was against Cincinnati when you…”
Do I remember? I could be on my death bed at ninety-eight years old and still remember that catch.
Seventy-five yards. One handed. Leaping over a defensive back who was on my ass the entire time I was running down field. It was a beauty. Play of the year on every sports network. But it was more than a highlight-reel catch. It was the kickoff to my tear through the league. I was shattering numbers. Guaranteed a touchdown a game. I was a fantasy football player’s dream come true if they picked me up.
In the blink of an eye, I went from the guy no one would sign because of my problematic past to the guy who everyone had slept on. And all during that, the man who hates me most in this world had to sit on the sidelines and watch it happen.
But I can’t let him get to me. I have to block out his dirty looks, and his goading words. And more so, keep my “famous temper” in check. Because I’ve been given a second—hell, my millionth—chance with the Fury, and I’m not about to fuck it up.
Which is why I’m here today. A little good will goes a long way. Plus, I like talking to kids. I know what it was like to be given a hand you should’ve never been dealt. If I can make them forget about that for even an hour, it’s worth it.
And if I run into a cute nurse while doing that, then that’s just a bonus.
“So Caden, have you ever been to a game?”
His eyes turn sad, and I immediately realize that may have been the dumbest question I could’ve asked him. “No. I’m…I’m in here a lot. And the medical bills, it doesn’t leave a lot of room for things like football games or extra things. But it’s okay. I get to watch every Sunday. And maybe watch with an autographed hat?”
I make a mental note to make sure I get this kid’s information so I can get him and his family to a game this year.Andthe nameof the nurse with the gorgeous blue eyes and body that had me biting my bottom lip.
Two birds. One stone.
“Damn straight an autographed hat,” I say, sending him a wink as he hands me the flat brim hat back to me. “You know, there are some of the other guys here today. I bet you can fill this up if you want.”
His eyes light back up. “Seriously?”
“Absolutely. I’ll make sure everyone comes and visits. And if they don’t sign it, you let me know. I’ll rough ’em up.”
His smile punches me in the heart. “You’re the best Linc!”
“This is nothing,” I say as I hand the hat back to him. “But I need you to do something for me.”
“Anything.”
“I’m going to need you to get better to make sure you can watch every single game this season. I’m not a guy who believes in things like luck, but you do, so I’m going to need to lean on you for that this year.”
“You got it!” he says as we exchange a handshake we somehow make up on the fly. I take a few selfies with him before Katie is standing outside my door, pointing to her watch.
“I gotta get going,” I tell him. “But I’m going to be checking up on you this year. Now that I know who our good luck charm is, I have a vested interest in your recovery.”
The smile this kid gives me chokes me up. Fuck. He didn’t ask for this. Wires and tubes and living in a hospital. And he could be so fucking angry right now—I don’t know if I believe in God, but I don’t know how a god could make innocent kids like this have to fight for their fucking lives against diseases that they didn’t ask for—but he’s not. He’s a fighter. The good kind. Not like me.
When I was his age, I was mad at the world. Pissed that I was becoming an orphan at thirteen. Having to move school districtsbecause my grandmother was the only one who could take care of me. I was always getting in trouble, fights specifically, a few shoplifting and vandalization charges along the way. But mostly my anger was taken out with my fists. Hell, up until a few years ago, they still were.
But not now. I can’t. Not if I want this chance with the Fury to go right.
“Linc, I know you probably hear this a lot, but you’re one of my heroes.”
