Page 58 of Perfect Storm
“You’d be surprised,” Levi said. Aidan shrugged, like he would be.
But Levi had been doing his homework. At night, when he lay in bed and sleep felt elusive, because he was trying not to think about Aidan, just one room over, he watched film of past Thunder games. He didn’t have Coach Ned’s twenty-plus yearsof coaching experience, but he felt reasonably sure that Ross could move to the right without too much trouble.
The next most obvious question was could Levi move to the left without much trouble? It was a lot more high-pressure spot on the line. Arguably themostimportant spot, though Levi thought Griff might argue that the center was more vital, considering he was responsible for the ball.
He’d tried to talk himself out of it, half a dozen times now. He was getting paid the big bucks, now. He didn’thaveto put his neck out there, especially on a brand-new team. He could just keep playing under the radar, making the coaches happy withhisperformance. He didn’t need to make these waves. But why else had he come to Toronto if it wasn’t to take the next step?
If itwasn’tto stick his neck out? To make himselfthe guy.
The game ended, a 38-to-10 win for the Thunder, even though the score really didn’t matter. Wes had played well, and Levi patted him on the shoulders, telling him so, in the locker room after the game.
Then he went to look for Ned.
“Put me in at left,” he said again, once he’d found his coach in the equipment room, helping some of the staff pack up to head back to Toronto.
Ned looked up at him. He was sixty if he was a day, with these dark eyes that pinned you right in your place. Maybe if Levi was less sure, he might be intimidated by the guy, but he wasn’t.
There wasn’t any room inside him for intimidation, not if he was going to get this done. Not if he was going to get himself his first ring.
Not if he was going to get Aidan another one.
“You again,” Ned said with resignation. “This week didn’t cure you of this crazy idea, did it?”
Levi shook his head. “I can do it.”
Ned raised an eyebrow. “Seem pretty sure about that. Left tackle’s no walk in the park.”
“I can do it,” Levi repeated.
Ned didn’t look convinced. It made Levi really want to get it done. To prove to him and to Aidan and tohimselfthat he didn’t just skate by in his life and his career, doing the bare minimum. Being the spoiled and indulged and adored youngest. The one that nobody ever pushed, because Levi had always just been enough.
He’d never questioned if that was true, not until now.
He could hear Logan in his ear, telling him not to push the issue. To take the spot he was given.
But Logan was just as protective as Landry, both of them being two big brothers. Then he heard Lyla, in his other ear, telling him how proud she was that he’d fought for something more, when he’d decided not to re-sign with Seattle.
This was like that. Bigger, almost.
Of course, if it didn’t work out, if he sucked at left tackle, he’d go back to the right side, but coaches would remember.
His reputation wouldn’t be as unblemished as it was right now. Especially since one of his signing points—giving him those extra dollars—had been because of his possible flexibility.
“Just try it,” Levi continued. “Give me one practice to show you. You want to try those two tight end formations with Lane and Trev? Youknowthose are gonna win games. If we don’t fix the left tackle, we’ll never be able to run those plays effectively.”
Ned sighed. Shoved a hand through his hair. Put his hat back on. “You really are a Banks through and through, aren’t you?”
Levi wasn’t sure before this watershed moment if he’d have agreed with that. He was a Banks, sure, and had the work ethic and the drive and the sheer size.
But he hadn’t seen the same things in himself that he always saw in his brothers.
Maybe he could see a little glimmer of it now.
“Guess so, Coach,” Levi said.
Ned gave him a reassuring pat on the shoulder. “We’ll try it out. But—let me tell Acker. He’s not gonna take it well, especially after getting lit up this week.”
Levi nodded in agreement. It never felt good to be benched, but after you already knew you played like crap? It cut you when you were already down.
