Page 32 of When We Were Young
“You did?” Emily looked happy about this.
“The two of you could be twins if Clara wasn’t—” He caught himself. There was no easy way to finish the sentence.
“I get it.” Emily’s eyes were gentle. “I know what you mean.” The corners of her lips lifted a little. “Clara’s very pretty. That’s a compliment, being compared to her.”
Noah nodded. “Anyway, I mean... you never left her side.” He didn’t blink, didn’t look away. “Which was even more beautiful. Honestly. It was something I looked forward to every day, watching the two of you.”
Understanding dawned on Emily’s face. “I like that, Noah. That you noticed the two of us, not just me.” She put her hand over his for a few seconds. “Thanks for sharing your secret.”
“You, too.” He wanted to take her in his arms and hold her, shelter her from a big, bad world where she was completely in charge of her special-needs sister. But it was too soon. He stayed in his seat and let himself get lost in her eyes. “Let’s make a deal.”
She laughed. “A deal?”
“Yes.” He took hold of her hand and gave it a couple light squeezes. “No more secrets. Because friends don’t hide things from each other.”
“Okay.” She eased her hand from his and crossed her arms. A shiver seemed to pass over her. “Friends. No secrets.”
Her emphasis on the wordfriendswas clearly intentional. Noah hid his disappointment. He had time, however long it took. He’d do whatever he could to help her see she could trust him with her heart. But for now he only nodded and smiled. “We have another home game next Saturday. Against Connecticut.”
She stood. “Clara will be there.” Her shoulders lifted in the sweetest shrug. “I guess that means I’ll be there, too.”
“Don’t feel forced or anything.” Noah grinned. “I can get an escort for Clara.”
Her expression turned playful again. “Actually, Noah Carter, I think I like watching you score touchdowns. The whole stadium cheering your name. Makes me happy for you.”
“Good. I like you being there.” Noah felt his heart melt. So much that he wondered if it might seep out his pores and spill onto the porch. But he worked to keep things light. “I’m guessing it’s time to go?”
“Yeah.” She looked over her shoulder. “Clara and I have church tomorrow. Early.”
“Okay.” He stood and moved closer. Then he gave her the quickest, most friend-zone hug he knew how to give. He stepped back and slid his hands into the pockets of his jeans. “I played better today. With you there.” He smiled. “See you Monday.”
Her cheeks darkened again, just a little. “See you, Noah.”
As he walked away, Noah thought about all that had happened that day. Victories on a number of levels. She had opened up to him about her home life and admitted she enjoyed his football game. Their friendship had taken root and now she and Clara would be at his game next weekend.
Noah turned onto his side. The dream was so real, so vivid. Like he was reliving those days, walking through them and breathing the same air all over again. His head still pounded and he couldn’t wake up if he wanted to.
But he didn’t want to. As long as he was back in the past with the Emily he’d fallen in love with, he didn’t care if he never woke up. Sleep dragged him back to the beautiful past.
After that night on Emily’s porch, the next week flew by. More dance rehearsals, more dinners in the cafeteria. And then it was football Saturday. Noah couldn’t imagine what personal records he might break against Connecticut. Emily was so good for him; just knowing she and Clara were in the stands was enough to give Noah a confidence he’d never quite felt before.
Sure enough, he scored three touchdowns in the first half. And he fully expected to score as many over the last two quarters. Instead, he lined up on the first play of the second half and then... then everything about the memory happened in slow motion.
He took three steps back, one eye on the pocket created by his offensive lineman. Then without warning he was hit with a blitzing, terrible force from the right side. He could barely remember slamming to the ground and hitting the left side of his helmet on the field. His head’s collision with the turf made a deafening sound in his ears and ricocheted through his brain. The one thought Noah had was this: he had never been hit so hard in all his life.
Then there was nothing but darkness.
11
Noah blinked his eyes open and sat straight up in bed. Breathe,he ordered himself.You have to breathe. His body was shaking and his arms and legs were sweaty. He gasped for air.
What had happened? He squeezed his eyes shut and then opened them, and the memory returned. He had dreamed about the hit again. Why did he have to re-create it in his sleep? He massaged his left temple and sat up.
His head hurt so bad, almost like the tackle had just happened. He looked around the room. Where was Emily? She would help talk him down from this. Soothe the way his heart raced and his brain pounded every time this happened. Every time his nightmares forced him to relive the hit.
The one that nearly ended his football career.
“Emily?” He looked at her side of the bed. Strange. It didn’t look slept in. Had she fallen asleep on the couch, maybe? Or did she have something this morning? He gripped the edge of the mattress and stared toward the bedroom door. “Emily? Are you here?”
