#Fam: A Ten Years Later Novella (Hashtag #9)

Chapter 8

8

Romeo

Fucking fifteen.

I made it. Seemed a little surreal that I was officially retired. Especially when about five years ago, I had so many doubts. Worrying I was hurting my family by not being home more. Putting unnecessary pressure on my kids by being “famous.” Doubting I could make it to fifteen when B was injured and decided to retire.

In the end, I rallied.

We all did.

Braeden had his surgery and went through recovery and PT. Only then did he publicly announce he was retiring, which was a blow to the Knights and fans everywhere. He stuck to his guns, though, and remained firm it was what he wanted. I admired him for that. For who he’d become.

He was a good father and husband. A damn good ball player. My best friend.

And now? He was a damn good coach. Imagine that. Hothead Braeden the head coach of our old high school football team, the Green Hornets. He would always be “The Hulk,” but he was a lot less hotheaded now, and it was epic to watch him come into his own and settle into the life he was meant to have.

In a way, it inspired me to go for my dream of fifteen. Whenever I doubted it, they were there. My #fam.

With the kids older, it was easier for Rimmel to travel with them. They came to more games, and I felt like I was missing a little less time. They were my unofficial but most important cheer squad, and I realized Rimmel was right. I never had to choose. I was a lucky bastard who had it all.

It was bittersweet to be here fifteen years later, an entire career to look back on and a future spread out with possibilities. I set records, had hands filled with rings, and was arguably the most famous quarterback in pro football. It was a legacy I was proud to leave behind.

The sky was still bright, the sun lowering in the sky as the day inched toward night. The water was crystal-clear, the purest turquoise I’d ever seen. The sand was white and the balmy breeze unlike anywhere else I’d ever been. The fronds on the many mature palm trees rubbed together, creating their own island music, perfectly complimenting the sounds of the ocean waves.

The deck was warm underfoot as I stepped out of the bungalow, heading straight for my wife who stood staring out over the endless water and sky view. Her hair was down and knotted in every direction from the wind. The loose yellow dress she wore fluttered around her small frame.

Even in her thirties, after four kids, she looked like the same girl I’d met all those years ago at Alpha U.

The soft material of the billowing dress plastered against my legs when I wrapped around her from behind and buried my face in the side of her neck. Tilting her head, she hummed while wrapping her arms over mine at her middle.

“This view is incredible,” she said, scratching her fingers into my overly long blond hair.

I pressed a kiss against the soft skin of her throat and lifted my face to admire the view she was so smitten with. “We need to go over the ground rules.”

She stiffened. “Ground rules.”

“We’re staying in a bungalow with miles and miles of water around us. Did you think there wouldn’t be rules?”

She gasped with indignation and spun in my arms to glare. Even after all these years, she was adorable as hell.

“I am not one of your children, Roman Anderson,” she sassed. “I do not need rules.”

“You fell at the animal shelter last month and sprained your wrist.”

“The floor was wet.”

“Yeah, a little spill on the floor,” I mused, turning her to look at the ocean. “Look at all this ocean.”

“ Obviously , I didn’t see the spill. But obviously, all this ocean is hard to miss,” she retorted.

Over her shoulder, I smiled. “Need I remind you of the time you got lost in the woods in Colorado and almost got eaten by wolves?”

She groaned, tossing her hands up for extra dramatics. “You just won’t forget about that, will you?”

I nipped at her shoulder. “No.”

“There are no wolves here.”

“There’s sharks.” Not to mention, up until we had kids, she refused all contact with water, and now here we were, sleeping in an over-the-water bungalow. She did know how to swim—we made sure of it—but it would never be her strong suit.

Her snort got carried away on the wind. “I’d like to enjoy my vacation.”

“Me too. Which is why there are rules.”

“Okay, Roman.” She turned to face me, looping her arms around my neck. “Let’s hear these rules.”

“Rule number one,” I started, and she rolled her eyes.

I kissed her nose.

“No swimming without me.”

She sniffed. “As if I even want to swim.”

“No swimming without me,” I repeated. “Rule number two,” I said, letting go of her to reach down and pick up the bag near my feet. “You have to wear this at all times.”

Making a face, she reached into the bag and pulled out a neon-yellow boyshort wetsuit with built-in floatation.

“What in the world is thing?” she wondered, staring at the fabric dubiously.

“Your new bathing suit.”

She dropped her hands at her sides and scowled. “It has floaties built into it.”

“It’s for protection.”

“It’s so bright it can be seen from outer space!”

“That’s the point.” I confirmed. It was really hard not to laugh. But if I laughed, she’d be even more irate.

“This is ridiculous.”

“Rule number three?—”

“Three!”

“Don’t go off on your own.”

“It’s a small island. Where would I go?” she asked.

“Knowing you, you’d somehow find a pack of Pygmies and get yourself kidnapped as their new mascot or some shit.”

“That’s the most ridicu?—”

“Rule four.” I interrupted.

Her nostrils flared. “I can’t believe you even allowed me to come on this trip. How exhausting it must be to be married to a woman who can’t function without rules. Maybe you should let the Pygmies have me!”

So much for holding it in. I laughed.

Her eyes narrowed.

Abort! Abort! “Now, baby…”

“Don’t you now baby me, Roman Anderson. I’ve had enough,” she said, spinning around behind me to give me a big shove in the center of my back.

I stumbled toward the edge of the deck but planted my weight to keep from toppling over. “Are you trying to drown me?”

“I think you need to cool off your swollen head.”

I laughed again, and she took advantage of it to give me another shove.

I turned as I toppled and grabbed her hand, pulling her into the water with me.

She screamed, and water splashed as we plunged into the crystalline ocean. I blinked open my eyes, catching the way her dark hair floated around her head before pulling us to the surface. She sputtered and coughed even as she wound her legs around my waist.

“Romeo!” she sputtered, pushing her askew glasses up on the top of her soaked head.

I chuckled, treading water while she clung to me like a little octopus. “Rule four, keep your watch on at all times.”

“Yes,” she bemoaned, holding up her wrist. “This giant Apple Watch with a tracker inside so you can stalk my every movement.”

I didn’t bother pointing out it wasn’t stalking if she was a whole hazard to herself. She’d probably try and drown me.

Wrapping one arm around her slim waist, I hugged her to me. The water was warm and brushed against us like a soft caress. “I can’t help it, sweetheart. You’re my whole world. I’m going to do everything I can to protect you.”

Water dripped off the tip of her nose and clung to her lashes. “Oh, Romeo.”

“Kiss me in the ocean, smalls.”

Her lips were warm compared to the water drops clinging our skin, and our lips parted at the same time, tongues reaching out in tandem. She tasted like home and the sea as the golden rays of the sun sank lower in the sky.

“I’m not wearing that wet suit,” she declared when we pulled apart.

“How about you wear it when we’re all swimming?” I reasoned.

She pursed her lips. “Fine.”

“I love you.”

Her face softened. “I love you too.”

I swam the short distance to a netlike hammock built into the edge of the deck and hoisted her inside, then hauled in behind her. The netting dipped with our combined weight, and we lowered closer to the water.

Rim’s dress and hair were plastered against her. My T-shirt was soaked and sticking to my skin, so I pulled it off and tossed it onto the deck.

“If you had told me fifteen years ago that I would agree to sleep in a bungalow literally over the ocean, I would have laughed in your face,” she mused, gazing out over the view.

“We can move to one of the beachfront cottages,” I told her. Frankly, I would prefer it.

“The kids really wanted to stay in this one,” she said. “I’ll be okay if I can sleep in your arms.”

“Where else would you be?”

She moved to crawl closer, her hand slipped through the net, and she tumbled into me.

I grunted. “And you wonder why we have rules,” I muttered.

She giggled, and I pulled her into my lap.

“I can’t believe Braeden did all this,” she mused, snuggling closer.

“Being married to Ivy has rubbed off on him. Boy can plan an event.”

Rimmel laughed.

“Romeo?”

“What, baby?”

She lifted her head from my chest, blinking up at me with slightly unfocused eyes. My heart somersaulted, and I smiled softly, tugging the glasses from her head to set them aside on the deck.

“You know I’m so proud of you, right?”

I palmed the back of her head. “I know.”

“A cake, streamers, and balloons doesn’t really compete with?—”

“Hey.” My voice was gruff when I cut her off. “There is no competition.”

“I know,” she said softly. “But I don’t want you to think I’m not in awe of you.”

My smile was fast. “You’re in awe of me, huh?”

She rolled her eyes but then nodded. “Even after all this time, I still have to remind myself I’m not dreaming. That you are really real. I was always determined to make a life for myself,” she confided. “But this? What we have, this is so much more.”

“We’re lucky,” I confirmed, stroking her wet hair.

She shook her head. “It’s not luck. It’s you. We’re all a family, and we all play our part, but you, Romeo, are the glue that holds this entire family together. You are the reason this life feels more like a dream. You’ve given us all so much. Me so much. I never in a million years would have believed love like this was possible if you hadn’t fought for me.”

“I’ll always fight for us, baby. You and the kids.”

“I know. And you did all of that while still living your dream. While becoming a football legacy.” She went on. “I’m proud of you. The man you are, the way you played, and how much you accomplished. I know it was hard, and you sacrificed sleep and time and probably so much more I don’t know about to be everything to everyone and still be a legend.”

“This isn’t going to help the big head you think I have,” I teased. But even as I teased, a lump of emotion tightened my throat.

“You can have a big head just this once.”

I laughed.

“My player,” she murmured, cupping the sides of my face with her hands. “It’s been a pleasure to watch you the last fifteen years. I can’t wait to see what you do in the next fifteen.”

“Maybe I’ll just glue myself to your side and see how long it takes for you to get sick of me.”

“Never,” she swore.

“You just tried to down me.”

She scowled. “That swimsuit is for a five-year-old.”

“I had it made especially for you.”

She rocked back, my hands cradling her waist. “You did?”

“Soon as Braeden said ocean, I had it ordered.” I made a face. “Well, technically, Ivy ordered it, but I asked her to.”

“She does have all our measurements,” Rimmel recollected.

“I got one made for Lo-Lo and Andie too.”

“You’re so sweet.”

I would have had one made for Nova, but at fifteen and as fashionable as her mother was, I knew she’d never wear it. I’d just let B deal with all that.

“You’re happy?” Rim asked, drawing my eyes off the horizon and back to her.

“How could I be anything less?”

“So you’re sure you’re ready to retire?”

I chuckled. “Everyone thinks I’m gonna go stir-crazy, don’t they?”

“We love you. We’re worried. I’m worried,” she confessed.

“Why you worried, sweetheart?” I whispered, scooping her closer. She turned, winding her legs around my waist.

“I just don’t want you to retire unless you are really ready. You know I’ll support you playing as long as you can.”

I kissed her as the breeze swirled around us and the waves knocked gently against the deck, letting my hands slide down her back against her saturated dress.

Feeling how wet it was, I began gathering it in my hands and tugging up to peel it off. Our lips popped, and she sat back, raising her arms. I tugged the fabric free and tossed it aside.

The second I saw what she had on beneath it, I laughed.

“You aren’t the only one that can have swimsuits made.” She arched her back to show me more of the design.

She was dressed in a navy-blue one piece with a gold #24 on the front. Smiling, she turned to show me the back, which had my name in gold.

Growling, I tugged her against me. “You know I love having my name on you.”

“I know it’s not purple like the Knights, but to me, our colors will always be from Alpha U.”

“If we didn’t have kids running around here somewhere, I’d peel this suit off you and fuck you right here.”

“Later,” she promised.

“This is perfect,” I said, tracing my fingers over my name on her back. “Especially now.”

She glanced over her shoulder. “Now?”

“Want to hear a secret?”

“Spill that tea, Anderson!” she exclaimed, scrambling around to face me once more.

I laughed. “Did the kids teach you that?”

She lifted one hand, palm up. “It’s what everyone says.”

“Before we left yesterday, I got a call.”

“From whom?”

“My old coach at Alpha U.”

Her eyes widened. “He wanted to congratulate you?”

I nodded. “He did.” I smiled. “He also offered me a job.”

Her eyebrows flew up. “A job?”

“Seems he’s ready to retire. Said he was holding out as long as he could in hopes I’d be retiring too.”

Her lips parted. Joy lit her face. “He wants you to coach the Wolves?”

I nodded.

Her squeal floated out over the water, and she tackled me. I sprawled back, the netting bouncing with our movements. “Oh my goodness, Romeo! That’s so exciting.”

“You think so?”

She scrambled up, practically elbowing me in the side. This girl was a one-woman show.

Straddling my waist, she laid her hands on my chest. “Oh, do you not want to take the job?” she said. Then, quickly, “If you don’t want to, you shouldn’t. I want you to be happy. I know that sports channel offered you that announcer-thingy position.”

“That job is on the other side of the state,” I pointed out. It was a lucrative-as-hell deal, though.

“We could make it work.”

Reaching up, I caressed her cheek. “You would make it work, wouldn’t you?”

“I’d do anything for you.”

“I took the job at Alpha U.”

Her body nearly vibrated with excitement. “Really?”

“How could I pass up the chance to go back to where it all started for us? For me?”

She shook her head emphatically. “Oh, no, Romeo. It started for you the day you were born. Football is in your DNA.”

“Maybe so.” I agreed. “But you’re my heart. And I’m tired of being away from you. The kids. Now I can see you every single night.”

Tears glimmered in her eyes, and the sun painted her skin golden. “I would love that.”

“Me too.” Then, “But I’ll still have some away games.”

She nodded. “It’s okay.”

“I love you.”

A sob broke from her chest. “If I loved you any more, I swear my heart would explode.”

“No exploding,” I commanded, and she laughed.

“Maybe let’s keep this between us a little longer. Let’s just enjoy the vacation and my retirement before we tell everyone what’s next.”

“Whatever you want.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Whatever?”

The sound of a seaplane in the distance interrupted my lusty thoughts. Her face lifted to the sky, but it wasn’t in sight.

“Dad!” Blue hollered, a door in the bungalow slamming. “Liam’s here!”

“This whole family is a damn cock block,” I bemoaned.

Rimmel laughed, but before I could sit up, she stretched out over me, her body rubbing against mine like a cat. “Later, remember?”

“Oh, baby, I won’t forget.”