Hello Quarterback (Hello #8)

18. Ford

18

FORD

Game days were all about trusting myself and the work I’d put in all week. So instead of watching more game film or squeezing in additional personal development, I made it a point to clear my mind of all the noise.

For home games like today, my personal mindfulness guide, Bernét, came to the house to lead me through a meditation exercise and then breath work. For games where I wasn’t at home, we always video called and did our work digitally.

But being in person was better, with a blend of essential oils diffusing throughout my home gym. But when we finished and a driver came to take me to the stadium, my mind kept straying to Mia and the package I was having delivered.

My tailor had agreed to the last-minute project, and I couldn’t wait to see what she thought. If she’d wear it. Checking my phone revealed no new messages from her, so I had to wait.

After several hours of prep in the locker room, the team took the field to warm up. And when I looked at the suite I knew Mia used, I saw her watching from the window... in her new purple blazer.

Damn, did she look good.

Her hand lifted in a wave. And even though I couldn’t wave back, not with my coach watching, I sent her a smile.

“Okay, lover boy,” my friend Krew said, bumping my shoulder and making our shoulder pads crackle.

I shoved him off, saying, “Get down there. Let’s get some passes in.”

Several hours later, the game was over with another win on our record. As the quarterback, I was one of the first players to be interviewed by the press after a game. I expected to be asked about the massive play we made toward the end when Krew ran sixty yards for a touchdown, but the first question out of the reporter’s mouth was, “Any comments on the special outfit Mia Baird, CEO of Griffen Industries, is wearing today?”

My lips formed a lopsided grin. “Thought y’all were supposed to be watching the game.”

The reporter laughed, tossing back her short brown hair. “There’s a reason news teams bring multiple cameras.”

I glanced toward the box, then rubbed my thumb over my bottom lip. “Mia sure looks good in purple, doesn’t she?”

Several reporters and dozens of questions later, I’d performed my duties. A few guys from the other team stopped me to say hello and shake hands. Guys I’d known for years—and after the game, we were all friendly. But mostly, I wanted to get up to the boxes.

My family had come to the game—and Tallie had informed me I was supposed to walk Mia out to her car for a potential photo op.

Photographers surrounded me, taking countless pictures as I walked off the field. When I first started as the first-string quarterback, all the attention was unsettling. Now, I was better at accepting this part of my job.

Off the field, I found my family waiting for me outside the locker room. My brothers, sisters-in-law, nieces, nephew, and my dad were all there.

Over the years, the Madigans had grown, and living close by, I’d been lucky enough to see it, getting to know all my new family members just as well as the ones I’d grown up with.

As soon as I came into their view, my niece Emily came running up first. Taking her in my arms, I asked, “What did you think? Was I better at staying in the pocket? Did I throw enough?”

She nodded, making her curly brown hair bounce. “You did great. Tell Coach Hinkle good job.”

I grinned at the praise and gave my brother Knox and her mom, Larkin, a surprised smile. “High praise from this one.”

Emily smiled back at me. “You’re winning the Super Bowl this year. I can feel it.”

That made me even happier. “Thanks, Em.”

My preteen niece, Maya, came up next, holding her little sister, Leah, on her hip.

“Fud,” Leah said, reaching for me.

I chuckled, picking her up and holding her while tucking Maya under one arm. “Thanks for coming,” I told them. I didn’t really want kids, but having nieces and a nephew, seeing my brothers become parents, was the joy of my life.

Once the kids were bored of talking to me, my dad came over and clapped my back. Then, my brothers got a turn to say hello.

Fletcher was the oldest, then Knox, Hayes, me, and my youngest brother, Bryce, who was just about to start his senior year in college.

Hayes waved us all closer, kind of like a huddle, so we were the only ones who could hear him. “So the girl,” Hayes said with a salacious grin. He bit his lip ring like he was eager for all the details.

Knox rolled his eyes at our brother. “Locker room’s that way, in case you haven’t noticed.”

Hayes looked to our oldest brother, Fletcher. “Back me up.”

Fletcher held his hands up in surrender.

Now I was rolling my eyes. “Wimp.”

So Fletcher asked, “When do we get to meet her?”

I shifted uncomfortably because I didn’t like lying to my family. After all we’d been through, you learned just how important these relationships were. But I couldn’t risk word getting out either—there were eyes and ears everywhere in this place. “Maybe later,” I finally said. “I better get upstairs to see her. See y’all at my place?”

They said they would be there—everyone was going to stay the night, and I couldn’t wait to have us all under one roof except for Bryce. It was hard for him to break away with his school schedule.

I went toward the suite, but my dad caught up to me. “Hey, let me tag along.”

A pit grew in my stomach. “You don’t have to—” I began.

But he shook his head. “She’s your first girlfriend since college. I have to give her the official Madigan welcome.”

I gritted my teeth into an echo of a smile. “Great.”

We walked together down the thinning hallway, and even though Dad wore his Diamonds shirt, he paired it with blue jeans and cowboy boots like he always did. Sometimes, like now, I missed Mom more, feeling her absence just because of his presence.

But I didn’t have room to dwell on it because Dad said, “Gage introduced you two?”

I nodded.

Dad’s smile crinkled his face. “Seems like yesterday y’all were playing together in the creek. Hard to believe you’re all grown with jobs of your own now.”

It was true. Time really did fly. Unless you were bringing your dad to meet your fake girlfriend and hoping the person who knew you best in the whole world wouldn’t call you out on the charade.

We reached the executive box—the most expensive one the Diamonds offered. And for some strange reason, my heart rate ramped up. Had to be nerves because Dad was here. This was a mistake—introducing him to my fake girlfriend.

I was about to tell him I’d forgotten something in the locker room, backpedal faster than I even did in the game, when Tallie came out and said, “Ford, there you are!”