AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“You can create a new norm for yourself. You can still do something you love doing aside from football. It won’t be the same, but that’s okay. It’ll be a different chapter of your life.”
“This life here at the inn is my new norm.”
She whispers against my back. “This isn’t really living, Bryce.”
No, it’s not.
“Can I ask you something personal? I don’t want to upset you, but I want to make a point.”
I suck in a deep breath. “Sure.”
“Does your disability make you feel like less of a person? Do you feel like you’re not your best self because you need a cane to walk around?”
My stomach tenses. “No. Why do you ask?”
Is that how she sees me?
“Because you seem to think you’re nothing without football. If your disability doesn’t define you, then why should your career?” Her arms squeeze me tighter. “You’re whole without football. Your talent was only a piece of you. It’s still a piece of you, and it always will be. But there’s more to you than football. Much more.”
Tears prick my eyes. “My mom used to tell me that. After my team lost a game, or I made a shitty play. She’d say, Football is a career, not your entire life, and it won’t be here forever. You need to find the things that make your heart beat off the field.” I turn around to face Charly. “I didn’t understand what she meant until I lost football. And then, it felt like it was too late to find something else.”
She smooths her fingertips down my arm. “It’s never too late to start over. Just look at Nana, and everything she did with this inn. We can start over at any point. You just have to give yourself the chance.” She smiles, and repeats her mother’s words. “Live your life to the fullest.”
A lone tear rolls down my cheek, and I turn away. But Charly cups my face, bringing my eyes back to hers.
And I let her see me. Vulnerable and stripped bare.
I push a strand of hair behind her ear, and let my touch linger on her face, stroking my thumb along her cheekbone.
Her breath hitches, and her eyes flutter closed.
I dip my head, leaning dangerously close to her lips, craving the feel of them against my own.
Then the door swings open, and Anthony pokes his head through the opening. “Just checking on my beer.”
I glare at him, and he feigns an innocent smile.
We grab refills for everyone, but before Charly returns to the dining room, an idea sparks in my mind. “Let’s go camping this weekend.”
“Camping? Like, in the place where snakes live?”
“I’ll protect you from the snakes, and we can cross off some more items on your bucket list.”
“Okay.” She looks up at me from under her long lashes. “Let’s go on an adventure.”
After dinner, Nana and Charly shoo us out of the kitchen while they clean up. We head outside to the porch, and the guys fill me in on what’s new with the team.
I’ve never realized it before, but football is the only thing they talk about. Football used to be the only thing I talked about. Without it these past six years, I haven’t had much to say. And that’s pretty sad. This world is filled with so much—so much to do, so much to see, so much to experience—yet I’ve chosen to waste away here, sulking because I can’t play football.
Charly’s mother knew she was dying. She had every right to lie down and wallow in despair. Yet she didn’t let it stop her. She tried packing in as much as she could, and now so is her daughter. Despite everything Charly has been through, she’s a blinding beacon of hope. She’s pushing herself to keep going.
And here I am, the sad sack who’s still throwing a tantrum years later because I can’t play a professional sport.
“Do you ever think about the future?” My question halts the conversation.
Bentley cocks his head. “How far into the future are we talkin’?”
“Like life after football. After you retire.”
