Page 61 of The Penalty

This is her first holiday without her father, and she’s not going to be with any family. Her grief is still raw, yet I have no doubt that she’ll be fine. She’s one of the strongest people I know. I was worried after the first few nights I held her. I could hear her silent cries in the middle of the night. But those nights aren’t as frequent anymore. She holds herself together even when she doesn’t have to.

I admire her. When I retired from football, I drank myself into a stupor for at least a month straight. McKenzie, on the other hand, feels immense pain but continues to go about her life with a purpose.

“I know you’ll be fine. Doesn’t mean I wouldn’t rather be with you.”

I see her smile out of the corner of my eye. I love it when she smiles. I love it even more when I’m the one making her smile.

When we’re almost to the house, my phone rings. It’s one of my players, Luke.

“Hey, Coach,” he says, his voice filling the speakers in my truck. “Sorry to bother you, but my hamstring started hurting after practice today, and it keeps getting worse. I’m not sure what I should do.”

“Shit. Alright. Let me make some calls. Can you get back to the field house so we can take a look?”

“Yeah, I can be there in twenty.”

“I’ll meet you there.”

“Ok. Thanks, Coach.”

I hang up and make some more calls to the team medical staff and ask someone to meet us at the field house.

When I pull into my driveway, I’m not ready to tell McKenzie goodbye just yet, but I’ve got to take care of this first. Maybe this is the universe’s way of keeping me away from her.

“Sorry. I hope I’m not too late getting home tonight,” I tell her before she gets out of the truck.

“It’s ok. Take your time. We need Luke for the game on Friday,” she says. She’s smiling, but I can see the disappointment in her eyes. Hell, I’m disappointed, too. But football always comes first for me. Always has. She should know this now before we do anything we can’t take back.

“Hey.” I stop her from getting out and lean over to kiss her. “I’ll see you tonight.”

She nods, and then she’s gone.

I’m home way later than I’d hoped. After the team doctor examined Luke, we had to get the PT out to the field house to help us. Hopefully, he’ll be better by Friday.

McKenzie is asleep on the couch when I walk in.

Shit.

I was hoping she’d still be up.

I crouch down in front of her and run my fingers through her hair until her eyes flutter open.

“Hey,” I whisper.

She gives me a soft smile. “Hey.”

“Let’s get you to bed.”

She nods and stands groggily from the couch. She’s already in her oversized T-shirt that she sleeps in. I’ve come to really love this shirt on her, but I also wouldn’t mind seeing her in one of mine.

“I made dinner. There’re leftovers in the fridge,” she says with a yawn when we get to her room.

“Thank you, baby.”

I should eat. I’m fucking starving. But the only thing I want to do right now is to be with her. So, I strip down to my boxers and climb into bed next to her, ignoring my growling stomach.

TWENTY-FIVE

MCKENZIE