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Tucking in his tie that sported the team logo and fastening one button on a custom navy suit that I was certain cost as much as the monthly mortgage on my Highland Park house, the oil-and-gas multibillionaire turned his head and gestured to me.
“Super Bowl MVP, Champion Valentine.”
The crowd that was already going nuts went even wilder as I strode to the middle of the stage. Now that’s what I’m talking about. A colossus in their eyes, I raised my fist in the air.
Simon gave me a chin lift, pretending he respected me, followed by a subtle jaw-clenched glare down the length of his nose that only I perceived.
The owner of the Lonestars loved me as quarterback for his team, but otherwise, he wanted to rip my head off since he had a history with Mercedes Bennett, the owner of Fantasy, the woman I had an exclusive arrangement with. She’d chosen me over him, much to his chagrin.
Sometimes I wondered if Mercedes’ history with Simon factored into the no-strings deal she made with me. But I didn’t ask, and she never divulged details. When we were together, we didn’t talk much.
“Thank you, boss.” I smirked at, ahem, Second-Place Simon before placing my lips near the microphone.
My deep voice filled the stadium without any feedback, and the crowd quieted. After seventeen years in the league, I’d gained experience with sound equipment and public speaking, so I wasn’t too nervous, but I’d never spoken in front of an audience this large.
“We did it.” I gestured to my best friend and my teammates. The crowd applauded their approval, and so did I. There was probably a camera closeup of me on television screens across the globe.
My face might even be on a TV screen inside a farmhouse outside the Houston city limits. Not that I cared if my old man saw. I didn’t rank with him as a son. He only wanted me to be the success in football that he had never been.
Outside of that, I would never measure up, so I did what I did on my own now. Sadly, though I wished my mother could be here to share this triumphant moment with me, she was gone. I regathered my thoughts before they could sink too low as I waited for the crowd to settle down.
I thanked our fedora-wearing head coach and the offensive and defensive coordinators beside him. Though it was mostly my doing, it had taken all of us working together to bring the trophy home.
For seven months out of each year, my life was consumed with football and only football. That narrow focus brought brilliant results, but I was turning forty in a few months. Winning the Super Bowl again for the fifth time didn’t surge satisfaction through me like it should have. When I wasn’t quarterbacking this team, I felt strangely detached from life and hollow.
I was Champion Valentine, beloved by many, revered by all, but I didn’t know who I really was anymore, apart from what I did.
Movement at the side of the large stage catching my attention, I saw our GM, Trinidad Lagos. He circled his finger in the air. Trinidad was from the island of Saint Croix, and we were good friends.
He wanted me to wrap it up because we had the team jet to catch. Our GM and a few of us were celebrating our victory at his secluded villa in the US Virgin Islands.
“We couldn’t have won the championship without you,” I said into the mic, letting my gaze wander the stands.
A hundred thousand fans stomped their feet and cheered, rocking the wood planks beneath me.
Trinidad shook his bald head at me. His dreadlocks were gone. After I’d hoisted the Super Bowl trophy over my shoulders, he had shaved his head. We’d both made vows to motivate the team at the beginning of this season.
“Without further ado ...” I leaned forward again to speak into the mic that was set a bit too low. Simon was lacking in comparison to me, even in height. “I’d like to introduce Jack Howard, Toby Jennings, and Lorelei Lane, the new New Horizon!”
I swept an arm wide, and the musicians jogged out onto the stage.
Jack and Toby, I recognized. I’d worked out to New Horizon music before tragedy had struck, ending the group. They were back together now, but with a new member to replace the fallen one.
I checked out Lorelei as I passed her. With her red hair and sea-blue eyes, she was stunning. Caught gazing at her overly long, I got my second glare of the evening, this time from Jack. Yeah, he’d better be careful if she was supposed to be his exclusive girl. I had yet to meet a woman I couldn’t snap my fingers to have. But it had been a long time since I’d played that game.
“Hello, Texas,” Jack said into the mic when he reached it and unclenched his jaw. “Congrats on your team’s victory.”
The crowd applauded and cheered nearly as loudly for him as they had for me. That made me frown. Joining Trinidad, I turned around and watched the band like he did.
“If you’ll indulge me,” Jack said, “I’d like to share something very special with you. Lorelei.” Moving his guitar to his back, Jack dropped down to one knee.
“Holy shit!” Lorelei gasped, her hands coming up to cover her heart that had to be beating rapidly.
After digging in his front pocket, Jack produced an emerald-cut diamond ring that was so big, I could see it from the side of the stage.
“I love you. You’re my muse and the music. You make every song the right song. You make my life complete. Will you please do me the very great honor of marrying me?”
“Yes!”
