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I laughed. “Honey, you have no warts. Even those questionable personality traits that I assume you’re referencing are endearing. You are the most perfect person I have ever met.”
“Hardly perfect, I—” she argued, but I cut her off.
“But you are perfect. You are perfect for me. I’m a goner, Tamryn Miller. I think I wanted you from the moment I saw you years ago, and I fell for you the second you looked into my eyes on that field. And now? Now, ‘I think I love you,’” I sang, doing my best Partridge Family impersonation and, as intended, made her groan. And then laugh.
“Jesus. Your puns and lines do not get any better. But it’s part of your charm, old man. And why I love you, too.”
“Who are you calling old? I’ll show you just how virile I am.” And then I shoved her gently back on the bed and joined her, both of us laughing and touching, kissing and nibbling, stripping and professing our feelings with both word and deed.
Tamryn Miller was my sunshine. She would always light my way.
Chapter Sixteen
TAMRYN
Holden and I stood on the sidelines at the game, him on his crutch and acting as a coach and support, and me doing my normal job. Whenever possible, however, we found ways to subtly touch, or to send each other smiles from across the way. I honestly couldn’t believe that he was mine.
The team did great. Mackey played a hell of a game and got us within striking distance. A field goal would have tied it. Unfortunately, Bailey missed wide right, and Seattle took it home.
I worried that Holden would be angry or upset, but he seemed almost as happy for his friend and Seattle as he was for everything his teammates had accomplished. He said that he was so proud of everything that had happened during his tenure that he couldn’t be upset that they’d lost a hard-fought battle. He’d even said something to the effect of, “Somebody had to win. And if it wasn’t my team, I’m just glad that it was my best friend—and nemesis.”
After the game, Jayce actually called Holden up to the stage at center field—to the dismay of many a Seattle fan, even though Holden had once been their quarterback, too.
“Friends, family…the best fans around. I know this isn’t normal, but I have something to say, and I hope you’ll let me say it.” The crowd cheered.
“Holden Cramer is the reason I am standing here today. Everything I know about the league and the professional game is because of this guy.” He ruffled Holden’s hair, and Holden ducked and then slung his good arm around Jayce and clapped him on the shoulder.
“Had I not worked under him, I wouldn’t be the player I am today. The man I am today. He taught me a lot, and I can only hope that I gave him some things in return. After all, I did take his job.” A roar of laughter erupted.
“But in so doing, he became what I know a lot of people call him, and what I will always call him. The greatest of all time. And I’m proud to call him my friend. My brother. So, brother,”—he looked at Holden and hoisted the trophy once more—“this is for you, too!”
Holden looked genuinely shocked and humbled and just raised his good arm to touch the Lombardi that Jayce raised above his head. The crowd went wild. Despite his success, and the haters insisting that they couldn’t stand him, Holden Cramer was impossible not to love.
I should know.
I was head over heels for the man.
And I figured I would be forever.
Epilogue
HOLDEN
What a day. I was physically and emotionally spent. I didn’t think anything could feel better than leading a team to the championship—and a win—as the quarterback, but today had proven me wrong.
The boys had just won the Bowl Championship and were over the moon. Just five years into my new position as the head coach of the Miami Hurricanes, my alma mater, and we had accomplished something that hadn’t been done in far too long. The Canes hadn’t brought home the title since the mid 2000s, and it was way past time.
Mingling at the celebration dinner, I looked across the space, searching for Tamryn. I knew she was here somewhere. Our road to happiness wasn’t always an easy one. While we fell hard and fast, and that part was anything but difficult, the rest wasn’t so cut and dried.
After the big game and Seattle’s win, I’d gone back home for exploratory surgery—thankfully, it wasn’t a clot—and more healing, but I’d had to make a decision.
While we were still in Miami, some members of the Canes’ staff had reached out. Over drinks, they’d basically told me they’d do whatever it took to get me on staff. Their head coach was finally retiring, and they had their sights set on me. Since I loved south Florida and adored the school that had put me on the map, I knew I wanted to say yes. I also knew that I was torn. Tamryn was deeply engrained in my heart, and her place was with and in Baltimore.
We lived apart for nearly two years, seeing each other as often as we could traveling back and forth and spending as much quality time as we could together during the off-seasons, but it was hard. Finally, after a head coach change in Baltimore, Tamryn made the decision to move with me permanently to Florida and actually took a position with the University of Miami School of Medicine. She loved her new job, and I was so incredibly proud of her.
Searching the crowd once more, I saw my stunning wife across the way and waved at her. She beamed a smile and practically glowed. She rose one hand to wave back and then placed the other on her very swollen belly as she raised a brow.
I cocked my head in question and saw her blow out a breath.
