Bluegrass Undercover (20 page)

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Cade listened to the band play the fight song and took one last look around the jammed packed parking lot before heading into the locker room. He had been in his office studying the playbook until he had made his way through the whole thing. They had a chance to do the impossible tonight. If they won, they would come in second in the division and make the playoffs. They had an inexperienced team, a leader who for most of the season was on drugs and so out of control the team almost imploded, and a brand new coach. It seemed impossible to him, especially with only three starting seniors.

However, here they were on the cusp of the playoffs. It was the last game of the season, and the team’s seven seniors were being honored. He hung out by the door, taking one last look around as the cheerleaders got in place with the paper banner for the boys to run through, and then headed inside.

“
Our season doesn’t end tonight. It starts tonight!” Cheers erupted from the group of players surrounding Trey and Austin as they stood on the wooden bench in between the lockers.

“
We may be the underdog, but we’ve been the underdog all year,” Trey continued. “And you know the thing about underdogs? No one sees ‘em coming!”

“
We’re going to be firing on all cylinders tonight, boys. We’re a clean, new engine, and we’re going to work as a team tonight. I know it was my fault that we weren’t a team before, but we will be tonight and we will be when we win State!” Austin yelled as the team broke out in chants of ‘State’. They turned to each other, hitting their shoulder pads before jumping up and down in a circle around Trey and Austin.

“
I guess I don’t need to do a pre-game speech,” Cade said to Coach Parks. He turned to his boys and raised his voice, “Your time is now, gentlemen. Go out onto that field and take it!” Sometimes less was more, he thought, as the boys ran past him onto the field.

Annie clasped her hands nervously and then rubbed them on her thighs as she waited for the start of the fourth quarter. So far it had been back and forth with neither team holding the lead for long.

“
Here you go. I thought you might like some.” Paige handed her a hot chocolate and took the seat next to hers.

“
I was afraid you weren’t going to make it back in time. I don’t know how much more I can take,” Annie laughed.

She had never gone to a high school sporting event before coming to Keeneston and was drawn in by how hard the boys tried. It was killing her that they were fighting for every yard. They were currently tied and she couldn’t imagine what their parents were feeling.

“
I wouldn’t abandon you. You’re the only person who will sit with me during a game.” Paige turned around and looked up the stadium. “See the large group sitting about fifteen rows up. Couple in their fifties with three strapping men next to them?”

Annie turned around and looked up into the stands. They were easy enough to spot. All the women and some of the girls in the stands were trying to get closer to them. It was easy to see why. They all looked like slightly varying versions of Cade. “Yes, I see them. Your family?”

“
That’s right. My own family won’t sit next to me. Oh! Here we go! Come on, Austin! Watch the coverage!” Paige screamed.

Annie tried not to crush the little white Styrofoam cup Hallshe held as a massive linebacker broke through the line, causing Austin to scramble out of the pocket and make a run for the first down.

“
Look at that.” Paige hit her arm, causing her to spill some of the hot chocolate. “That cocky safety is all over Ryan. He’s holding him up so he can’t run his route. Come on, Ref! Defensive interference!”

Annie watched the next play, and sure enough, that kid was jawing at Ryan. This was accompanied by gestures that mimicked the trash talking. Even she wanted to go on the field and give him a talking to.

“
Ref! You watch number 35. He’s holdin’ our boys ‘til the cows come home!” Annie turned at that familiar slow, elegant voice coming from Miss Lily. A KHS blanket was lying over her standard flower print dress, her white hair covered with a beautiful, light pink knit hat with a big white flower sitting jauntily off to the side.

Looking around, she saw that the entire town was here. She had walked down to the Blossom Café the other night to get dinner, and the town was covered in the school colors. Signs were posted on the doors of businesses announcing they would be closed for Senior Night.

Her attention was turned back to the field as the cocky safety shoved Ryan, sending him flying to the ground. Cade was on the field yelling at the referees, and she was pretty sure one of the Rose sisters called the ref a horse’s ass. The bench was yelling at the offense on the field as they huddled on third down.

The boys clapped and lined up for the play. The ball was snapped and Ryan ran along the sidelines as number 35 covered him. Ryan stopped, turned, lowered his shoulder and hit number 35 square in the chest. The benches emptied as Ryan’s teammates jumped up to cheer. Annie looked around and saw that the people in the bleachers had done the same.

Cade watched as his team went nuts. They were waving towels in the air and screaming encouragements to the offense. It was a wasted down. The pass to Ryan had overshot him when he decided to pull his little stunt. But, it seemed the boost in the morale of the team made it worthwhile.

“
Time out!” Cade yelled as he signaled the referee. He waited for the boys to run over to the sidelines before he said a word. “Okay, gentleman. We have two options. One, we punt the ball away. Two, we go for it on fourth down and ram the ball down their throats. What say you?” He made eye contact with his team and knew their choice by the smiles on their faces. “Austin, blue slant thirty. You think you can do that?”

“
Only if it’s to Hall, Coach. “ Cade looked between Austin and Ryan and knew by the determined look in their eyes that they would move Heaven and Earth to make this play.

Paige reached over and grabbed Annie’s hand. “Oh my God, they’re going for it!” There was a collective gasp from the crowd and then all at once they erupted in cheers to encourage the boys.

The ball was snapped. Paige squeezed her hand tighter, and Annie held her breath as she watched the play take shape. Austin dropped back as Ryan burst from the line and blew by the safety who had been pushing him around all night. Ryan never looked back. He sprinted straight down the sideline for ten yards before slanting towards the middle of the field.

Austin pulled his arm back and released the ball with everything he had, his back leg raised off the ground with the effort. The football sailed through the air in a tight spiral. The cheers stopped as everyone waited to see where the ball would land. Ryan leapt into the air, arms outstretched, and plucked the ball from the night sky. Cheers burst forth from the crowd as feet pounded the metal bleachers. Annie and Paige involuntarily stood up as Ryan landed on the ground and stumbled forward into the end zone.

Cade smiled and shook hands with the opposing coach. Hall’s touchdown had sparked the team. The defense prevented any more touchdowns, and Austin threw for two more. It had been a huge victory going into the playoffs and a wonderful Senior Night for the guys.

Students poured onto the field to celebrate the victory with their friends. Parents hugged their children, and several mothers cried knowing their sons were soon graduating. Cade searched the crowd for Annie. He found her immediately. Her red hair danced in the wind as she and Paige made their way onto the field.

He shook the hands of the parents who approached him while fighting through the growing number of people on the field to get to Annie. All he wanted was to wrap his arms around her and celebrate – just the two of them.

“
Annie!” He waved his arm in the air and drew her attention. He smiled when he saw her face alight with a smile of her own. Paige waved back as he moved around some cheerleaders hugging their boyfriends.

“
Well done, Coach!” His sister clapped excitedly. “The playoffs! I can’t believe it.”

“
Thank you, Paige. But now, there is something I have to do.” He turned to Annie and saw her wrinkle her brow in confusion before he wrapped his arms around her. The feel of her body against his was all the celebration he needed. He lowered his head and brought his lips to hers.

“
Hey, Bro, I think you’re embarrassing our mother.” Miles’ serious, yet sarcastic voice cut through the crowd noise.

Cade sadly pulled away from Annie’s warmth to glare at his older brother. “As always, you have impeccable timing, Miles.”

Miles just smirked and rocked back on his heels. He was still in his suit from work and looked ridiculously out of place in the sea of denim. Cade wrapped his arm about Annie’s waist and tucked her against the side of his chest. “Mom, Dad, I would like you to meet Annie Hill. Annie, these are my parents, Marcy and Jake Davies.”

Annie stood frozen against Cade’s side. She had never met a man’s parents. Actually, she had never met many parents at all and was wholly unfamiliar with the situation. Did she say something? Did she shake hands? Luckily the decision was taken from her when Mrs. Davies pushed Cade aside and grabbed her up in a matronly hug.

“
It’s so nice to meet you. I have heard so many wonderful things about you. This is my oldest son Miles.” Annie smiled and shook hands with the very serious looking man with an eerie similarity to Cade. “And this is my second son Marshall, and my youngest son Pierce.”

My, if she were seven years younger, Cade would have some competition. Pierce was handsome in a sexy, laid back, country boy way that made her know she’d like him instantly. Marshall just looked tough. She could easily see him as a soldier. “It’s nice to meet all of you.”

“
Well, I know you young people will want to celebrate tonight’s victory so we won’t keep you. It’s was very nice to meet you, Annie. I hope to see you at our Sunday dinners soon. Good job, son. I knew you would be a wonderful coach.” Marcy patted Cade’s cheek.

“
Thanks, Mom.” The group watched as Jake Davies led his wife through the crowd towards the car.

“
We hate to tear our dear brother from such a lovely lady, but we had thought to have a guy’s night out to celebrate the victory. Will, Mo, Ahmed, and Cole are going to join us,” Marshall said.

“
That’s alright. Annie’s going to hang out with us girls tonight. We don’t need any of you men to have a good time.” Paige grabbed Annie’s hand and pulled her over to her side. “That is, if you would like to join us. Dani, Kenna and I are going over to Miss Lily’s for a spa night with lots of chocolate, which any woman would tell you is way more satisfying than a man.”

“
I would love to join you. We will see you gentleman later.” Annie grinned, linked her arm with Paige’s, and followed her off the field.

She had never had a girls’ night before. While she was terrified about the prospects, the mention of chocolate focused her mind so that all she could think about was getting there as fast as possible to sample the treats. She glanced over her shoulder and shot Cade a grin, conveying that he would need to prove himself against the chocolate. Paige was right, chocolate could be very satisfying.

Chapter Seventeen

Annie hoisted herself into Paige’s old pick-up truck and grinned. There were two rifles mounted on the back window and an adopt-a-pet bumper sticker on the tailgate. Paige was her kind of girl.

“
So, what is this thing we’re going to?” She hoped she didn’t sound as naïve as she felt.

“
We’re just going to put on a movie, eat some chocolate, paint our nails, give each other facials and talk about guys. You know, a typical girls’ night.”

Paige drove down Main Street and turned at the second and last stoplight in Keeneston. She drove up a slight hill lined with old houses with even older trees. The houses and lots were large and square. No cookie cutter neighborhoods squeezed onto postage stamp sized lots here, no condos reaching for the sky and no apartments stretching out over the land. Instead there were tons of green grass, bagged leaves sitting neatly on the curbs and landscaped yards surrounding picture-perfect colonial and Victorian houses.

They turned right into the driveway leading to a pretty, white Victorian with a large wraparound porch. A porch swing swayed gently in the cool fall breeze as lights blazed from inside.

Paige parked next to a sexy, red BMW M6, a brown piece of crap Nova, and two Buicks the size of a small country. Interesting. The M6 was her dream car. But, with a sticker price around a hundred grand it would always only be a dream.

“
Wow. It must be nice to marry a prince. That’s my dream car.” Annie pointed to the red BMW.

“
Oh, that’s not Dani’s car. That’s Kenna’s. She used to be a real hot shot attorney in New York City. She bought it as a gift to herself when she made junior partner. Dani drives that brown and rust Nova.”

She saw Paige smile when she choked and then coughed. A princess drove a Nova?