Darius shoved at my shoulder. “Only you, QB,” he barked. “He’s hiding back here.”
The guys around us started yelling, shoving me toward the center of the room.
“Get your ass up here, Ward.”
I dragged a sweaty towel over my soaked face, then walked through the yelling, cheering members of my team. They all took turns bumping my fist, shoving at my back, smacking my ass. When I was next to Coach, I set my hands on my hips and shook my head when I noticed Josh holding up his phone, recording the whole damn thing.
Coach set one big hand on my shoulder. “This guy…” He shook his head. “The most stubborn son of a bitch I’ve ever met.”
There were yells and whistles and more than one guy laughing.
“That’s the only way you can describe someone who’s down by eighteen in the fourth quarter of our last game of the season, and he refuses to give up on the game.”
I dropped my chin to my chest as the guys cheered.
“In five fucking minutes, he threw three touchdowns and ran more yards than his slow ass has managed all damn season.”
The volume around us erupted again.
The mood in the locker room was the kind of high that made all the lows of this game worth it.
The mood on the field after we won on a Hail Mary with the clock winding down made me so thankful Adaline insisted I stay through the remainder of the season. See it through to the end.
In the corner of the locker room, Ned’s father kept a low profile but smiled at the jubilant celebration. I gave him a deferential nod. Thanks to him, I’d been able to stay with Ft. Lauderdale without having to answer to Ned for a single thing. When he got wind of his son’s indiscretions—more that had come to life in the last few months—he wasted no time plucking the reins of ownership out of Ned’s hands.
Ned, at the moment, was in the middle of a federal investigation where the outcome had yet to be determined.
It allowed the team to finish the season with our heads up and our focus straight ahead—where it should be.
And without Adaline encouraging me to stay, I would’ve missed moments like this with them.
Coach’s hand squeezed, raising the ball again to ask for quiet in the room.
“And even though he almost drove me out of my damn mind a few times, the locker room at Ft. Lauderdale has never seen a leader like this one.”
Murmurs and shouted encouragements had my throat tight with adrenaline and emotion.
“He knows what he wants. He sees what he wants. No matter what is stacked against him, Emmett has never let that stop him. It’s what makes him a great quarterback.” Coach paused. “But it’s what makes him an even better man. So this game ball goes to Emmett Ward, and no matter what his future looks like, we will always have his back.”
His gaze held mine as he extended the ball. I took it, punching it in the air, and the room erupted. I was surrounded by guys, hugs, and high fives.
The room quieted again, and I stared at the ball while I tried to think of what I wanted to say to them.
“Thank you,” I said, moving my gaze from person to person. Coaches and coordinators. Trainers and teammates. “This isn’t my first game ball, but it will probably always be my favorite from Ft. Lauderdale.”
The door to the locker room opened, and a grin broke open on my face when I saw her being escorted in by Mary. Adaline’s cheeks were flushed, her eyes bright, and the jersey she wore had my name on the back.
If I had my way, it would be her name soon too.
Adaline found a spot in the back of the room by Malcolm—out of his chair now and using a walker—and Rebecca. Adaline caught my eye, blew me a kiss, and I let out a deep breath.