face. It wasn’t a pitying one or one like he was surprised at what I had accomplished. It was the smile of someone who was inspired by what they saw. I promised myself that for as long as I played football, I wanted to inspire people in that same way, and I did for the next three years.
When the final whistle blew, I glanced over at the clock and scoreboard. The game had ended thirty-six to twenty-seven in Mont’s favor. I looked over the fence that kept those in the front row of the bleachers from falling over, and the coach was there, high-fiving and slapping the helmets of his team as they filed off. I closed my eyes and let the sound of the smack take me back. I remembered the feeling vividly. I always felt so accomplished. I didn’t realize how much I missed it until I saw it again.
I stood up off the bleachers and walked down onto the field. A couple of security guards stood around the field, but none of them paid me much mind as I strolled past the barrier separating spectators from the players and coaches. I sifted through a few of the players and walked over until I could tilt my head and smile at the coach.
“Hey there, stranger.”
The coach looked up, and when he saw me, he got the biggest grin on his face. “My girl!”
“What’s going on, Coach?” I asked Coach Cal Carter, Trip C, as some liked to call him. He had dark skin and black hair done in shoulder-length microbraids. His green eyes glowed off his face and shined nearly as brightly as the smile he flashed me. “Still bringing in Mont High victories, I see.”
“Yeah, but they’re not as much fun without my Bulldallen,” he responded, and I jumped up and down excitedly at hearing my old high school nickname.
He dropped what he had in his hands, and I threw my arms around him in a huge hug. When he stepped back, he put his hands on his hips. “I heard about you on the news. Semi-pro, huh? You leave Ol’ Coach Cal, and suddenly you’re doing big things.”
I raised an eyebrow. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I did big things here.”
“That’s true, you did.” He swatted my arm. “What’s goin’ on, girl? Do you have anything after this, or can we go to Hattie’s?”
“Um, yes, please,” I laughed.
Hattie’s was Coach’s favorite restaurant. He shoveled us there any time we went to eat as a team. Eventually, most of the team got sick of it, but I never got tired of watching him light up when we walked through the door. I would later learn he was going for one of the waitresses, who he ended up marrying, but somewhere in there, he started to love the food, too.
“Meet you there?” I asked.
“See you in twenty.” He clapped his hands. “All right, Bucks, let’s wrap this up. I’ve got a date!”
I giggled and couldn’t help but blush. Cal was happily married and about ten years my senior, but he was too good looking not to be flattered by when a simple meal was referred to as a date. I walked back off the field and out into the parking lot. I’d taken my brother’s car for the trip because Idaho was deep into autumn temperatures and was getting pretty chilly at night. Hattie’s wasn’t a far drive, and within ten minutes, I was in a booth, browsing the same menu that hadn’t changed in years and warming myself up over a cup of hot cocoa.
“Hey, Cal!” I heard some of the waitresses chorus after another ten minutes or so.
“What’s goin’ on, ladies?” I looked up, and Cal was off his feet, hanging over the bar that wrapped around the kitchen. “My baby back there?”
“I am.” A woman walked out of the kitchen in a simple blouse and skirt. Melanie was a waitress at the family-owned diner when I was in high school, but I heard she was the general manager now. She had long brown hair and light brown skin. She leaned forward and gave him a kiss, then swatted him on the head. “Get off my counter.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Cal backed off and then pointed over toward the booth I was sitting in. Melanie looked over, and her face lit up.
“Quinn!”
“Hey, Mel!” I smiled and waved. “Long time, no see.” Melanie walked around the bar and out, and I slid out of the booth to