Read Online Love at the 20-Yard Line by Shanna Hatfield - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Shanna Hatfield
Ads: Link
not.
Now was not the time or place to worry about it. Instead, she turned her attention to their options for food.
Although Haven was still annoyed with Allie and her crazy ideas, she wasn’t mad enough to keep from inviting her to attend the game that night. She knew both Allie and Rick enjoyed the last one. Hale hinted, when they had dinner together Tuesday night, he’d like to go since Abby was out of town for the weekend.
The four of them bought drinks and snacks then went to their seats. While they munched on warm, doughy pretzels, they watched the players warm up out on the field, tossing balls and stretching.
“Look, Haven! There he is!” Allie grabbed Haven’s hand as she was taking a sip from her water bottle, making liquid splash down the front of her shirt.
“Thanks, Al. Thanks a lot,” she said, mopping water from her chin with a napkin and following Allie’s pointing finger to the field where Brody tossed a ball with his friend Marcus.
From their conversations, Haven learned that Marcus was Brody’s best friend. She’d even talked to him for a few minutes last week when Brody had to answer a question the coach asked in the middle of one of their calls. He was friendly and amusing, and seemed like a good balance to Brody’s more dynamic personality.
Brody happened to look into the stands and catch her watching him. He lifted his hand just enough that she knew he acknowledged her presence, although he didn’t smile. His attention quickly returned to the ball in his hands and in another minute the field cleared and the drum line entered the arena.
The thump of the bass drum and the chiming clang of the cymbals energized the crowd. The players filed out onto the field one at a time as the announcer called their names.
Surprised when Brody came out holding the hand of a little boy, she noticed a few of the players had kids with them. The announcer said something about the children representing those who had undergone treatment at the hospital’s new cancer center.
She watched Brody squat down and put his arm around the little boy, talking to him while cameras flashed and music blared. The child finally smiled and nodded his head at something Brody said.
Deeply touched by the interaction, Haven didn’t know what to think about Brody Jackson.
He was intense, exciting, confusing, kind, and exasperating. Beyond that, she decided she’d hold off forming any other opinions until she actually went on a real date with him, if that ever happened.
Haven swallowed hard, watching the beautiful cheerleaders strut their stuff. She was so far out of Brody’s league, she had no business entertaining any thoughts about him. In addition, she set herself up for a fall when Brody would leave in a few months and she’d never see him again.
Purposefully closing the door on her worries and self-induced anxiety for one night, she decided to follow Allie’s example and live in the moment. At least until the end of the game.
She cheered as the game began, watching the players on the field.
Haven joined in the chanting as the rowdy fans started yelling, “Jump it up, Jackson! Jump it up!”
When the quarterback threw the ball to him, Brody jumped so high, Haven didn’t know how he could do it. He caught the ball and took off running. He gained several yards before a tackle felled him, but the crowd had already gone wild, stomping their feet and clapping noisily.
“Did you see him, Hale?” Haven turned to her brother, wearing a happy smile.
“I sure did, baby girl. Maybe you can ask him how he jumps like that. Does he put springs in his shoes?” Hale teased, giving Haven a one-armed hug. Hale knew she had more than a passing interest in the football player. He was all for her having fun, but worried Brody would break her heart before the season ended.
“He told me he once jumped over a backyard fence. Can you imagine?”
“Not really. Maybe we can take him out to the farm sometime and see if he could
Now was not the time or place to worry about it. Instead, she turned her attention to their options for food.
Although Haven was still annoyed with Allie and her crazy ideas, she wasn’t mad enough to keep from inviting her to attend the game that night. She knew both Allie and Rick enjoyed the last one. Hale hinted, when they had dinner together Tuesday night, he’d like to go since Abby was out of town for the weekend.
The four of them bought drinks and snacks then went to their seats. While they munched on warm, doughy pretzels, they watched the players warm up out on the field, tossing balls and stretching.
“Look, Haven! There he is!” Allie grabbed Haven’s hand as she was taking a sip from her water bottle, making liquid splash down the front of her shirt.
“Thanks, Al. Thanks a lot,” she said, mopping water from her chin with a napkin and following Allie’s pointing finger to the field where Brody tossed a ball with his friend Marcus.
From their conversations, Haven learned that Marcus was Brody’s best friend. She’d even talked to him for a few minutes last week when Brody had to answer a question the coach asked in the middle of one of their calls. He was friendly and amusing, and seemed like a good balance to Brody’s more dynamic personality.
Brody happened to look into the stands and catch her watching him. He lifted his hand just enough that she knew he acknowledged her presence, although he didn’t smile. His attention quickly returned to the ball in his hands and in another minute the field cleared and the drum line entered the arena.
The thump of the bass drum and the chiming clang of the cymbals energized the crowd. The players filed out onto the field one at a time as the announcer called their names.
Surprised when Brody came out holding the hand of a little boy, she noticed a few of the players had kids with them. The announcer said something about the children representing those who had undergone treatment at the hospital’s new cancer center.
She watched Brody squat down and put his arm around the little boy, talking to him while cameras flashed and music blared. The child finally smiled and nodded his head at something Brody said.
Deeply touched by the interaction, Haven didn’t know what to think about Brody Jackson.
He was intense, exciting, confusing, kind, and exasperating. Beyond that, she decided she’d hold off forming any other opinions until she actually went on a real date with him, if that ever happened.
Haven swallowed hard, watching the beautiful cheerleaders strut their stuff. She was so far out of Brody’s league, she had no business entertaining any thoughts about him. In addition, she set herself up for a fall when Brody would leave in a few months and she’d never see him again.
Purposefully closing the door on her worries and self-induced anxiety for one night, she decided to follow Allie’s example and live in the moment. At least until the end of the game.
She cheered as the game began, watching the players on the field.
Haven joined in the chanting as the rowdy fans started yelling, “Jump it up, Jackson! Jump it up!”
When the quarterback threw the ball to him, Brody jumped so high, Haven didn’t know how he could do it. He caught the ball and took off running. He gained several yards before a tackle felled him, but the crowd had already gone wild, stomping their feet and clapping noisily.
“Did you see him, Hale?” Haven turned to her brother, wearing a happy smile.
“I sure did, baby girl. Maybe you can ask him how he jumps like that. Does he put springs in his shoes?” Hale teased, giving Haven a one-armed hug. Hale knew she had more than a passing interest in the football player. He was all for her having fun, but worried Brody would break her heart before the season ended.
“He told me he once jumped over a backyard fence. Can you imagine?”
“Not really. Maybe we can take him out to the farm sometime and see if he could
Similar Books
