Hard Count (Men of Fall Book 5), page 12
I stand, and in a soft, calming voice, he asks, “Are you Mr. McCully’s daughter?”
“Yes. I’m Lexi.”
Nodding, he says, “I’m Dr. Eton. Your father will be up shortly, but I’d like to discuss a few things with you first.”
I reply, “Of course.”
He asks if he can talk in front of Mike, and I say, “Yes.”
As I take a seat next to Mike again, Dr. Eton explains that my father’s chest pains were most likely caused by working too hard and not getting enough rest.
“He’s very lucky,” he goes on, standing before us. “His test results look good so far. But that’s just preliminary data. The fact remains that your father really needs to slow down. From what he told me, he’s burning the candle at both ends.”
“Shit,” I mumble.
It hits me then, like never before, that what my dad has been trying to tell me for so long is true. He really does need my help. It’s not a ruse to get me into the business; it’s a freaking cry for help.
How could I have been so naïve?
I’m beyond thankful my dad will be okay, or so it appears so thus far, but I need to take on more with the Comets. No more four days a week silliness.
It’s time to woman-up.
I realize then that I’ve grown a lot these past few months. Mike has helped me with that. I’m just much calmer with him by my side.
Truth be told, I’m kind of embarrassed of my behavior in the past. I was holding on to those fun college years for far too long.
Now it’s time to make it up to my dad and start to take over the reins of our business.
That’s right—our business.
The doctor goes over a few more things, and then he leaves.
As Mike takes my hand, he asks, “Are you holding up okay?”
With a determined nod, I reply, “Actually, I am.”
“Good.”
A nurse arrives then with my dad in a wheelchair.
As she wheels him in, he’s not even looking at us. He’s craning his neck, peering back at her and grumbling about not being allowed to walk.
“Now, now, Mr. McCully,” the nurse says, chuckling. “You were just admitted to the hospital with chest pains. A wheelchair is a prudent measure. Not to mention it’s our hospital policy.”
“I suppose that makes sense,” he mutters, twisting back to a forward position.
That’s when he sees me. “Lexi, sweetheart!” he bellows. “You’re here.”
“Of course I’m here.” I stand and start over to him, smiling.
When I reach where the nurse has stopped his wheelchair, I lean down and give him a hug. “I’m so happy you’re okay,” I murmur. “You had me so damn worried.”
“Aw, I’m fine.” He waves his hand dismissively as I right myself.
I take a step to my left, and that’s when he notices Mike, still seated by the window, taking everything in quietly.
“Hmm,” he harrumphs as the nurse wheels him over to the bed and begins to help him into it, a process which involves a lot of hooking up of lines to the machines.
“What’s going on here?” my father asks once she’s done and steps away to work on a chart. “Why is my backup quarterback in my hospital room?”
Mike starts to speak. “Sir, I can explain—”
But I cut him off, waving my hand. “No, no. I’ll tell him.”
“Tell me what?” my dad grumps. “Somebody better start talking.”
The nurse, smiling and shaking her head as she hangs the chart on the end of the footboard of the bed, says, “I think I better give you guys some time alone. It sounds like you have a lot to discuss.”
“We sure do,” I say as I sit down in the chair next to Mike. “Thank you.”
“Just don’t upset him,” the nurse warns.
“I won’t,” I promise.
She leaves, and, fussing with the top sheet on his bed, my father mutters, “Upset me? I’m not upset. I’m just confused.”
“I can clarify everything,” I say. And, after taking a deep, calming breath, I do. I tell my dad the whole story, starting with us meeting in the Dominican Republic—leaving out the sexy parts, of course—and finishing with “And somehow, along the way, we fell in love.”
“Hmmm, interesting.” My father crosses his arms. “So you’re in love, you say?”
I nod. “Yes, we are.”
I can tell Mike is anxious to chime in, but I touch his arm, letting him know to let me handle this for the moment.
My dad, not making eye contact with either of us, scoffs, “At least it all makes sense now.”
“What makes sense?” I ask in a calm tone.
Finally making eye contact with me, he says, “Your sudden interest in football back at the start of the season. It’s all coming together. Wanting to go to the games… It had to do with him.” He gestures to Mike, grumbling something indecipherable under his breath.
“Yes, that’s true,” I admit. “Mike did have a lot to do with me initially wanting to go to the games.”
“Clearly,” my dad chuffs.
“But then, Dad…”
“Yes?”
My eyes meet his once more, pleading with him to understand.
Quietly, I say, “I grew to love the sport all on my own.”
He raises a brow. “And what about taking the job with the Comets?”
“That was all me too. I actually want to do even more now. But we can talk about that later.”
“Yes, we can,” he confirms, looking quite pleased suddenly. “And we will. But first…”
Focusing back on Mike, he grumps, “You’ve been rather quiet over there, young man. What do you have to say for yourself regarding all of this?”
Taking a deep breath and then exhaling slowly, Mike says, “What I have to say is that in the end there’s only one thing that matters.”
“Yeah, what’s that?” Dad asks.
Blowing out a breath, Mike replies, “All that matters is that I love your daughter, and I hope to make her my wife.”
That Makes a Few Jaws Drop
Wow, that makes a few jaws drop, including my own.
I can’t believe I just said that.
Not the love part. We all know that, including Mr. McCully after our coming clean. It’s the sort-of, kind-of marriage proposal in my statement that has us all speechless.
Lexi, finding her voice first, stares over at me and whispers, “What did you just say?”
With a firm tone, I twist toward her in my chair and reiterate, “I said that I love you.”
She waves her hand. “No, no, not that part. After that.”
Before I utter another word, I glance over at her dad and his monitors to gauge how he’s handling all this. I certainly don’t want him to have a setback. The nurse did warn us not to upset him.
Thankfully, and soothing my concerns, his machines indicate a slow, steady heart rate.
Not to mention—and this is a surprise—he’s sitting up straighter in the hospital bed, smiling, attentive, and looking rather smug…and dare I say, pleased.
His clear approval gives me the courage to say to Lexi, “I want you to be my wife.”
Blinking at me, she asks, “You mean someday, right?”
“Well, yeah.” I nod. “But not too long from now.”
“That’s right,” her dad pipes up. “I want to be around for the wedding.”
“Dad!” Lexi exclaims.
“What?” He shrugs. “It’s true.”
Oh, what the hell.
He’s right.
But I need some answers to some things first.
Starting with…
Peering over at her dad, I ask, “Do we have your blessing?”
“Why, of course,” he says heartily.
“Good.” I nod. “And you’re not mad at Lexi…or at me?”
“For not telling me you two were going out?”
“Yes.”
“No,” he huffs. “I would’ve liked to have known sooner, but, no, I’m not mad.”
“That’s it, then,” I say. “It’s time.”
“Time for what?” Lexi asks.
“This…” Sliding out of my chair and dropping to one knee in front of an absolutely stunned Lexi McCully, I take her hand and say, “This isn’t how I envisioned doing this, not at all. And I’ll get you a ring and all that. But the thing is, sometimes you have to go with your heart. And, Lexi, my heart is telling me the time is right.”
“Mike…”
I kiss the back of her hand and say, “Will you marry me, babe?”
With a single tear of joy trailing down her cheek, she nods excitedly and says, “Yes. I will marry you, Mike Vinceton.”
When she leans down and we embrace, her dad breaks out in applause.
He tells us, “You guys just made me the happiest man on the planet. Thank you.”
We all exchange hugs, then.
As I return to my chair, Lexi informs her father, “Dad, we also wanted to tell you that Mike is going to retire at the end of this season, so there won’t be any conflict down the road.” Softly, she adds, “We can keep this quiet until then, if that’s what you think is best.”
To my surprise and shock—and from the look on Lexi’s face, she’s stunned as well—her dad pshaws, “Hell with anyone who has anything negative to say. My little girl is happy, and that’s all that matters.”
Lexi and I glance over at each other and smile, realizing that all of our worrying was really for nothing.
All her father has ever wanted is for her to be happy.
And she is—my future wife is beaming.
Promotion
After Mike’s marriage proposal, and my acceptance, my dad buzzes for the nurse and promptly asks, “Can we get some champagne in here? We have some celebrating to do.”
Aghast, the nurse tells him, “Absolutely not, Mr. McCully. You are in a hospital, not a hotel.”
“Oh,” he replies, “good point.”
Mike and I laugh, knowing full well there would never be any champagne in this setting. Not that it’s needed, as we’re already drunk on love.
I stay on that high for days, especially when my dad is released from the hospital with a mostly clean bill of health. He receives a new prescription for high blood pressure medication and a reminder to take it easy.
That makes it more urgent than ever that I take on more responsibility.
The day after his release from the hospital, I stop by the house to have a talk with him about increasing my role with the Comets.
I find him in his study at his desk, going over paperwork.
“You’re not stressing yourself out, now are you?” I ask as I take a seat across from him.
He snorts and waves his hand. “Pfft, hardly.”
“Good,” I mutter.
As I tuck a wayward strand of auburn hair behind my ear, my dad chuckles and says, “Nice rock, by the way.”
Oh, yeah, I’m now sporting a huge princess-cut diamond engagement ring set in platinum. Mike made good on his promise and presented it to me last night.
“Thanks,” I reply. “I love it.”
“I bet,” he chortles. Smiling, he says, “So what do you want to talk about, Lex?”
Getting right to the point, I tell him, “I’m ready to go full-time with the Comets.”
His green eyes light up. “Are you sure, honey? I know you just started coming into the office four days a week. Are you really ready for five?”
I nod decisively. “I am. And not just that, I want to take on more duties. Like we said at the hospital, it’s time, Dad.”
Templing his hands on his desk, he asks in a very serious tone, “In that case, would you be willing to assume the role of vice president? You’d be working directly under me, and there’d be more to the position than just the financial aspect. You’d work with the directors of marketing, finance, player operations, etc. Is that something you’d be interested in, or is that too much?”
He looks worried, but I’m not.
With a genuine smile and feeling fully comfortable in assuming my rightful legacy—finally!—I tell my dad, “That absolutely would not be too much. I’d love to take on the role of vice president of the Comets.”
My dad sighs contentedly.
This is what he needs.
“Then so be it,” he says softly. “Consider it as good as done. And, Lexi?”
“Yes?”
“I’m proud of you.”
The Next Chapter of My Life
The next few weeks are a whirlwind.
Lexi starts her new position as vice president of the Comets, and I play my final games as a professional football player.
It’s not bittersweet, as I’m ready to move on to the next chapter of my life.
This current chapter is swiftly approaching an end. Since we just missed getting into the playoffs this year, there’s only one final game of the regular season.
I’m playing in it right now, and Graham and the offensive coordinator just reached an agreement to let me get in some final reps. It’s no big deal for them, as we’re near the end of the fourth quarter and way ahead in the score, but it’s a big deal for me.
I appreciate them letting me do this.
I savor every minute as I slip on my helmet and take the field. Lexi is up in the stands, with her friends who finally know about us and are truly happy for her.
I try to look for her, but there’s no time. I have to huddle up.
We’re going for a pass play, so anything can happen.
I hope I don’t get intercepted; that’d be a sucky way to go out.
Time ticks down on the play clock as we line up.
I call out, “Hut hut, forty-one, forty-one.”
The center hikes me the ball, and I fall back.
Zane runs the agreed-upon route, a quick up and out. He’s covered by two guys, but I take a chance and throw him the ball.
Shiiiitttt.
I almost want to close my eyes, but I don’t.
Good thing too, as the ball lands right in Zane’s hands.
Cradling it and spinning away from the defenders, he takes off for the end zone.
Go, go, go!
He runs ten yards, twenty, thirty, and then—touchdown!
“Yes!”
The guys high-five and bro-hug me.
Now that’s the way to go out.
We win the game, of course, and the crowd goes wild.
Damn, I am always going to remember the way I feel walking off the field with players clapping me on the back and fans cheering.
Shortly after that game, I find out I’m staying involved with football. That’s right, I get the scouting job with the Comets!
I am pumped.
But now it’s time to move on with my life with Lexi, the wonderful woman who’s about to become my amazing wife.
We decide to go with a small ceremony at a little chapel out in the country. We have our reception set to take place at an old barn that’s been converted into a beautiful event space.
And now it’s here—I can’t believe today is the big day!
Zane is my best man, and Janelle, who has really become a great friend to Lexi, is the matron of honor.
I’m standing at the altar, Zane by my side and the officiant in front of us, waiting to see my gorgeous bride.
And here she comes, on her father’s arm.
Man, is Mr. McCully ever beaming. His health is as good as ever.
I only look at him for a second, though.
I’m too focused on Lexi.
My beautiful Lexi, whom I met on an island getaway and came to find she was my new team’s owner’s daughter.
That led to a lot of hiding and sneaking around.
And then we fell in love.
She’s before me now, and it’s a blur, but in a good kind of way, like an amazing dream that you never want to wake up from.
We exchange our vows…and then we kiss.
We turn to face our friends and family, all of them smiling and cheering and so damn happy for us.
This is even better than that last game.
We take our first steps back down the aisle together as a married couple.
But more than that, we’re taking our first steps into the first day of the rest of our lives.
Up next in the bestselling Boys of Winter hockey romance series of interconnected standalones is Alex’s story in Risk on Ice, releasing October 2022
In the bestselling Men of Fall football romance novels, look for the series to wrap up with all the players you’ve come to know and love in Play Action, releasing early 2023
And then…get ready to meet some bad boy hockey players in a new series I’m working on, set to drop in 2023
S.R. Grey is a USA Today Bestselling Author of the popular Boys of Winter hockey books and Men of Fall football novels. Both series can be read in any order or as standalones. Other New Adult and Romantic Suspense works of hers include the Judge Me Not books, the Promises series, the Inevitability duology, A Harbour Falls Mystery trilogy, and the Laid Bare series of novellas.Ms. Grey resides in Pennsylvania. When not writing, she can be found reading, traveling, running, or cheering for her hometown sports teams, sometimes all at the same time.
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