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Chapter 85: Not who I needed to see
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2022-11-24 14:32:25Related chapters
Keeping Score Chapter 86: Making it work
NATE"Did I ever tell you the story of our first Christmas together, after your mom and I were married?" I frowned as my dad sat down at the other end of the sofa. We'd finished our makeshift Fourth of July picnic about half an hour before, and he'd been in the kitchen, helping my mom, Quinn and Carrie clean up. The red checkered picnic cloth was still spread over the coffee table; the idea of making my way outside to the backyard exhausted me, and no way in hell was I going to give in to my dad's suggestion that he carry me there. I might have been dying by degrees, but I could still do my best not to look like a cripple in my wife's eyes. Yeah, I knew it was stupid and pigheaded of me. But since I was dying at the age of twenty-two, I figured I was owed a little latitude. My father's opening line was random, but he was shrewd and more often than not, came around to his topic by the backdoor, as my mom liked to say. So I decided to see where he was going with this."I don't th
Last Updated : 2022-11-24Keeping Score Chapter 87: Luckiest guy in the world
NATE"Wake up, lazy bones." My eyes were heavy, but I forced them open, my lips curving into a smile at the same time. There was no way I could be grumpy when the sweetest girl in the world was rousing me. "What time is it?" Old habits die hard. Schedules didn't mean anything to me anymore, not when there was nowhere I had to be, but still, I felt that letting go of the idea of time was relinquishing one more hold on life. "Nine-thirty. Why, do you have a hot date?" Quinn's voice was teasing, making me glad, and I reached out to catch hold of her hand where it rested next to my leg as she perched on the side of the bed."The hottest around." I lifted her fingers to my lips and brushed a kiss over her knuckles. "Did you sleep well?""I did, thanks. And it seems like you did, too." She scanned my face carefully, and I knew she was watching for any tell-tale signs that I was in pain. "Yeah. Since Dr. Randall adjusted that medicine, I've been getting better sleep. Only problem i
Last Updated : 2022-11-24Keeping Score Chapter 88: Visitors
NATEI sighed now, remembering. These weeks since we'd moved down here had been incredible, and I was grateful that my dad had suggested it. For the first time since I'd proposed to Quinn, the guilt I'd been harboring over doing it had eased a little. Her happiness was all I needed, I realized, and now that I could have her with me and make her smile, that was everything. "Breakfast is served." She came around the corner of the kitchen doorway, carrying the tray. "All your favorites. Cinnamon toast, one egg over easy and crispy bacon.""Wow. It's like the best day ever." I reached for a piece of toast. "Under other circumstances, I'd ask you if I'm dying or something, but we both know the answer to that.""Nice, Nate." She exhaled as though in annoyance, but I could tell it was more bluff than anything else. "Just enjoy your food, and then maybe-"She was interrupted by a loud knock at the front door, and she jumped up, smiling big. "That might be your surprise. Be right back."
Last Updated : 2022-11-24Keeping Score Chapter 89: The call
LEO"Taylor! Hustle your ass, boy. This ain't your college practice, where they carried you onto the field and fed you fucking cream puffs. This is real life, boy. Move it!"Gritting my teeth, I picked up the pace, ignoring the sweat pouring down my face and into my eyes. I'd been in this place before. It was the same schtick, different venue. The first day of high school, our coach had warned us that we weren't in junior high anymore, playing midget football. The first day of practice at Carolina, our offensive line coach had jeered about whipping us 'high school Friday night lights starlets' into shape for the real game. And now, struggling to get through the first official month of practice and training camp at the University of Virginia with the Richmond Rebels, it was the same tired song. Clearly none of these coaches had an adequate respect for their counterparts at the level below them. I wondered, in my heat-fucked brain, if they all had a meeting every month where they cam
Last Updated : 2022-11-24Keeping Score Chapter 90: Advice I didn't ask to get
LEOIt was a typical August day at the Jersey shore, meaning the sun was hot and the air was humid. In the interest of expediency, I'd hopped a direct flight from Charlottesville to Atlantic City, rented a car and driven down to Ocean City, texting Nate that I was heading his way. I knew this route well, since my great-aunt had lived in Ventnor when I was growing up, and my family had frequently visited her before we drove down to spend time with the Russells at their shore rental, the same house Carrie now owned, and the same house where apparently Nate and Quinn were currently living. Nerves were jumping around my stomach at the thought that I might see Quinn today. The last few times we'd talked had not gone well; I'd let my anger get the best of me the day after she married Nate, and at the grocery store on the Fourth of July, I'd skirted out-and-out meanness when I'd let her think Sarah and I were together, as in dating. I'd seen the bleak hurt in her weary eyes, and instantl
Last Updated : 2022-11-24Keeping Score Chapter 91: Advice I didn't need
LEO "Jesus Christ!" I jumped to my feet and stalked around the small living room. "No. What do you think of me, man? I'm not considering that. It hasn't even crossed my mind. If you want me to be completely honest, I don't have any clear idea of what the future holds for Quinn and me. Once I thought I did. Now . . ." I shrugged. "I can't say. She made a decision that's pretty much a deal-breaker for me. She made a choice. I'm not going to sit around and wait until the repercussions of that choice are-" I searched for a word that wouldn't sound cruel. "No longer an issue.""So you're saying that you don't have feelings for Quinn anymore? You don't love her?"Dropping down into the chair again, I ran one hand over my face. "Of course I love her. I'm going to love Quinn until I die. She's always going to be the one for me, I know that. But it's starting to feel like we're never going to be on the same page. Our timing's always off.""Maybe." He nodded. "Still, you came in here just n
Last Updated : 2022-11-24Keeping Score Chapter 92: I wish you didn't have to die
LEOA nerve jumped in my cheek. "You think I haven't done that? God, Nate. How many times have I told Quinn that she comes first? How many times have I said I'd give up football in a minute if it meant making her happy? Remember the summer before college, right after Bill died? I told Quinn that I'd give up Carolina so I could stay with her. I offered to go to Birch. And then this spring, at Matt's funeral ...I told her I'd give it all up for her. She knows it's all for her, everything I do.""Does she?" Nate spoke without moving his head. His gaze stayed fastened on my face. "You've made the offers. You'd said the words. But what have you actually done? When did you ever act on the offer?"I leaned forward, resting my elbows on my knees. "Quinn never wanted me to. She refused.""Because she's not stupid, and like it or not, Leo, she knows you better than you know yourself. She knows what football means to you, and she'd never be the one to take it away from you. Quinn realizes tha
Last Updated : 2022-11-24Keeping Score Chapter 93: My husband's last advice
QUINN"Is it raining?" I looked up from my book when Nate spoke, his voice laden with drowsiness. "Yes. It has been all day. Perfect weather for curling up with a good book ...or napping. So between us, we've got this covered.""Hmm." He turned his head, blinking at the gray light filtering into the bedroom. "It's so cold. Feels like it should be snow."I reached over to tuck the heavy comforter more securely around Nate's legs. "The temperature's not quite low enough here for snow, but I bet they're getting some of the white stuff up at home.""Yeah. Maybe." He glanced over my shoulder. "Where's Mom?" I bit my lip, swallowing back a surge of unease. "She and your dad drove up to see Leo's game today. The Rebels are playing in Philly." We talked about this last night. Don't you remember? I didn't say the words, because they would accomplish nothing. A nurse and a social worker from hospice had come to talk with us last week, and one of the signs of progression they'd mentioned
Last Updated : 2022-11-24
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Keeping Score Chapter 131: Days of You and Me
QUINNThe party was in full swing, with music blaring and the dance floor crowded. I was sitting on Leo's lap, with his arms circling my waist as we chatted with Zelda and Tucker. "Hey, did you see that?" Zelda nodded toward the crush of dancing couples. On the very edge, Gia was slow dancing with Tate Durham. She stared up into his face as he murmured to her, and I glanced back at Zelda with raised brows. "When did that happen?" I'd spent quite a bit of time lately with Zelda and Gia, who were both my bridesmaids, but Gia hadn't mentioned anything about Tate Durham. I didn't even realize she knew him, although thinking back, they must've met at Carolina, when we used to go see Leo and Matt."Got me. But they look mighty cozy.""She deserves a little happiness. And Tate's a good guy." Leo, who had been talking to Tucker about how brutal mini-camp had been this year, picked up on my last words. He followed my gaze to Gia and Tate and smirked. "Well, it's about time." "Hey.
Keeping Score Chapter 130: The best choice I ever made
QUINNThanks to the security team that we'd hired to keep the media and the curious public at bay, I could only barely see the people lining the perimeter of the roped-off section of the beach. I knew they were there, but it was okay; today of all days, I wanted to share all of my happiness with everyone and anyone. Behind me, the folding chairs that had been arranged on the portable wooden floor-and who knew they had such things!-were filled with our loved ones. We had quite a crowd, for what we'd both termed a small, intimate wedding, but then we were very blessed with both friends and family. My mother sat in the front row, flanked by Joe and Lisa on one side and Mark and Sheri on the other. Leo and I had dispensed with the silly idea of the bride's side and groom's side. We shared so many friends that making them choose which one of us to support would have been crazy. And our parents had decreed early on that they were all going to sit together, forming a united front. The
Keeping Score Chapter 129: We earned this happily ever after
QUINNWe'd been waiting in the empty, echoing corridor outside the locker room for twenty minutes. The guard had kindly but firmly told us that we couldn't go any further, but after Ellie had cajoled him, he'd promised to give us any update he heard and to talk to the trainer about letting us in as soon as it was possible. People swooshed through the hall, to and fro, but none of them showed us the least bit interest. A couple of reporters straggled down, but a non-life-threatening injury to a second year player who was only just beginning to show his strength wasn't exactly breaking news. I tried not to be bitter about that, thinking of all the times the press had hounded us about stupid stuff since Leo had been in college. One of the journalists was live streaming the game on his phone, with the volume pumped. Apparently the Rebels had made the extra point after Leo's touchdown, but New York had come back to score ten points after that-a fast touch down and then a field goal. Th
Keeping Score Chapter 128: Number 22 is down
QUINN"There's my boy!" Joe clapped his hands and whistled as the Rebels took the field for their first possession in the second half. We were up by two field goals, but with a team like New York, that wasn't quite a comfortable margin. "I told him we wanted to see him score today." Lisa nudged me. "Both times, it's happened when we weren't at the game. It's starting to give me a complex."I laughed. "I missed one of them, since it was on the road. So don't take it personally." Down on the field, the center snapped the ball into Gideon's hands. The quarterback stutter-stepped backwards, looking for an open receiver and then fired a pass downfield to a wide receiver, who caught the ball and took off. The crowd jumped to its collective feet, cheering him on. He made it to the twenty-eight-yard line before he was forced out of bounds by a New York player. We sat back down as the chains moved, and Joe patted my back. "This is going to be it, this next play. You watch. I've got a
Keeping Score Chapter 127: Family reunion
QUINN"I never knew it got so cold down south." Lisa Taylor wrapped her scarf a little more securely around her face. "I'm glad I remembered my gloves."On the other side of me, her husband leaned over. "Well, it is December, Lisa. You can't expect beach weather. Virginia isn't that far south."I bit my lip and tried not to laugh. Leo's parents had been down here for the last three days, visiting on what Joe called a 'pre-wedding mini-vacation' and what Lisa referred to as 'Joe's attempt to keep me from killing people'. Although they never really argued, they sniped at each other all the time, which made it less than fun to be around them. Apparently, being the parents of the groom was almost as stressful as being the bride's family. Simon had called us last week, griping about the tensions between Justine's parents and his own."You've got to take them off my hands for a little while, Leo. Please, I'm begging you." Neither of us had ever heard Simon sound so desperate. "All of the
Keeping Score Chapter 126: This is our time
LEOThe past and present jumbled for a moment in my mind. I had a sudden flash of memory, the feel of those legs wrapped around my back as I sank down into her, the weight of her breasts in my hands, the taste of her ...it was all so vivid and so immediate that I gave myself a little pinch to make sure she was really here now, and that I wasn't in the middle of some psychedelic mind trip. Then she smiled at me and spoke, her voice low and teasing, and I knew this was real. "Are you going to say something, or are you going to just lay there gaping at me? You're kind of freaking me out. I'm starting to worry that you're second-guessing the whole forever thing.""Babe. Never." I sat up and crooked my finger. "Come here. I'd go to you, but I seem to have lost the feeling in my legs."Quinn took a few steps closer to me, just beyond my reach. "You know, I realized something while I was getting changed.""Oh, yeah? What's that?" My eyes were glued to her fingers playing with the hem of
Keeping Score Chapter 125: For the rest of our lives
LEOI let her body slide down mine until her feet hit the floor. Looping my arms around her waist, I held her to me. "Mia, I know we've still got things to work out. I want to keep at it. I don't want to bury our shit under a rug or pretend we're perfect. But I want to deal with all of it together. I want us to be together, and not just for now, not until we see if things are good. I want you to live with me here, in this house I picked out because I could see you all over it."Quinn rested her cheek against my chest. I felt her tears soaking into my shirt, and I could only hope and pray that they were the happy kind. Swallowing hard, I went on, laying everything on the line and going for broke. In the back of my mind, I heard the old Eatonboro High Eagles chant: Go big or go home."Mia Quinn." I dropped to my knees and held both of her hands tightly in mine. "I love you beyond my ability to express it. I've loved you for so long that I can't remember when my heart didn't beat for y
Keeping Score Chapter 124: Redux
LEOThe last time Quinn had been in my house, I'd been in agony, wanting her and yet knowing the timing wasn't right yet. So as I led her up the steps and to my front door, I was determined to erase all the bad memories and replace them with only good ones.Before I turned the doorknob, I paused, gazing down at her. "The day I found this townhouse, I'd been looking at places all day. My mom was with me. Everyone had told me not to buy right away, in case I didn't last the season in Richmond or if I got traded or whatever, but I had a hunch. I knew I wanted to buy a place to live and not be just renting. I was ready for something permanent."She nodded, expectant. "I couldn't put my finger on why none of the houses seemed quite right. Then I realized it was because I couldn't see you in any of them. When I stood here for the first time, though, I turned around and looked at the neighborhood, the front lawn ...the view." I steered Quinn by the shoulders, pulling her back against me
Keeping Score Chapter 123: About time
QUINNBy the second half, Leo seemed to have found his rhythm. He caught several more passes and ran for a decent amount of yardage. When the clock hit all zeros, Richmond had won by ten points. I was ready to sprint down to the locker room, but Ellie caught my arm. "There's no rush, honey. Look." She pointed to the field, where the players were still milling around. "They'll be out there for a bit, doing some on-field interviews, and then they'll be in the locker room for a while before the post-game press conference. I doubt either Leo or Corey will be part of that today, but still-we don't want to be hanging out in the hallway until right before they come out. It's a mess. The press is there, and the jock junkies." She wrinkled her nose. "Okay." I sat down again. "So we just ...stay up here?""Yeah." Ellie lifted one shoulder. "Most of the wives take off and wait in the parking lot or meet their husbands at home. Corey and I have a tradition of meeting in the hall, so I don't
