All Chapters of Hard and Deep (A Football Romance): Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

Ollie Outside, the wind was howling with a spring blizzard. The single-pane glass windows in the old farmhouse were showing their age, rattling to the cadence of the blizzard and sending icy air into the room. Oliver laid under the covers of his bed, wrapping himself like a burrito to stay warm. The furnace was on, but hardly did anything to take the edge off of the cold. The wind just sucked any heat right out of the house. It wasn't just the wind, though, that made the house feel cold.This place is just too empty, he thought. It needs some plants or pictures on the wall or something to make it feel like an actual home.

Elsie Her mother paused for a second and Elsie listened as she let out a slow breath. “It’s your uncle.”“Uncle Frank?” Elsie said. Immediately, her heart began to thud quickly in her chest and her stomach turned to lead. “What happened?”“You know how he's been tired lately?” her Mom asked.“I guess so,” Elsie replied, her hands nervously trembling as she held the phone. “But I thought he was just fighting some sort of virus or something. That was just the last week or so, though.”

Ollie  Her lips were a magnet, pulling him closer. He couldn't stop himself. A force more powerful than his own will moved him and he began to lean in. Her eyes stayed locked with his as their lips neared. They almost touched, but right before they could, Elsie slowly pulled away.“We shouldn't,” she said, shaking her head. “We really shouldn't.”Oliver was a little stunned, being that no other girl in his memory had ever turned down a kiss from him. It really only made him want her more, but he didn't say anything in response. He didn't want to make things awkward between them.

Ollie Several weeks laterMid-May Spring had finally come. There was still snow on the ground surrounding the cabin, but it was beginning to melt. Water poured out of the gutters, splashing into mud puddles below. Oliver opened the front door, squinting against the bright sunlight that reflected against the remaining snow. He drew in a long breath, letting the crisp and clean air fill his lungs.The long winter appeared to be over, which had him feeling a bit blue, de

Elsie “What are you thinking?” he asked, his blue eyes on her face.“How do you know I'm thinking something?” she replied.“I can just tell. You do this thing with your eyes when you're deep in thought,” he said, placing his hand on top of hers. “You squint ever so slightly and look up. You do it all the time.”“I'd be a horrible poker player, wouldn't I?” Elsie giggled, feeling embarrassed about how obvious she was.“Horrible,