Line of Scrimmage (16 page)

She stopped him when he would’ve begun to head inside. “Are you going to be able to live without the one thing that makes
sense to you?”

He took a long last look around. “I’m hoping you’ll help me over the bumps, but yeah, I’ll be okay. Maybe someday I’ll find
something else that makes as much sense.”

“You’d be selling yourself short if you think this is the only thing you can excel at. As I recall, that piece of paper you
got from Florida said something about magna cum laude. Now, I’m no college graduate—not
yet
anyway—but I don’t think they give that to dummies.”

“So you’re not going to let me wallow around in my skivvies and get fat in my retirement?”

She turned up her nose. “Don’t even think about it.”

“You’re going to have to keep a very close eye on me to make sure that doesn’t happen.” He led her inside. “It might be a
forty- or fifty-year job that requires a daily commitment.”

“I’ll think about that and get back to you.”

“See that you do, darlin’.” He punched the button for the elevator that would take them up to the executive offices. “In the
meantime, I’ll be waiting in my skivvies.”

She laughed and followed him into the purple elevator.

Chapter 16

CHET’S ASSISTANT TOOK THEIR COATS AND USHERED THEM into his huge office overlooking the field far below. The bright yellow
office walls were plastered with framed photos of the Mavericks’ colorful owner with everyone from presidents to actors to
athletes from all corners of the sporting world.

“There he is!” Chet roared as he got up from behind his massive desk.

Ryan was relieved to receive only an enthusiastic handshake rather than Chet’s usual bone-crushing hug.

“You look great, Sandy,” he said, turning his attention to Susannah. “And it’s so nice to see you, Susie. Martha and I were
just tickled pink to hear you two are back together.”

“We’re working on it,” Ryan said quickly, before Susannah could protest.

“How are you feeling, Sandy?” Duke asked as he kissed Susannah’s cheek and held a chair for her at Chet’s conference table
where the Lombardi trophy was the centerpiece.

“Much better, but the ribs are still giving me some grief.”

“Takes time,” Duke said. “Ribs are tough.”

“Tell me about it.”

“The president sends his regards.” Chet chomped on an unlit cigar as he uncorked a bottle of champagne and poured four glasses.
“He was sorry you couldn’t make the trip, and he wants you to give him a call if you get to D.C.”

Ryan grinned. “Yeah, sure. We’ll go out for a few beers.”

“I bet he’d love that,” Duke said.

Chet reached into his pocket for a slip of paper he handed to Ryan. “He said to have you call this number if you’d like to
see him. He’s a huge fan of yours, but of course you know that.”

Ryan exchanged amazed glances with Susannah and had to fight the urge to giggle. Even after a decade as a professional athlete,
the attention and adulation could still come as a surprise.

Chet raised his glass in tribute to Ryan. “Here’s to another successful year and to the best quarterback this game has ever
seen.”

“I’ll drink to that,” Duke echoed.

Humbled, Ryan said, “Thank you,” as he took a sip of the foaming bubbly and eased himself into the chair next to Susannah.

“It sure is good to see you looking so much better, Sandy.” Chet reclined back in his chair as he studied Ryan with wise,
old eyes. “You gave us a helluva scare down there in N’awlins.”

“Sure did,” Duke added with a shudder. “Took five years off my life when you didn’t move for what felt like an
eternity.

”

Ryan reached for Susannah’s hand under the table, knowing she had gone to great lengths to avoid watching or reading about
the play that had caused his injuries.

“Well, I’m fine now.”

“And ready to sign the fat new contract The Shark hammered out for you, I hope,” Chet said.

Ryan glanced at Susannah, and she squeezed his hand.

“Um, about that,” he said, hesitating as he prepared to step off the precipice into the unknown.

“Is there a problem?” Chet asked. “I was pretty sure we had a deal after the last meeting.”

“You’ve been extremely generous,” Ryan said. “You know how I hate all the haggling over money and stuff.”

“You’re worth every dime—and then some.” Chet’s craggy face lifted into a big smile around the cigar. He had given up smoking
them three years earlier after a health scare. “But don’t tell Aaron I said that.”

Ryan chuckled, took a deep breath, and said, “I’m going to retire.”

The two men stared at him like he was speaking a foreign language.

Chet shook his head as if he hadn’t heard Ryan correctly. “You want to run that by me one more time?”

“I’m retiring. Effective immediately.”

“You can’t be serious, Sandy,” Duke said. “You took a hard hit down there in New Orleans, but to quit . . . ”

“I made this decision weeks before the Super Bowl.”

“I just don’t understand . . . ” Chet stammered.

Ryan leaned forward on the table. “I’m sorry this is coming as such a shock to you, Chet. I really am. You’ve been so much
more than a boss. You’ve been a good friend to me and to Susie for the last ten years. We couldn’t have asked for anything
more than what we’ve had with the Mavs organization. But I want to go out while I’m still on top, rather than outstaying my
welcome.”

“It’s not
possible
for you to outstay your welcome, with this team or any other, for that matter.” Chet slapped the table. “You’re Ryan
freaking
Sanderson, for Christ’s sake.” To Susannah, he added, “Pardon my French, honey.”

Susannah held up a hand to let him know no offense had been taken.

“We’ve had a great run.” Ryan struggled to keep his emotions in check. “I’ve had the time of my life here in Denver, but I’m
ready for a change.”

Chet studied Ryan for a long moment as if to gauge whether the younger man was open to negotiation.

“What do you have to say to this, Duke?” he asked his head coach.

“I’m not entirely surprised,” Duke said.

The other three looked at him with interest.

“I’ve noticed you working with Toad a lot more in the last few months—almost like you were grooming him for something.”

Ryan shrugged. “He’s worked really hard, and he’s earned the opportunity to show you what he’s got.”

Duke folded his hands on the table. “I’m going to say something to you, and I want you to listen to me, okay?”

With a glance at Susannah, Ryan nodded.

“Chet was dead on before when he said you’re the best quarterback this game has ever seen. After this last Super Bowl, there’ll
be no more debating that. I’ve never known a player with more natural ability than you have. You’ve got
years
left in you, Sandy.
Years.
” Duke punctuated his point by stabbing the table with his index finger. “You have the opportunity to break every QB record
on the books, but you need a few more seasons to do it. I’d like nothing more than to see you get there. So if there’s anything
either of us can do to change your mind, I know I speak for Chet when I say all you have to do is name it.”

Chet nodded in agreement.

Ryan’s jaw clenched with tension and emotion. “I can’t tell you how much I appreciate that, Coach. It’s been such an honor
to play for you, to work with you, to call you my friend. I hope you don’t have a single doubt about what you mean to me personally.
But I’m done with football.” With his eyes on Susannah, he added, “I’ve learned there are other things in life more important
than having my name next to every record in the books.”

Her smile was full of love, and it filled him with confidence.

“You’ve worked awfully hard, and you’re
so
close,”

Duke added with a pleading edge to his voice.

“I’ve played my last game,” Ryan said firmly. “I would’ve liked to have gone out a little more gracefully than I did, but
hey, what can you do?”

“What’ve you got to say about this, honey?” Chet asked Susannah.

She looked at Ryan when she said, “I think Ryan feels he’s accomplished everything he set out to do in this game, and he wants
to see what else is out there before he’s too beat up to be able to do much of anything.”

Ryan nodded in agreement as Duke and Chet exchanged resigned glances. After a long pause, Chet got up, walked over to his
desk, and pressed a button on the phone. “Jenny, will you ask Bob to come up to the office, please?”

Bob was the team’s public affairs officer and would guide Ryan through the press conference and media blitz that would follow
his announcement.

“Thank you,” Ryan said when Chet returned to the table.

“You’ll have a place in this organization for as long as I have a breath left in me,” Chet said gruffly. “You got that?”

Ryan’s eyes filled. “Yes, sir.”

“That goes for me, too,” Duke added. “Whatever you want.”

The lump in his throat made it impossible for Ryan to do anything more than nod.

The press conference was set for noon the next day.

Bob had done his best to prepare Ryan and Susannah for the media circus he predicted would follow Ryan’s announcement.

“Are you okay?” Susannah asked on the ride home.

“Yeah. I feel better now that they know, but I hated upsetting them. They’ve both been so good to me.”

“And you’ve been good to them,” Susannah reminded him. “You’ve made Chet a ton of money and helped to elevate Duke to coaching
royalty. Don’t forget that.”

He kissed her hand. “I’ll try to keep that in mind.”

“Does it feel weird? To be making it official?”

“Kind of,” he conceded. “I think it’ll really set in when the guys are leaving for camp and I’m not going.”

“You’ll be so busy doing other things by then you’ll barely notice.”

His dimpled grin was skeptical. “It’s going to be crazy tomorrow. Are you ready for that?”

“I’ll be fine.”

“I hate that I have to do this right now. But the media is waiting for the announcement that I’ve signed the new contract,
so I can’t put off the press conference until after we resolve things between us.”

“Speaking of resolving things between us, I want to talk to you about that when we get home.”

He took his eyes off the road to look over at her.

“What about it?”

“You’ll have to wait until we get home.”

Pushing the accelerator to the floor, he said, “Well, then let’s get on home!”

“Ryan!
Slow down!
”

He darted between two cars on Interstate 25. “Not unless you’re ready to start talking.”

“Stop driving like a maniac, or I won’t say a word when we get home.”

“You ruin all my fun,” he pouted as he eased off the accelerator—but only slightly.

“That’s my job.”

After a speedy ride, they pulled into the driveway, and he spirited her inside. “Okay, start talking.”

“Can I at least take off my coat?”

He peeled the coat from her shoulders and tossed it over the banister. A moment later, his landed on top of hers. “Talk.”

“In a minute,” she said as she started up the stairs.

Ryan followed in hot pursuit and forced himself to be quiet while she took her time hanging up her suit jacket.

“You’re going to torture me, aren’t you?”

She flashed him a coy smile. “It’s kind of fun, actually. You’re like a five-year-old waiting for your ice cream treat.”

“I’ll give you a treat,” he said with a low growl as he crossed the room to her. He put his arms around her and backed her
up to the bed, coming down on top of her.

“Start talking. Right now.”

Her hands found his back under his sports jacket.

“You might be a big bully, but you can’t make me talk.”

“You don’t think so?” He ran his fingers over her ribs, and she shrieked with laughter. “Do I make my point?”

She pushed her pelvis into his erection. “Yes, you do,”

she said with a giggle.

“
Susannah
. . .
Come on.
I’m
suffering.
”

“I know. I’m enjoying it.”

With a deep sigh of frustration, he rested his head on her shoulder.

Running her fingers through his hair, she kissed his cheek. “I love you.”

Ryan all but stopped breathing as he lifted his head to look at her. “I love you, too.”

“You did well today with Chet and Duke.”

“I’m glad you thought so. I was a nervous wreck.”

“It didn’t show.”

“Thank you for being there.”

“Of course I was there. I’m your wife, right?”

“Yes, you are,” he whispered, his heart fluttering with hope. “What are you saying, Susie?”

“I want to try again.”

Ryan could only stare at her for the longest time.

“Say something.”

He dipped his head and found her lips in a deep, sizzling kiss that told her everything he was feeling at the moment.

“I take it you’re happy to hear this news?” she asked, breathless from his passionate kiss.

He nodded and went back for more. Unbuttoning her blouse, he dragged his tongue over each new bit of skin as he unveiled it.

“Ry,” she gasped. “We have guests coming.”

Glancing at the bedside clock, he said, “Not for ninety minutes.”

“But Carol . . . ”

“Will let herself in. She has before.”

“But . . . ”

“Shh.” He unhooked the front clasp of her bra and nudged it aside. “I want to make love to my wife. Right now.”

“I’ve never made love with a retiree,” she joked.

“Mmmm,” he said as his lips coasted over her breast.

“Then I’d better make it memorable.”

Susannah floated on a cloud of pleasure and contentment. In all their years together, Ryan had never made such tender love
to her, as if she were the most fragile, delicate, breakable object in the world. She’d been in the throes of a third orgasm
when the door had chimed downstairs, and Carol called out to see if anyone was home. They’d dissolved into helpless laughter
that had only led to more passion.

Ryan slept next to her, worn out from their lovemaking and the emotional meeting with Chet and Duke. Knowing he had another
difficult round ahead of him with his teammates, Susannah wanted him to sleep for as long as he could. She eased herself out
of his embrace, sat up, and gazed at him. She wasn’t exactly sure when she decided to give him another chance, but hearing
him say the football field was the only place that made sense to him filled her with such overwhelming sadness. Imagining
him foundering alone in the world without her and without his beloved game was more than she could bear. She believed him
when he said he had changed and was prepared to give her what she needed. In return, she was going to help him through this
huge transition in his life. Sweeping the dirty blond hair off his forehead, she kissed his cheek and got up to take a shower.

She was brushing her wet hair in front of the mirror when a reflection off her engagement ring reminded her that she still
had a very big problem. Putting the brush down on the granite countertop, she spun the ring around on her finger and tugged
it off. Tomorrow, she would give it back to Henry. Her stomach knotted when she imagined what he’d have to say to the news
that she was going back to Ryan. And then she’d have to tell her parents and sister . . .