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Joey sat with his back toward the cockpit and watched as Gabe stood and stretched. What the hell was really going on between him and Jess? He and Gabe had come to an understanding of sorts the night before, but he still wasn’t sure he trusted the guy. Maybe Gabe was famous, but he seemed to have come into Jess’s life and consumed it. It was true that he and Jess had agreed that they’d put whatever relationship they might have on hold while she was filming, but he was still trying to sort out his own feelings. He wondered how many shoes Gabe Greer had bought for her.
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Dante Bellini sat in the window seat next to his son, Joey. He had been keeping a watchful eye on all three of his sons during the flight. Joey was troubled about something, but Dante had learned years ago that it was better to wait for Joey to decide that he wanted to talk than to try to pry anything out of him. Dante faced his wife and listened as she and Pauli talked. Pauli was the baby of the family, by seven minutes, and had always been closer to his mother than his brothers were. Ben was sitting with Sal and they were clearly discussing strategy for the trial that Ben was starting Monday. Dante’s eyes traveled to the other four seat grouping, where his daughter-in-law sat with her daughter Jess, and her friend Evie. He knew Ben’s eyes rarely left his wife. Dante smiled. This wasn’t Ben’s first child after all, it was his first experience with a pregnant wife. While Dante wouldn’t exactly call him a nervous expectant father; he knew that Ben kept a constant protective eye on his pregnant wife.
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Jake Parker sat next to his girlfriend Meg Kelly holding her hand and talking in hushed tones. They were talking about the football game, about her daughter Abbey, and about the shopping trip scheduled for Saturday morning. He’d learned from Ben the importance of having one night that was “date night,” a night that was kept for just the two of them. Date night for Ben had always been Friday, and Jake tried to keep Friday night for him and Meg too, but tonight was an exception and the whole family surrounded them. He was glad when Gabe Greer stood and went to talk to Jess, finally he and Meg could spend a few precious minutes alone. He leaned close and kissed Meg’s cheek. “I love you,” he whispered. He put his arm around Meg and she leaned her head against him. Meg turned her head and kissed Jake’s neck. “I love you,” she whispered in reply. Tonight, he’d be spending the night in a room with Gabe Greer and Jamie while Meg would be sharing a room with his sister, Jess. It might seem strange to many people, but while he had been with Meg for nearly four months, they still hadn’t had sex. It wasn’t that Jake didn’t want Meg. He did. But, he pla
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Jess looked up at Gabe. What was with him? Why did he want to wait on her family? He was possibly the only actor in Hollywood who hadn’t done time as a waiter while trying to be “discovered,” and yet he’d acted as a waiter several times over the last three days. Jess, her mother, and grandmother all shook their heads.
“Sit.” Jess said.
“Thanks,” he said as he sat next to Evie. “I just needed to get up and move around a little.” He smiled. “And I thought Jake and Meg could use a few minutes alone.” He had just started to comment that they must be getting close when the pilot a
Chapter 28
A limo and driver met them at the airport and quickly loaded their luggage. After dropping the rest of the family at the stadium, Sal went with the limo to the hotel. Sal hadn’t originally pla
Ben led his family into the stadium and ushered them to their seats. Once everyone was seated, he took food and drink orders. It had been a long time since lunch, and di
The lines at the concession stands were long, but not intolerable and the three men were soon back with the family and distributing hotdogs, nachos, popcorn and pretzels along with bottled water and sodas. There was still a good twenty minutes until the start of the game, meaning until the opposing teams entered the stadium, the National Anthem was sung, and the coin toss was executed. That meant it was even longer before any actual action took place.
Ben handed a tray with hotdogs and drinks to his father before giving a second tray to Lane. The Bellini twins, the Parker kids and their guests occupied the row behind Ben, Lane, Dante, Teadora, and Evie Parker, which made conversation somewhat easy before the game got under way. Lane smiled, knowing Gabe spoke Italian, the Bellinis conversed in English, talking easily about the game, the opposing team, and pla
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The atmosphere in the locker room was crackling with teen-aged testosterone and loud, boisterous voices talking of the football game to come as though the playing of it was only a formality with the win a foregone conclusion. Jamie sat next to his friend Justin Harper who, although wearing his uniform, would only occupy a seat on a bench on the sidelines as the final football game of the season took place. It wasn’t right, but at least Justin was alive, out of the hospital, and able to suit up. Jamie glanced across the locker room at Lucas Evans. He thought back to his morning at the police station and wondered if Lucas’ family could really have had anything to do with what happened either to Justin or to the coach. He couldn’t get his head around the possibility and in just moments, it would be his job to keep Lucas safe on the field. He just wished the whole thing were over.
Coach Cooper had just told them to take a knee. It was a Catholic High School and it was common practice to pray before each of the games. Today would be no different, although Jamie was a bit surprised when Coach Cooper mentioned Coach Ferguson. It was a big game and it was going to be tough enough to keep their heads in the game without that. Jamie shook his head when Coach Cooper encouraged the team to go out there and win this one for Coach Ferguson. Immediately after Coach Cooper said Amen, the room erupted in pre-game hooping, hollering, and grunting.
Chapter 29
The crowd was on their feet as the team made its way on to the field. Both sides cheering loudly as the names, of the starting line-up, for their respective team came over the speakers. The Parker-Bellini contingent cheered loudly as the a
The opposing team won the coin toss and elected to take the offense. On the opposing team’s first possession, the Hawkette defense did its job and held the opposition well away from scoring so much as a field goal. The Hawkettes took possession of the ball on their 30-yard line and began their drive for a touchdown. On the first play, Lucas Evans threw the ball to Tyler Scott for a gain of five yards. On the next play, Lucas threw the ball to Jamie for another five-yard gain.