Epilogue

EPILOGUE

FINAL REGULAR SEASON GAME

"Defense!" Yowie hollered into the din of the locker room. "Gather up."

Lee batted Jakes' arm and together they headed to where Yowie stood beside Coach Mike. They fist-bumped Anders and anyone else on the defensive line who stood close to them.

"Troopers…" Coach Mike looked from one player to the next, making eye contact. "You have played amazing this year, but we had a few stumbles along the way."

Lee frowned. Yeah, they'd had a series of losses in December that had killed their chances of a first-place finish in their division, but a win today against Florida would get them into the playoffs as a wild-card team.

"I know you're thinking ‘But Coach, they're really good.' Well, I'm here to remind you that. You. Are. Better. Even with those losses, we are the number one defense in the league. Let me repeat myself… We are the number one defense across the entire league. More tackles, more takeaways, more interceptions—thank you, Matty—and more points scored after those turnovers. We lost to good teams on trick plays, but we've been studying this team for a long time. We've played them before. We know their weaknesses. We can be the force to stop them. Who says yes?"

"Yes," they responded.

"Who says yes?" Coach Mike asked louder.

"Yes!" they shouted.

"Hoo-rah!" Yowie cheered.

"Hoo-rah!" they yelled, clapping and stomping.

They stamped and hollered their way to the middle of the locker room where Coach Oliviera had them take a knee and gave a rousing speech, followed by Addy leading them in another round of team cheers before playfully shoving them out the door and into the tunnel.

Fourth quarter… down by three. Fourth down and five yards to go. "Come on, Addy. Come on offense." Lee watched the ball sail through the air. "No, no, no. Damn it." Their opponent's safety had tipped the ball out of bounds before Gunner could catch it.

Yowie huddled the defense midfield. "It's up to us to force a turnover. Do what you need to do, but for God's sake, don't get a penalty. Hard, clean hits. Got it?" They nodded and clapped. "Good. Hoo-rah!"

"Hoo-rah!" they responded and broke the huddle, heading to their respective positions. Lee doggedly kept up with his receiver, but Florida's QB stuck with the running game, racking up yards and running the clock down.

One minute to go, and they finally slowed Florida, but they needed the ball. If Florida's kicker had a chance, they could very well lose the game, and they'd officially be out of the playoffs. Lee saw the run play forming and called it out to Coop, their cornerback playing in front of him. He rushed in, and when he saw Coop slap the ball free from the running back's hands, Lee leapt on it. He curled around the ball, determined to hold on to it for Addy and the offense.

Lee had a feeling that they'd done it… He was also feeling like a squashed bug under the weight of at least five offensive tackles, the heaviest men on the field.

Freed from the pile, Lee lifted the ball into the air as his linemen crashed into him, hugging him and shouting in his face. But Lee barely heard what they said. Adrenaline, elation, and passion for the game roared in his veins. As he jogged to the sideline, he pushed right up into Addy's face and gripped his jersey.

"You got this?" he asked, point-blank.

Addy shot him a cocky grin and slowly nodded. "I got this."

They clapped each other on the side of their helmets and pushed past, going opposite ways, Lee to stand on the sidelines and watch, and Addy to stand in the middle of the field and make the play that might win them the game.

And by all the holiest of football gods, Addy threw a doozy. The football flew through the air like an arrow, landing softly in Gunner's arms in the end zone. The crowd went crazy. Fireworks blasted from ATEX's roofline. They'd done it.

The Austin Troopers were heading to the playoffs.

Lee met Drew by the family section, and they helped Mac climb over the rail. "Thank you," Lee said, his arms around their shoulders as they stood in their own private huddle. "I love you both so much."

His rookie year…. A winning season, but that wasn't the only thing he'd won over the last year. He'd won the hearts of his men: Mackenzie Connor and Drew Williamson. And as fireworks continued to fill the sky, Lee knew he'd never win anything more precious than them.

Want more Austin Troopers?

The series continues with…

Tumbling the Cornerback

2-4-6-8, Who Thinks Cooper Howard's great?

Everyone but me!

I've been busting my backside for years as one of the handful of male cheerleaders in the league, and it takes Cooper "Coppertop" Howard five minutes to knock me back down to the status of laughing stock. All of my hard work for the cheer squad's fundraiser up in literal smoke thanks to his size twenty feet and lack of spatial awareness.

You'd think the cornerback the team shelled out an insane amount of money for would be able to navigate tight turns better, but the pile of charred pom-poms and Austin Troopers mascot plushies begs to differ.

When Cooper tries to make it up to me, I do the only thing I can: tell him where to stuff it.

But he's determined. And sincere. And... okay, he's really hot, and he's really winning me over.

Maybe accepting his apology wouldn't be so bad. Not if it means repairing my image and comes with a side of hot, sweaty football player in my bedroom…