The Quarterback (The Team, #2)

by Tal Bauer

Twenty-one years separated him from the boys,

“Twenty years ago, I had a newborn. My gaming days were in the rearview mirror. The last system I played on was the Nintendo 64.” Colton’s eyes went wide. “Oh, wow,” he said. “That is old. I saw one of those in a museum.”

Ouch man, ouch!!!!!

Is this how it feels to want something so fucking badly you ache for it? But you can’t have it, and you can’t reach out, and you can’t even admit that you want what you want? That you’re dying inside with every heartbeat, but you can’t stop this yearning? Is this what it feels like?

“Why? If you’re not supposed to give up on the team, then why did you? You just giving me a bunch of talk that you couldn’t live up to?” “Because I found something—someone—I loved more than football. More than being a quarterback. More than I loved the team, even. Or I thought I did.” He didn’t expect to see sympathy in Clarence’s eyes. He’d expected pity, or scorn. Ridicule. But Clarence shook his head as his gaze dropped. “I can’t imagine finding something I love more than this game.” He scuffed his shoe against the cracked pavement. “That’s gotta be a hell of a thing.”

Aaawwww 🥹

“Do you love the game, or do you love being a star? You love the crowds, or do you love your team?”

Great discussion, Coach, you tell him!!

were almost kissing, right there on the street. “I love you, and I’ll never stop loving you. I tried not to fall for you, and I fell harder. I tried not to love you, and I tore my own heart out pushing you away. I tried to let you go, and it’s felt like I’ve died a thousand times each day that you’ve been gone—”

🥹🥹🥹🥰