Feebly, I wave as all of them shout, "Hi Chess" with various levels of enthusiasm.
Finn winks at me before turning his attention back to the kids. And I grin like a loon because he's adorable with them, like an overgrown kid as excited as they are at the prospect of seeing a shark or maybe petting a stingray.
A blond woman in skinny jeans and a t-shirt with a schoolhouse logo on it comes to stand by me. "I'm Ally, the program director. Thanks for joining us."
"Sure. Although I don't really know what all of this is about."
"We're an after-school sports program for children, sponsored and funded by Mr. Mannus … " She flushes a bit. "Finn, I mean. He keeps telling me to call him Finn. Anyway, this outing is one of many Finn takes the kids on throughout the year."
We chat as Finn leads his crew to find the sharks. But as soon as we stop, I find myself pulled into his orbit. His big hand engulfs mine, as he tells the kids that his favorite shark is the hammerhead. This is met with much approval.
"What's your favorite, Ms. Chess?" a boy, who's probably around eight, asks me.
"Hmm … " I pretend to think about it. "I'm going with the whale shark."
The kid looks unimpressed, but a couple of others pipe up to agree that the whale shark is awesome.
They race on to the next viewing window. Finn and I follow. He hasn't let go of my hand. But I don't mind. His is big and warm, the strength in his fingers tempered now by a gentle clasp. A hand worth around fifty million dollars in the eyes of pro-football. And it's holding on to me as though I'm the valuable one.
"Sorry I didn't warn you," he says at my ear.
Little shivers dance along my skin. I ignore them. "I'm beginning to think you like surprises."
"I do."
"Thanks for letting me be a part of this. You're great with them."
"Kids are easy. Completely unfiltered and ready to have fun. Kind of like football players." He gives my fingers a light squeeze. "So you don't want to run away screaming?"
I'm not certain if he's referring to the kids or football players. Either way, the answer is the same. "Only if you try to get me to touch a stingray."
"Now, Chess, that's basically a dare."
Before I can answer, we're swarmed by the kids, who've realized their hero isn't in their midst anymore. Finn doesn't let me go, and I'm swept up along with him.
By the time we're done, I know more about fish and sea life than I probably need to, and have been infected by a bit of Finn Mannus hero worship myself. How can I not be? When he lifts each kid who asks up for a better view. When he takes the time to shake employee's hands and put them at ease when they get flustered.
Parents show up, and Finn takes a picture with anyone who asks. Each time, he grins wide as if he's standing next to a good friend.
Finn might hate posing for professional cameras. But he clearly loves this part of his life.
He ends the tour by handing out t-shirts with his jersey number on them.
///
"You didn't give one to your girlfriend," a solemn six-year-old boy points out. "You'll hurt her feelings."
I'm trying to figure out if it's worth it to clarify that I'm not Finn's girlfriend and my feelings won't be hurt, when Finn catches my eye. A teasing smile plays on his lips. "You're right, David. But I'm out of shirts." He takes off his baseball cap with his team logo splashed over the front. "Think she'll be okay with this?"
"If she doesn't want it," an older kid drawls, "I'll take it!"
Finn shakes his head. "You got your shirt, Darrius. My girl here needs something special." He looks over his flock. "Girls like special things."
A bunch of boys gag. But a few girls giggle.
Me? I'm both trying not to blush and restraining myself from rolling my eyes at his antics.
Finn's expression, however, is soft and sincere as he sets the hat on my head, deftly tucking strands of my hair back behind my ears. The cap is too big, and sits low on my brow. I probably look like an idiot, but I'm not taking it off.
A little cheer rings out. And, before I can blink, Finn swoops in and gives me a playful peck on the cheek. I feel the warm brush of his lips like a stamp on my skin, pressing there long after he's moved away.
* * *
Finn
* * *
Losing sucks. Losing when you're a quarterback sucks sweaty balls. And I don't give a shit what they say; if the offense is crumbling, it's the QB's fault. Fucking fair weather reporters jump all over that: Has Mannus lost his touch? Can he handle the pressure? Is this just an off night or a sign of things to come?
I'm lying on the grass, a three hundred pound slab of lineman sprawled over my hips. My head rings, white lights popping behind my eyes. Fuck, that hit hurt. I can't breathe for a second. My entire body has seized with an internal shout of what the shit?
Davis, the lineman who'd plowed into me like a tank powered by nitro, lifts his head and grins at me as if I'm his new bitch. I want to get to my feet and show him that his effort failed, but my head is still swimming and I can't feel my legs.
"Can I have some fries with that shake next time?" I ask lightly.
His grin dies a swift death. He jumps to his feet-show off.
I'm not so quick, because I hurt like a motherfucker. "Nice hit, bro," I say, extending my arm, my hand out. Help me up, asshole. But I smile like it's all good.
Have I mentioned that part of the art of playing football is to mindfuck your opponent? It's actually one of my favorite aspects. I might get knocked down, but you better believe I'm going to take the wind out the motherfucker's sails in retaliation.
Slightly confused, Davis silently helps me up and then shakes his head with a laugh.
I laugh too, ignoring the pain in my ribs-I'm gonna feel that shit tonight-and give him a friendly slap on the shoulder before he jogs off.
Only when my guys surround me do I let my smile fall. "Dex," I say to my center, "I don't know what bug crawled up your ass, but get it together and pay attention."
He's been addled the whole game and completely misread the defense on this last play. Resulting in me getting sacked before I could blink. I'm fairly certain the press digging into his personal life is getting to him, but we have a job to do.
Glumly, he nods. "On it."
I slap his helmet. "Good man."
But it's a lost cause. Whatever is going on with Dex spreads like a disease through the line. Soon, everyone is fucking up. Jake and Rolondo both drop passes. North, my tight end, can't gain yards. Moorehouse, my running back goes down with a bad hit, and they haul him into the locker room for evaluation.
As for me, I'm battered like a goddam piñata. I try to focus, try to rally. I might as well be attempting to hold water in my hands. All the while, Coach and my coordinators are having apoplectic fits. Most of which ring in my ears through the mic in my helmet.
That this is an away game and the crowd is completely loving our defeat doesn't exactly help.
The distinct shout of, "Eat turf, pussy boy Mannus!" somehow makes it through the din of the crowd. Excellent.
It is, as Chess would say, a complete shitcake of a game.
By the time we hobble off the field, defeated and deflated, I am ready to sink into a hot bath and swallow down a mouthful of painkillers. But I'm not going to get to do that. I'm going to get reamed by my coach and then reamed by the press.
I'll have to stand at a podium, lights shinning on my face, and answer insightful questions such as, "Do you think you could have done something better?" Yeah, I could have fucking won. Or, "Do you think you lost because you failed to score during the second half?" Considering this game is won based on a points system, I would say not scoring had something to do with it.
///
In the dank, echoing hall that leads to the locker room, I turn to Jake, who walks weary at my side. "Give me a reminder."
Since I ask this question every time we have a shit day, he doesn't miss a beat. "Fifteen million signing bonus."
"I'm going to have to put that aside for new hips when I'm forty."
"When you're thirty-five," he counters easily. "And are we getting solid gold hips?"
I laugh. "I'm going full on cyborg. Try again."
Jake smirks. "Willing women in every city."
"I'm too tired to screw."
Jake shoots me a glance. "Man, you are a sad sack today."
He's right. I'm in full on pity-party of one mode. "I'm depressing myself," I tell him.
"Which is why you need to let off some steam. I'm going out as soon we get back. You want to join me?"