“You have a lot going on.”
“I do. But right now I have these mozzarella cheese sticks calling my name.”
Liz laughed. “I hear you. Priorities, honey.”
Tara finally settled and relaxed, and then it was game time. Liz felt the electricity in the filled-to-capacity stadium. Both teams were doing well in the standings, so this game meant something to both the Traders and the Sabers. The Traders were in first place in their division, and the Sabers were one game behind in theirs. And as the Traders kicked off to the Sabers, Liz held her breath. Even though she had no loyalty to either team, she felt for both Mick and Cole, knew what it was like to have a game that meant so much.
Grant Cassidy, the quarterback, took the ball for the Traders and Cole lined up on the left side of the field. Liz took a glance at the row in front of her and saw Savannah leaning forward, her gaze glued to Cole. Liz knew what it was like to watch her man. When Gavin was playing, her heart was in her throat, willing him to play well. Next to her, Tara was just as intent on the game even though Mick wasn’t out on the field.
It was a post pattern, and Cole made a perfect catch from Cassidy, gaining twenty-four yards, a big first play for the Traders that had everyone on their feet cheering.
In typical Riley fashion, everyone cheered, even Tara, though she muttered “dammit” under her breath.
Liz laughed. “Going to be a tough game, isn’t it?”
“I love Cole. He’s family. He’s Savannah’s fiancé. But right now he’s my husband’s opponent. So while I want him to do well . . . I don’t want him to do well. It’s a dilemma.”
Savannah turned around in her seat. “You can go ahead and boo and curse, honey. It won’t hurt my feelings because I’ll likely do the same thing every time your husband hits a completion for the Sabers.”
Tara laughed. “You’re on.”
And so it went, and by the end of the first half Mick’s team was up by a touchdown. Everyone got up to stretch, mingle, and refill their drinks.
“That was intense,” Tara said. “But Mick’s doing well.”
“He is. Damn him,” Savannah said. “But Cole had that awesome touchdown catch.”
“He did,” Tara said with a smile. “Damn him.”
“I might have to sit between the two of you during the second half,” Jenna said. “If it’s close, you might start emptying your purses and throwing your cell phones at each other.”
Tara laughed. “I don’t think we’ll come to blows over a football game.”
“Doubtful,” Savannah said. “We just want our guys to win. But they’ve both lost before, so I think we can take it no matter what happens.”
“What? There’s not going to be a girl fight in the suite?” Gavin asked, coming over to put his arm around Liz’s shoulders.
“I’m afraid not,” Tara said.
“I’m so disappointed. And I have my camera phone ready to take pictures and video.”
Savannah rolled her eyes and shot Tara a look. “Men.”
“Agreed,” Tara said, moving away with Savannah to get a drink.
Liz poked him in the ribs with her elbow.
“Ow. What did I say?”
She laughed and put her arms around him. “Enjoying the game and family time?”
“Yeah. It’s a pretty good game, too. I honestly don’t have any idea how it’s going to turn out. The Traders have a tough defense, but Mick is strong in the pocket and the Sabers have got offensive weapons that just can’t be beat. And then there’s Grant Cassidy, who has a wicked accurate arm and lots of choices on who to throw it to. The Traders’ receiver corps is stout this season, which makes it hard for the defense to cover.”
“I think the key to this game is going to be who has the strongest defense, and which of the quarterbacks has the best arm.”
Gavin squinted at her. “Care to lay some money on the outcome?”
She laughed. “Not on your life. I have players on both teams and I’m not betting on the outcome of this game.”
“Wuss. I’m going to hit up the guys. I know they’ll get in on the action.”
“You do that.”
After halftime, Liz settled in her seat for the game. The Traders got the ball to score the second half, and Cole took a pass from Cassidy on a key third-down play and ran it in for a touchdown.
The family went crazy celebrating. With the game tied, Liz felt the tension and excitement in the suite. And when the Sabers kicked a field goal near the end of the third quarter, it was crunch time. The game was so close, the teams so evenly matched, she had no idea how the fourth quarter was going to play out.
The first eight minutes of the fourth quarter was a nail biter, totally defensive on both sides. No points were scored, and neither team could make any headway.
On a critical third down, Mick had the ball and did a rollout, looking for receivers. The Sabers defenders pushed hard. Liz cringed when the defensive back came around past the offensive lineman, making a beeline for Mick.
Tara stood. “Oh, shit,” she whispered.
Liz had heard her, though, and thought much the same thing. Mick was going to get sacked.
But Mick must have seen him, because he tucked the ball in and made a run for it, the offensive line turning to block for him. Since they hadn’t expected the run, and especially not from Mick, he had an open field and ran for fifteen yards and a first down.
Tara jumped up and threw her arms in the air and roared out a warrior-worthy yell. The guys all clapped and Mick’s dad, who sat next to Gavin, grinned broadly as he slapped Gavin on the back.
“Did ya see that?”
Gavin grinned back. “I did, Dad. Pretty damned good for an old guy like Mick.”
“Old guy my butt. That kid still has a lot of years of football left in him.”
“I agree with your dad,” Liz said. “He might be a little over thirty, but Mick is still a champion.”
And he proved it by throwing three completions on the next three plays, one to Kip Meecham, their hotshot young rookie tight end for a touchdown, which put the Sabers ahead with three minutes left to go.
But the Traders weren’t the kind of team to give up. Cassidy took the ball after the kickoff and they drove down the field to the thirty-five yard line. There were twenty-five seconds to go and the Traders had one time-out left. The tension was so thick in the stadium it seemed as if no one was even breathing.