The End Game

Текст добавлен: 10 октября 2016, 03:46

Текст книги "The End Game"

Автор книги: Kate McCarthy

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Современные любовные романы

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Текущая страница: 28 (всего у книги 28 страниц)

A smile formed on her lips. It was hesitant and small, but there was hope in it, and love, and I knew then that everything was going to be okay. A beautiful sense of calm spread through my body where there was only blind panic just moments earlier.

“Brody?” Jordan takes hold of my bicep, bringing me back to the present. “You okay?”

I nod. “I’m good.”

Paige, Jordan’s old college teammate, steps in the room behind Hayden and Leah and suddenly Eddie’s face burns brighter. I have my answer. It’s one I like.

Grinning, I load up three big stacks of pancakes and hustle everyone out in the morning sun where the outdoor seating can fit us all. After breakfast and an impromptu game of soccer in the yard, I leave them all for the game. They’ll follow later.

When nighttime falls, the Houston Hurricanes gather in the locker room, tension thick in the air. It’s the first game of the season and it’s always the biggest. It sets the tone for every game that follows. It sends a message to fans, to the media, and to every team opposing us, that this is who we are and this is how we play.

I step inside the room, my second home.

“Coach is in the house!” says Assistant Coach Dawson in a loud, sharp voice.

The boys settle into silence when I step in front of them. “Take a knee,” I tell them. They all lower to the ground and lift their heads, looking at me, waiting for me to impart some magical wisdom that will help them win the game.

For three years I coached the Peewee League and I loved it. I had the best of both worlds. It was where I first found my own passion. Where the game meant nothing else but the joy it brought to my heart. No pressure, just a field of green and a ball to run over the line.

But I was good at coaching—too good—and I got poached. Now here I am, head coach for high school football team, the Houston Hurricanes. Being offered the position set off controversial opinions across the state of Texas. Most of them adamant that I didn’t deserve it, that it was the wrong decision, and that the fledging team I was charged with would suffer for it.

As I stand before the boys, taking in their expressions of determination, I know I’m not here to prove all those people wrong. I’m here because I want these boys to learn from someone who knows the pressure that awaits them in college football and beyond. There’s no one more qualified than me to prepare them for what lies ahead.

I open my mouth and deliver the best words I can. “Tonight is your game. Don’t let anyone in the stands or the media distract you,” I instruct them, concerned with public backlash for me being their coach. “Listen to what I tell you, run the plays I call, and have some fucking fun out there!” Cheers erupt and Dawson shouts for them to settle down. “One more thing,” I add. They quiet down and give me back their focus. “It’s not your opponent out there on the field that’s against you tonight. It’s yourself. You are your greatest competition. How can you defeat yourself? By believing. Believe in your team,” I tell the boys, my eyes grazing over each and every one of them. “Believe in why you’re here, believe in what you do, and believe in yourself, because when you do, everyone around you will start believing in you too.” I clap my hands and shout, “Let’s go!”

The boys get to their feet, rowdy and fired up. They jog out of the tunnel, and I follow behind, cap set forward and pride in my heart. I turn, my eyes seeking Jordan in the stands. She’s standing front row, Avery and Hadley in front of her, Nicky and our close friends beside her. I press my index and middle finger to my lips and then hold them up high.

She returns the gesture, a smile spreading wide on her face. Even from this far away I see the emotion burn in her eyes. It echoes in my own. It forms the image that gets splashed on the front page of the newspapers the next morning after we take a solid win against Texas City.

I skim the article as I stand at the kitchen counter, smile on my face, coffee in my hand, and my girls causing chaos around me. My life is not my past anymore, it’s my present and my future, and right now? It’s pretty damn good.

To my readers. Your support and enthusiasm for my books continually blows my mind. Every comment, message, tag, email, and tweet, never fails to give me warm fuzzies. I’m so very honoured to have you reading and enjoying my work. Please feel free to stick around—there’s more to come!

To all the bloggers who have helped spread the word about this book. There are no words to express the level of my gratitude and appreciation of your constant hard work and support. Thank you so very much.

To Max. As always, you save the day. You are my magical unicorn with your stabby wit, sprinkling rainbow dust over my words and making them glitter! Don’t ever leave me (I will find you).

To my betas:

Tammy Zautner, Maree Hunter, Simone Nicole, Kim Anderson Bias, L.B. Simmons and Rachel Grey.

Tammy – I adore you. Send me the hair-colouring bill for all the greys I added to your head while writing this book (and future books to come).

Maree – your encouragement means more to me than you will ever know. You put up with all the crazy memes I continually send your way (even while you were trying to have a baby) and yet you still never stopped supporting me. That is the definition of a true friend.

Simone thank you for letting me pick your brain on all the things related to dyslexia, and for basically putting up with me. I know I’m a handful, and crazy, but you are too.

Kim, L.B. Simmons and Rachel, thanks for helping me with all things US related, including football and Texas. The knowledge and notes were invaluable, as is your support and friendship.

To Kylie at Give Me Books. What would I do without you? You ensured The End Game got the best start out in the real world that was possible. There are not enough thank you’s in the world for me to send your way. I hope one will do. Thank you. Now let us drink.

To Elaine at Allusion Book Formatting and Publishing. Thank you for making my baby pretty.

And last but not least, to the members of the author groups I’m a part of. We laugh, we cry, we talk everything book-related, but most importantly, we support each other. You are all invaluable.

Much love

Kate xo

The End Game

Fighting Redemption

The Give Me Series

Give Me Love (Book 1)

Give Me Strength (Book 2)

Give Me Grace (Book 3)

FIGHTING REDEMPTION

Ryan Kendall is broken. He understands pain. He knows the hand of violence and the ache of loss. He knows what it means to fail those who need you. Being broken doesn’t stop him wanting the one thing he can’t have; Finlay Tanner. Her smile is sweet and her future bright. She’s the girl he grew up with, the girl he loves, the girl he protects from the world, and from himself.

At nineteen, Ryan leaves to join the Australian Army. After years of training he becomes an elite SAS soldier and deploys to the Afghanistan war. His patrol undertakes the most dangerous missions a soldier can face. But no matter how far he runs, or how hard he fights, his need for Finlay won’t let go.

Returning home after six years, one look is all it takes to know he can’t live without her. But sometimes love isn’t enough to heal what hurts. Sometimes people like him can’t be fixed, and sometimes people like Finlay deserve more than what’s left.

This is a story about war and the cost of sacrifice. Where bonds are formed, and friendships found. Where those who are strong, fall hard. Where love is let go, heartache is born, and heroes are made. Where one man learns that the hardest fight of all, is the fight to save himself.

GIVE ME LOVE (BOOK 1)

Evie Jamieson, a former wild child, is not only a headstrong, smart-mouthed trouble magnet, she is also a lead singer with a plan. That plan involves relocating her band, including her two best friends guitarist Henry and band manager Mac, to Sydney to kick off their dreams of hitting the big time.

Jared Valentine is the older brother of Evie’s best friend Mac and also the man determined to make Evie his. They strike up a long distance friendship which suits Evie because she’s determined to avoid the distraction of love, not only because it doesn’t fit in with her plan but because twice in the past it has left her for dead. Moving to Sydney however, has put her directly in Jared’s path and he has decided it’s the perfect opportunity to make his play.

Unfortunately Jared, co-owner in a business that ‘consults’ in dangerous hostage and kidnapping situations, makes an enemy who’s determined to enact revenge. When this enemy puts Evie in his sights, Jared not only has a fight on his hands to make her his own, but also to keep her alive.

Is accepting the love he’s so desperate to give worth the risk to both her heart...and her life?

GIVE ME STRENGTH (book 2)

Quinn Salisbury doesn’t think she’s cut out for this whole living thing. Even as a young girl she struggled. Just when she thinks she’s found a way to leave her violent past behind her, the only thing that’s kept her going is ripped away, leaving her damaged and heartbroken.

Four years later, she is slowly rebuilding her life and lands a job as an assistant band manager to Jamieson, the hot new Australian act climbing their way to the top of the charts. There she meets Travis Valentine, the charismatic older brother of her boss, Mac.

From his commanding charm to his confidence and passion, Travis is everything Quinn believes is too good for her, and despite her apprehension, she finds their attraction undeniable and intense.

When her past resurfaces, it complicates their relationship. Instead of reaching out for help, Quinn pushes Travis away, until a staggering secret is revealed that leaves her fighting for her very life.

Torn between running and opening her heart to the man determined to have her, can Quinn find the strength within herself to fight for her future?

GIVE ME GRACE (Book 3)

Casey Daniels has a past forged in Hell. Despite the friends, the endless supply of women, and the muscle car he spent years restoring, it still eats away at him.

Grace Paterson is in Sydney as a temporary bassist for Jamieson, the band Casey handles security for. She’s also infuriating, off-limits, and complete irresistible.

A deal is struck, and despite their intense and powerful connection, both think it will be easy to walk away. But life can be more ruthless than either of them imagined. Not only does Grace have a secret she’s desperate to keep, Casey has questions from his past that he’s willing to do anything to get answers for.

It’s not until someone wants one of them dead that Casey realises his love for Grace is the one thing he could never walk away from.

In a story of revenge, betrayal, secrets, and love, Casey will need to reconcile his past with his present, before the future he never knew he wanted is snatched away.