Fourth and Goal Read Online Free PDF Page B

during the first play of his first professional game kept him off the football field for over a year. By the time his knee recuperated, no one had wanted him. Yesterday's hero had become today's damaged goods.
    He'd made so many mistakes in the past few years. Now it came down to this one defining moment in what had once promised to be a stellar football career.
    His gut told him this was it. He either proved he belonged or admitted he didn't have what it took. No more second chances.
    Washed up at the tender old age of twenty-seven. Derek had signed a one-year contract last year, but management hadn't renewed it at the end of the season. His rumored partying and lack of effort hadn't impressed anyone. His ego took a huge hit and his confidence tanked. Three professional teams in four years was not a good indicator of career advancement.
    After last year's dismal season, the Lumberjacks’ management fired their entire coaching staff. They shelled out big bucks to lure Hubert Jackson—a successful young coach—away from his championship team, and recommitted themselves to building a winner.
    Derek had been invited to attend training camp to contend for a spot with the rest of the hopeful wide receivers. He caught that wake-up call. He'd been fumbling his career and squandering his God-given talent.
    No more.
    Derek had sworn off what little partying he'd done, removed distractions from his life, and set to work. He studied game tapes all summer and worked out several hours a day. He focused every bit of his being on resurrecting the potential he'd had in college.
    Failure was not an option.
    Now he walked onto the field at training camp, more nervous than a rookie and more determined than he'd ever been in his life.
    The all-new coaching staff watched him with unreadable expressions, made notations on clipboards, and gave nothing away. When Derek dropped an easy pass, the head coach shook his head, threw his clipboard down in disgust, and stomped off. The man had a reputation as a taskmaster and two Super Bowl rings to back it up. He didn't accept excuses or anything short of perfection.
    Derek kept his mouth shut and tried harder, but the coach never looked his way the rest of practice. He showered and walked across campus to the dorm room he shared with Tyler. Depressed and discouraged, he picked up the phone and called the one person who could make him feel better.
    Rachel scrambled for the phone. She tripped over the coffee table, banged her shin in the process, and tipped over an almost empty glass of water. The glass shattered in tiny little shards on the hardwood floor. Out of breath and hopping on one foot, she fumbled for the receiver. Damn! Ouch ! “Hello?"
    "Hey."
    "Hey there.” Her pulse quickened. She'd know that deep, sexy voice anywhere. She took a long, slow breath and forgot about the broken glass and her throbbing leg. Gripping the phone, she sat down on the barstool.
    "You're out of breath. Is this a bad time?"
    Who was he kidding? “No, I was outside and had to run to catch the phone."
    "Really? Expecting an invitation to a hot date?” He laughed as if it was funny.
    She swallowed her response. He didn't need to know about her nonexistent social life. Besides, the less he knew, the better.
    He cleared his throat. “How are things?"
    "Fine. Simon is as demanding as his namesake, and your horse, Mac, he's a typical stock horse. Big, unflappable, and a pig."
    "He does seem to eat more than his weight in hay."
    "I'm glad I'm not the one paying for it. How are things going there?"
    "I'm pretty wiped. They work our butts off, and the heat... Damn, it sucks.” The weariness in his voice carried across the miles. She tamped down her feelings of sympathy. Distance. She needed to juggle emotional distance with earning his trust. What a twist of irony—earn his trust so she could betray it.
    "Wuss.” She smiled into the phone like some love-struck teenager talking to her high school crush, which at one time