Last Play: Book 1 The Last Play Series Read Online Free PDF Page A

coat and a Dallas Destroyers beanie cap on a hook. Emotion tugged at him as he pulled on a matching pair of gloves. He’d given these to his uncle the first year he’d signed with the team.
    Trudging through the kitchen, he didn’t say a word as he went for the door. He could see Katie already sitting on a snowmobile, a trailer attached to the back.
    “Best behavior, young man.”
    Roman grinned at Mrs. K, who was washing dishes. “Ah, thank you for breakfast.”
    She winked at him. “Have fun.”
    When Roman got down the steps to Katie, she tossed her head back and grinned. “Get on the back, Quarterback.”
    For a second, he paused. “You knew?” The night before he was sure anyone who treated him so rudely must not know exactly who he was.
    A pink pom pom beanie was on her head, complete with knitted strings that were braided down the sides over her ears. The side of her lip tugged up. “You think your uncle let anyone in this town NOT know about the great Roman Young?”
    Tentatively, he got on behind her, totally bewildered and confused by the fact that—since she knew who he was—she was still treating him this way. He lightly put his hands on her hips. She had a tiny waste and he wondered, if he tightened his hold, if he could touch his fingers together.
    She laughed and jolted as she took off.
    He held on tighter.
    She laughed again. “Sheesh, for goodness sake you won’t break me, just put your arms around my waist.”
    They flew across the powdered-driveway. “Man, there’s a lot of snow, this resembled a driveway last night.”
    Katie scoffed. “Wolfe Creek got about seventeen inches just last night and you know it’s not supposed to let up for a while.”
    He frowned, thinking of Mr. Burcher. “I heard.”
    Leaning forward and hunching down, he was able to get a better hold. The smell of lemon assaulted him. He ducked behind her, wishing he’d worn sunglasses to block the spray of snow. He popped his head out and saw that they were on what appeared to be a main road, speeding toward a small cluster of stores that, despite the weather, had customers coming and going.
    Other snowmobilers passed by. Katie waved at each of them, sometimes shouting hello. Roman was mystified that this town continued to operate as if the snow didn’t matter.
    They pulled into Henry’s Hardware and parked next to, Roman counted, five other snowmobiles with attached trailers.
    Katie cut the engine and waited for him to get off. Her eyes held a mischievous glint as she casually picked up a handful of snow and tossed it at him when she walked past. “Come on, Quarterback, haven’t you ever seen a winter storm before?”
    Part of the snow fell lightly against his cheek, and he felt even more confused as he followed Katie into the hardware store. Was she flirting with him? He was used to the more direct approach—like scantily clad women draping themselves along his body and sticking like plastic wrap on a glass dish. He felt off kilter with Katie.
    Katie pulled off her cap and nodded towards a cart. “Do you mind pushing it? We can get supplies,” she paused and pulled her phone out of a zipper pocket in the front of her own Carhartt jacket. “I figure we can finish getting carpet ripped out in the upstairs before I have to go pick up my son.”
    The idea that she thought he was going to rip carpet out was quickly overshadowed by the fact she’d mentioned a son. He blinked. She’s married. She’s married . He needed to quit thinking that she had some kind of attraction to him or something.
    With that reminder, he grabbed a cart and jogged two steps to catch up to her.
    She already had a box of nails and tossed them inside the cart. She scanned the shelves. “We also need to secure the stairs. I’m thinking we rip up the carpet and pound in the nails, see which ones are loose. Your uncle, God rest his soul, loved the place, but let’s face it—he left a heck of a lot of work to be done to get it up to par.”