Page 53 of Overtime

“I mean if it bothers him so much then why didn’t he offer me a ticket?”

“Because you hate football, and he assumes you’ll say no would be my guess.”

“I don’t hate football. I enjoy seeing tight asses in those little pants and watching them all wrestle each other to the ground. It’s the scoring and all the stats and nonsense I don’t care about.”

“So… just the things that matter then.”

“I think we have different definitions of what matters in life, Violet.” I slide her a side-eye, and she shakes her head at me, laughing as they set up for another attempt at the end zone. A moment later Colton tosses Westfield the ball for an easy touchdown, and the stadium loses their minds again.

“Touchdown!” I yell, throwing my hands up. “See, Violet. I understand the things that matter.”

At halftimewe’re eating a snack, and I’m sharing my funnel cake with a little blond-haired boy with bright blue eyes who’s so damn cute he almost makes me think I want kids.

“May I have some more strawberry sauce please?” He looks up at me wide-eyed.

“Way, I’ve told you twice now that her funnel cake isnotyour funnel cake.” Mackenzie’s business tone is enough to put anyone in their place, but he gives her sad eyes.

“I asked nicely, and she said it was okay!” His lower lip rolls under.

“It’s okay, really,” I mouth the words to Mackenzie, the little boy’s mom. She sighs and gives me a half smile and nods, looking exhausted.

“You want some more strawberry sauce, here you go.” I hold the cup down for him to dip his piece of funnel cake in.

“Thank you very much, ma’am.”

“Ma’am.” I cough. “Okay, little guy if you want more strawberry sauce we need to move to a new name. I’m not ready to be a ma’am yet even if I look it.”

“My daddy says I should call all ladies ma’am. He says it’s proper to talk to ladies like that.”

“I’ll bet he does.” I laugh and look at Mackenzie who’s shaking her head. “You like watching your daddy play football?”

“Yes…yeah. Yes. He says life is all about football, women, and the great state of Texas. I’ve been to Texas you know. To see my Gammie. She lives down there. My uncle doesn’t though. Not anymore. He plays football too.”

“Oh does he?”

“He does. He told me when I… when I…” he pauses for a moment, distracted by dipping his funnel cake in the strawberry sauce again. Grabbing a giant glob that threatens to drip off the end before he catches it. “He, my uncle, he says when I’m big I’m gonna play football too and get all the ladies. Or I mean all the ma’ams.”

We all burst out into laughter then.

“I’m gonna have to have a talk with your uncle if that’s what he’s telling you.” Mackenzie sighs, but a grin erupts in its wake.

After we finishthe funnel cake, and his impressionable ears are a safe distance away, I look up at Violet and Harper.

“So are you coming to this party too?”

“I might go for a little bit if Alex is up for it.”

“I doubt it. Ben is not a fan. He likes to just chill out when his games are over, and he’s not into the whole public debauchery.”

“A curmudgeon already at his young age. Look what you’ve done to him, Violet.”

“Yeah, well he’s very into the private debauchery, so I don’t mind.” She smirks.

I sigh. “I just need some debauchery, period. Public. Private. I don’t care.”

“And Colt’s still playing the priest?” Harper looks at me with pity.

“We said we wouldn’t. Given our past.”