Page 68 of The Game Plan

February 8th, 2026

The two-minute warningrang through Onyx Stadium, announcing the impending end of the first half of the big game.

Reese led the offensive line to the sideline, emptying the field for the Kings special teams to go for the field goal.

“This game is brutal,” Spenser commented, removing his helmet.

“At least this will get us to six points,” Reese replied, Spenser nodding in agreement.

They watched Preston kick the field goal, light celebrations happening on their sideline as the clock ran out.

“Halftime, finally,” Reese muttered, frustration coursing through him.

“Hey,” Eli said, joining him as they headed into the tunnel. He clapped his hand on Reese’s shoulder. “Don’t give up yet. There’s a lot of football left.”

“I know.” Reese sighed. “But I’m not performing the way I want to. Two balls dropped in one drive? I can’t play like that today. There’s too much on the line.”

“I understand, and your feelings are valid,” Eli said, adopting his imparting-wisdom voice, “I threw an interception for a touchdown, and while I’m upset about it, I won’t let it define this game for us.”

“Okay, Obi-Wan,” Spenser quipped from behind them, the group of guys in the area chuckling.

Eli was always positive in the difficult situations, and while it could be grating sometimes, it reminded Reese to try to look at the bright side.

Eli’s grin turned Reese’s frown into a smile of his own. “Thanks for the reminder.”

They arrived at the guest locker room a few minutes later, and Reese deposited his helmet onto the bench and sat, grabbing a bottle of water as he looked around.

The energy was low in the locker room, but the Kings had come back from bigger deficits than this one. He knew the guys in this locker room: they were going down swinging if it was the last thing they would do.

“Here, eat something,” Spenser said, handing him a protein bar.

“No Uncrustables?” Reese asked, looking down at it.

He shook his head. “Nah, they didn’t have any.”

Damn. Losing and no Uncrustables?

He chuckled to himself, tugging open the protein bar and taking a bite.

“Not bad,” he said, making a mental note to buy them in the future.

“Yeah.” Spenser shrugged and took a bite of his own. “Do you think we’re gonna make it?”

Reese looked at him, surprised by the question.

Spenser rocked a quiet confidence but wasn’t cocky about it, so it was a bit of a shock to Reese to hear him ask.

“I do, yeah,” Reese replied.

Holy fuck. We can do this.

Speaking the words bolstered his confidence, the feeling overwhelming him a bit.

“We’re going to do it,” Reese said, looking up at Carter as he appeared in front of him.

“A little surprise,” he quipped, handing him a piece of folded-up paper.

“What’s it say?” Spenser asked, leaning over to read it. “You can do this. You’re the best running back I know, and I know a lot of them. -S.”