Until We Touch (Fool's Gold #15)

Jack and Kenny were arguing about a play from a game from who knew how many years ago. As she walked back in, Jack stood and walked to the microwave. He hit a couple of buttons while explaining to Kenny why he was wrong.

Because in the few minutes she’d been gone, he’d put her dinner in the microwave for her. So it wouldn’t be cold. Taryn grabbed the open bottle of wine and topped off Larissa’s glass while Sam put another slice of garlic bread on her side plate.

She smiled and took her place at the family table.

* * *

TWO DAYS LATER, Jack walked through Fool’s Gold on his way to the library to pick up Percy. It was nearly seven on a weeknight, but people were still out. Families strolled together. Neighbors visited over fences. It was a good town, he thought. A place that welcomed strangers and made longtime residents not want to leave.

Taryn had hated the idea of moving here, but even she had come around. Sam was engaged to a local girl. It was just a matter of time until Kenny overcame his past and fell hard for some sweet young thing. Then they’d have roots here and Score would become a part of the Fool’s Gold story.

He wanted that. A sense of belonging was nice—as long as he could keep his distance as it washed over him.

He turned the corner and headed for the library. As he got closer, he saw a tall skinny teen sitting on the front steps. Percy put his laptop away as Jack approached, then stood and walked toward him.

“When did the library close?” he asked.

“It’s open a few more minutes, but I came out here to wait. I wanted to keep working on my reading.” Percy grinned. “It’s going good. Some of the stuff I know and I’m learning the rest of it.”

“Good for you.” Jack and the teen walked along the sidewalk. The sun had set about fifteen minutes before and now the sky darkened quickly.

Percy glanced at him. “There were a couple of guys in the library who were starting at Cal U Fool’s Gold in a couple of weeks. They said they wished the school had a football team.”

“Trying to influence my vote?” Jack asked.

“Maybe.”

“You don’t have to convince me, kid. I think having a football program will enrich the college. But I’m not the decision maker. Besides, starting a team from scratch...” He shook his head. That would be a tough one. “I’m not sure where they’ll find a coach willing to take that on. It would be years before they were decent enough to play in any of the ranked leagues. You’d be giving up maybe a decade of your career to be in the shadows.”

Percy brows drew together. “I thought coaches were in it for the love of the game and teaching their players.”

“A lot are, but you also want to be seen as a winner. It’s hard to win when you don’t get to play.” Jack wondered how long until the program could join the small leagues. Three years? Four? “Plus, it’s going to take some real money to do it right. Scholarships have to be established, equipment bought, staff hired. A job like that would be consuming.”

He knew what he was talking about. Football had consumed him for a couple of decades—but in the best way possible. He’d seen the sport change lives. Having a team on campus would be a good thing—he believed that. But he doubted the university was willing to make the commitment.

Football had saved him, he thought. Had given him a place to belong after his parents had left for Africa. It had been easier to survive that year after Lucas had died. The year of firsts. First Christmas without his brother. First birthday. In a way, the latter had been more difficult. Because he and Lucas were twins—they’d shared a birthday.

“At least they have a good name,” Percy said. “They’re the Warriors. That’s from the town. The Máa-zib tribe that settled here. Larissa was telling me about it.”

“Did she also tell you the Máa-zib are matriarchal?”

Percy looked blank.

Jack grinned. “That means the structure of the tribe was based on women having the power instead of men. A male-dominated society is patriarchal. Like if a boy is born, he’ll be king, but women can’t rule.”

“There’s a queen of England,” Percy said.

“Right. But that’s only because there weren’t any male heirs. Prince Charles, her son, is her oldest child so her daughter will never rule.”

“That sucks.”

A generational comment, Jack thought humorously. He was pretty sure most men over the age of sixty would think nothing of that. But times had changed.

Percy grinned. “So you’re saying the Cal U Fool’s Gold Warriors should have a woman dressed up like a warrior instead of a guy?”

“Yup.”

“Sweet. You gonna tell them?”

“Probably not.”

“If you change your mind, I want to be there,” Percy told him.

“On the fringe of making trouble, but not actually doing it yourself?”

The teen nodded. “All the show and none of the danger.”

“My brother was like that,” Jack said without thinking.

Percy glanced at him. “I didn’t know you had a brother.”

“I did. He died a long time ago.”