The Game (That Girl, #2)(60)

“Well, Levi Wilks, it looks like you’re the brother on top tonight. Tell us a little about the game,” a commentator asks excitedly while holding a microphone up to him.

I keep blinking my eyes to make sure I’m not seeing shit. I turn to the nearest customer and ask, “Is he wearing a floral hat?”

“Sure is,” the old man replies.

“Well, thanks, Jillian. Denver is a class act, and I have to hand it to them for a well fought game.”

My legs feel wobbly and my head starts to spin, wondering why in the hell he’s wearing that hat on national television. The room spins even faster when the commentator asks about it.

“The Super Bowl is the game of all games. It’s the one place all us football players want to make it, and when you do make it here, you cherish every single second of it whether you win or lose. Lots of you believe I played the game of my life tonight out here on the field, but the truth is I didn’t. This is only a part of me, and actually a very small slice.” Levi has to pause a moment to wait for the roar of the crowd to die down.

My knees are now knocking together and my eyesight begins to blur. The man I’m standing next to me pulls out a chair for me to sit in.

“I fell in love with a girl and let her get away. I left her to go back to Dallas. This game means nothing without her.” He looks directly into the camera. “I have no idea where you are or what you’re doing, but if you’re listening, come home to me.”

I’m up and running out the door. I hear Levi’s voice still talking on hundreds of television on tailgates, and the echo of it resounding from the stadium. I don’t listen to one word of it. Cars are dodging everywhere in the parking lot, making it hard to keep up my sprint. I finally spot a shuttle and hop on. I have no idea where it’s going, but it has to get me closer to the stadium. Levi’s voice becomes clearer as he talks about different plays he made, and the cheers continue as each player gets some time to talk, along with the coaches. When we near the stadium, I jump off the back of the shuttle and push my way to an entrance. A security guard grabs me by the elbow.

“Where’s your ticket?”

“I lost it.”

“Stamp?”

“Please just let me in. Levi Wilks is talking about me. Please.”

“Yeah, you and all twenty other girls who claimed to be her.”

“Please.”

“Not a chance.”

“Fuck,” I holler as I turn away from him.

There’s no f*cking way I’m getting in there. It’s locked up tighter than Fort Knox. Where’s Jenni when I need her? I guarantee she could turn her charm on to get in there. Walking back toward the bar, I kick beer cans as I go, and picture the hat Levi was wearing. I still swear up and down my eyes were playing tricks on me. No way he could’ve been wearing it, but what about the words coming out of his mouth?

“Jazzy.”

I hear my name and look up into the sea of people who are trying to make their way out of the stadium. I don’t recognize any familiar faces and just chalk it up to my wild imagination.

“Jazzy.”

The voice is louder this time, but still no familiar faces.

“Jazzy!”

I feel a hand grab my elbow and immediately try to rip it away. Turning around, I see Rusty.

“Rusty.”

“Jazzy, it is you.”

“Take me to him. Can you? Please.”

I notice the badge hanging from his lanyard and know right away he’s my only ticket in.

“Please, I tried, and it’s, like, on f*cking lockdown.”

“C’mon, girl,” he chuckles. “You must really love him if you’re willing to talk to him after he left you like that.”

“Just hurry. I need him.”

Rusty scopes out the gate his cousin is working, and we have no trouble getting in. The field is still covered with hundreds, probably even thousands of family members, teammates, and security guards.

“We’ll never find him,” I yell to Rusty.

“Hold my hand and have some faith.”

Rusty drags me straight up to the makeshift awards stage in the middle of the field. I spot Levi before he sees me. I have several minutes of staring. Rusty tries to get his attention, but I ask him not to. I want a few moments to study the man. He looks exactly the same. The same gorgeous face, chiseled body, and killer smile stand only feet from me now, and I just want to stare. Charisma flows off him as he gives his teammates hugs and slaps on the ass while the owner of Dallas gives a speech.

Our eyes finally meet, and his reaction is the same as mine. He just stares at me. It takes him several minutes before he moves, and we say volumes to each other without a word. Levi begins to push past teammates and then jumps over the top bar of the stage.

He charges over to me, scooping me up in his arms. My hands fly around his neck and my legs wrap around his waist. I don’t have a chance to say anything.

“I’m a dick. I’m a complete dick and played the biggest dick card on the face of the earth. I love you, Jazzy. I f*cking love you so much. I can’t live without you. I won’t live without you. I came back for you, and you were gone.”

“You did?”

“I came back for you at Christmas. You were gone. Lynlee said she didn’t know where.”