Patton Cooper won three national championships as the starting quarterback for the Los Angeles Marauders, but that didn’t stop them from trading him to Phoenix without so much as a warning. At thirty-two, he finds himself weighed down by old injuries and forced to start over again as a backup quarterback for an untried rookie. Deeply hurt by the betrayal of both his team and his ex-lover, Patton keeps to himself and takes what solace he can in football.<br><br>Cornerback DeShawn Jones has loved two things in his life -- football and Patton Cooper. It seems like his dreams have come true when he’s drafted to play for the Phoenix Wildcats, until he realizes the coach has no intention of letting him start, and his childhood hero is a withdrawn, wary man. But DeShawn refuses to give up on his dreams of playing, or his hope of reaching Patton.<br><br>A tentative connection forms between the two men, but the pressures of the game may be too much for the relationship to withstand. Especially when DeShawn is given the chance of a lifetime while Patton struggles not to relive the mistakes from his past.

Mr. November

DeShawn waited while Patton turned in his key and signed his receipt. The blonde woman behind the counter gave him a long, measured look before saying, “It’s a shame the way you were treated in LA.”


“And don’t worry, I won’t mention anything about…” She nodded at DeShawn, who was leaning against his car and frowning at his phone. “I think it’s a shame you have to come all the way out here. It’s nobody’s damned business what people do, that’s what I think.”


“Here you go, dear. Have a good day.”


Patton took his receipt and exited the office with a deep frown. DeShawn noticed the difference in his mood right away, and he straightened as Patton approached, eyes searching Patton’s face. “What’s wrong?”


“I…nothing. It’s just…the lady thought we came out here specifically to, you know…”


Chapter 27