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the Phoenix Wildcats, until he realizes the coach has no intention of letting him start, and his childhood hero is a withdrawn, wary man.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

“I didn’t know. I didn’t plan this. But what you said in the car. I…I once said something very similar to Chris. And I realized…I can’t be that person, DeShawn. If we were just friends, you would have told me sooner. You wouldn’t be so hesitant to leave me and I wouldn’t be…”


“What?” DeShawn prompted, heart now permanently lodged in his throat.


“Dying at the thought of you leaving.”


“Then stop acting like it’s for my benefit. You’re doing it because you’rehurt.”


Patton shook his head. “I’m doing it because it’s my turn to help you. You came when I needed you, and now I’m going to pay you back by doing the right thing.”


“This isn’t the right thing. You might have yourself convinced of that, but you won’t convince me.”


“Where are you going?” Patton asked, following DeShawn back to the front door.


“I’m going to go get my car. I have to fly to Orlando in the morning, I better get my shit together.”


Chapter 43