“Stop talking.” I cover his mouth with my hand. “I quit. Mahler’s a jackass and you were right about everything. I’m not here just to tell you not to stand, I’m here to prove that you don’t have to do this alone.
“You’re always so concerned about taking care of everyone else that you never let anyone take care of you. And I understand if you never want to see me again. I get it. But I’m not going away until I prove to you just how important you are to me. To everyone.” I hold up my nearly empty roll of tape. “All I had to do was show your teammates the things you’ve shown me. Every single one of them was proud to have your back. They’re all going out there to kneel with you, to cover their emblems until the League is forced to make a change and all men”—I drop my voice so only he can hear me—“men like your father, get what’s owed to them.”
I take my hand off his mouth, but I still don’t give him the opportunity to speak.
“I just need to tell you how much you mean to me. No matter what happens in the future, you’ve changed me. You made me face things I’ve spent forever hiding from, and I will always love you for that. I’m just so sorry that in that process I ignored your doubts and feelings just because I was scared to face my issues—”
“You love me?” His eyes go soft and I hope it’s not from pity.
“I know it was fast and I get it if you don’t—”
Before I can explain or even say yes, Quinton’s mouth is on top of mine. The urgent, demanding kiss, forcing my mouth open as our tongues circle each other.
“I’ve been waiting to hear you say that,” he whispers, his breath dancing across my lips. “Because even though you make me crazy, I love you too.”
“Howard!” a security guard at the opening of the field yells. “You’re next!”
Quinton grabs his helmet off the floor and intertwines his fingers in mine, running with me and only letting go of my hand when his feet hit the turf. He jogs backward onto the field, bringing his hand to his mouth and blowing me a kiss before lifting his helmet into the air and running into the middle of the circle of his teammates, all with their black tape on their jerseys, as they cheer for him along with the rest of the stadium.
I only wish I could see the look on Mahler’s face right now.
“Sooo . . .” Brynn bumps her shoulder into mine. “How’d it go?”
Even though I’m sure the smile that has taken over my face gives her the answer, it feels so good to say the words. “I love him.”
“Girl, tell us something we don’t already know!” Vonnie stands besides us, the sun catching on the crystals of her shirt I know she doesn’t want to be wearing.
I look out at the field, watching Quinton as all of his teammates, with their logos blacked out, walk over to him and pat him on the back before they line up on the sideline. “He loves me too.”
“Fucking finally!” Greer—GREER!—shouts. “It took you two long enough.”
We all break out laughing and for the first time in a long time, I feel free. There’s no sadness lingering beneath my laugh, no weight on my shoulders that I can’t shake. I just feel happy. And, as I look back to the field as the first notes of the anthem begin to play and see everyone on the Mustangs’ sideline, players and coaches—and even some of Baltimore’s players—drop to their knees, a pride I didn’t know was possible flows through my veins.
Knowing how pissed Mahler must be in his box is just the icing on the cake.
There’s always been some booing when Quinton would take a knee. But today, it seems like the crowd has been shocked into silence. And even though it’s not my job to figure out what they’re thinking anymore, part of me can’t help but to step out of the tunnel to look out into the sea of orange filling the stadium. And when I do, I’m shocked at what I see.
It’s a moment I’ll never forget. Chills run down my spine and goose bumps cover my arms. So many people are slowly lowering themselves back into their seats, as if making the stand with the players. Some people are even taking off their jerseys and turning them inside out. As the final chords of the anthem blast from the speakers, cheers start to build from the stands. They start quietly, hesitantly even, but grow louder and louder until everyone is back on their feet shouting their support for the men on the field.
Who knows if this is something they’ve always wanted to do in support of Quinton. Maybe it’s something they were inspired to do today after seeing all of the men they look up to also take a stand. But either way, it just goes to prove how much power comes with sticking together. Quinton has empowered all of these people to put action behind their thoughts. By doing something so small, but with more courage than most people could ever imagine, he’s changing the League and the world.
But more than any of that, we’ve changed each other.
I always thought that I’d end up alone, but not anymore. Not only do I have this wild group of women, I also have Quinton by my side. And I’ve never been more excited to tackle life, because for the first time ever, I’m finally living it.
Epilogue
If it wasn’t so infuriating, it would almost be comical at how quickly the media changed their tune once it wasn’t just Quinton they had to go against. Apparently, it’s a lot harder to twist the words of hundreds of people than it is just one person. In the two weeks since players from
