2

Except for the fact that it stood empty and deserted, Last Chance High looked exactly as it had ten years earlier when Andy and the rest of his class filed onto the football field in caps and gowns while the marching band played “Pomp and Circumstance.” It was the same long, low, series of windowless brick buildings, built at a time in the mid-twentieth century when it was considered prudent to have a school that could also serve as a bomb shelter, should the need arise. Still guarding the front courtyard, a bronze puma, ears back and teeth bared, snarled from a brick pedestal.

Andy drove around to the back of the school and parked by the gym under the freshly painted “Reserved for Coach Ryan” sign. For a moment he just sat and watched the water from the sprinklers shoot back and forth across the field. In country where only sage and cactus grew unless coaxed, the football field lay like an emerald, closely trimmed and pampered as any hothouse orchid.

“Well, might as well see what we’ve got.” Andy got out of his truck and let himself into the athletic complex. Newer than the rest of the school, it had been built in what had come to be known as the Glory Days, those eighty-four games without a loss, spanning nine years, when the team could do no wrong and the town stood ready to give them everything they could possibly want or need. Andy had been right in the middle of that, leading a team so invincible that each of them knew in their hearts that no obstacle life could ever throw in their path could stand before them.

Trophy cases ran along one wall of the main lobby, and Andy stopped in front of them. A row of trophies filled one shelf, and behind each trophy hung a team picture. He leaned in for a better look. Who told them not to smile? Someone must have, because each boy stood or knelt, team jersey stretched over shoulder pads and helmet tucked under his arm, wearing the fierce scowl of a warrior. A small smile tugged at the corner of Andy’s mouth, and he shook his head.

“Oh, man, we were so young. What in the world did we know?”

Behind him, the door opened and he turned to find Russ Sheppard, president of the Boosters, coming in.

“Hey, Coach. I thought that was your truck turning off the road up ahead of me.” He gestured toward the trophy case with his chin. “So, what do you think? Are we going to get any of that back?”

“Those were some days, weren’t they?” Andy turned back to the case. “Something like that happens once in a lifetime, if that. Sometimes I can’t believe I got to be part of it.”

“You were a lot more than part of it, son.” Russ clapped him on the shoulder. “You made a whole bunch of it happen. And I’ll tell you what, we’re looking for big things to happen again now that you’re here.”

“Wait a minute, Russ.” Andy held up a hand and stepped back. “I think your expectations might be just a tad high there. I can promise you my best, but right now, that’s all I can promise.”

“And that’s all we ask.” Russ smiled and clapped Andy’s shoulder one more time. “You’re right. That win streak was a once in a lifetime thing, and we’re all mighty proud it took place right here in Last Chance. Just give us what you’ve got. That’s all you’ve ever done, but it’s been enough to get the job done.”

“So what do we have to work with this year?” Andy began to move toward his office, and Russ fell in alongside him. “I saw film, of course, but I don’t know any of these guys. They were, what, first and second graders when I left Last Chance?”

“You’ve got some good boys. Some of them show a lot of promise. Of course, it’s nothing like when you were here, but maybe they just need some good coaching.”

“Russ, you need to listen to me.” Andy stopped with his hand on the door. “With one breath you’re telling me that you know the Glory Days were a once in a lifetime thing and all you want from me is my best—which you know you’ll have—and with the next you’re talking like you can see it all unfolding like it did back then. I’m telling you right now, this is a different time and a different team. It’s not fair to them to saddle them with a lot of expectations.”

“I know that.” Russ followed when Andy walked into his office. “And I know it’s not fair to you either. But you’ve got to remember, these boys cut their teeth on the Glory Days. They may not remember much about that time, but they’ve heard about it, and you, all their lives. I realize things have changed. The town’s a lot smaller than it was back then. Heck, we’re not even in the same division we were in when you were here, but these boys are hungry. They’re going to give you a hundred and fifty percent. You wait and see.”

Andy looked around the spare office without answering. How many times could he caution Russ against saddling the team with a lot of ten-year-old dreams, and how many times could Russ assure him one minute he wouldn’t and then in the next let his longing for the return of the Glory Days spill all over the place? Russ wasn’t alone in that either. Nearly everyone he had seen since coming back to Last Chance had found some way to work it into the conversation.

“Looks like someone did a little decorating.” Andy gestured toward the wall behind the bare metal desk in the middle of the room, which was festooned with framed pictures and yellowed newspaper clippings.

“That was Rita, wouldn’t you know.” Russ rolled his eyes. “She started a subscription to the Arizona Daily Star the day you got your scholarship to University of Arizona, and then when you got drafted by the Broncos, she added the Denver Post. I don’t think she’s missed an article you were mentioned in since you left Last Chance. And those on the wall are just a few of them. Most of them are pasted in that scrapbook there on top of the file cabinet.”

“Think she’d mind if I took a few of them down? I appreciate the thought, and I won’t forget to tell her so, but having the athletic office look like a shrine to the coach just seems a little off to me.”

“Well, good luck with that. I’ve been trying to talk sense into that woman since she was elected mayor the same year I was elected town treasurer. I think it’d be easier to teach my dog to play dominos. But you’ve got the key now and she doesn’t. I’d say fix this place up like you want it. And while you’re at it, take a look around and see what you need. I can’t promise we can do everything, at least not at first, but we’ll sure do our best for you.” He held out his hard, calloused farmer’s hand and Andy shook it. “Well, I need to get going. I was on my way into town to talk to Chris Reed about the Booster breakfast next Saturday. You got that on your calendar, right?”

“I’ll be there.” Andy walked Russ to the door. “But I’d really appreciate if you’d help me temper this Glory Days talk. This year’s team is the important one. Help me get that across, will you?”

“You bet.”

Russ’s footsteps reverberated in the empty hall, and when they stopped, Andy stuck his head out to see what was going on. Russ stood, hands in his pockets, in front of the trophy case gazing at pictures of teams long grown, now men with jobs and families, successes and failures, all of whom would always carry with them the knowledge that they had been part of the Glory Days.

Vehicles lined both sides of the road and filled the parking lot of the Desert Sage Salon across the street from the Dip ’n’ Dine when Andy pulled his truck onto the shoulder just at the City Limit sign and switched off the engine. Stepping from the cab, he could hear in the distance the sound of banjo and bass and the low rumble of the crowd gathered to enjoy a night of music and food. He smiled as he shoved one hand in his pocket and headed back down the road. It was good to be home.

“Well, here’s our hero now.” Rita, sitting at the ticket table, smiled up at him. “Where’s your date? We gave you two tickets so you could bring someone, you know. We don’t have a whole lot of single women in Last Chance, I know, but any one of them would have jumped at the chance to turn up on the arm of Andy Ryan.”

“I sincerely doubt that, Rita, but thanks for the vote of confidence anyway.” Andy grinned down at her as he surrendered his ticket. Jess had obviously not mentioned that he had given her one of his tickets, and if she didn’t say anything, Andy certainly saw no reason to. Rita was far too eager to make him out to be more than he knew he was. Of course, most of that was Rita’s unwavering mission to put Last Chance on the map, but still, he was mighty uncomfortable with it. He looked over her head, trying to find a face in the crowd who might want to talk about something other than high school football, past and future.

“Ray Braden was asking if you were coming tonight.” Rita took his ticket and crossed his name off a list attached to the clipboard in front of her. “He’s sitting over yonder in that third row of tables. He may have saved a couple seats for you. I told him you were probably bringing someone.”

Perfect. Andy scanned the crowd until he found Ray sitting next to an attractive blonde woman Andy hadn’t seen before, and he began making his way over. He and Ray had been good friends in high school but had sort of lost touch during college when Ray had gone to the University of New Mexico to study art and Andy got his scholarship to U of A.

It took a few minutes to get through the welcoming crowd, but when he finally made it, Ray looked up with a wide smile and got to his feet.

“Hey, look who turned up.” He shook Andy’s hand while giving him a one-armed hug. “I was sure hoping to see you but figured I was only going to be able to hold these chairs for about five more minutes. Glad you made it.”

“Wouldn’t miss it.” Andy looked down at the woman smiling up at him from the chair next to Ray’s. “Hi, I’m Andy Ryan.”

“Oh, this is my wife, Lainie.” Ray dropped a hand to her shoulder. “Lainie, this is Andy. He and I grew up together. Andy was the big football hero in high school while I warmed the bench.”

Lainie held out her hand, and Andy took it in his. “It’s nice to finally meet you, Andy. The town’s been really looking forward to your coming home. I think Rita’s even talking about a parade.”

“Nope. No parade.” Andy sat down in the chair next to Ray. “As far as I’m concerned, I’m the new coach. Period. I’ve got a job to do, and that’s why I’m here.”

“Good luck with convincing Rita.” Ray grinned as he slid back into his own chair. “At the very least, she’ll have you as the grand marshal of the Christmas parade.”

“Yeah, well . . .” It was time to change the subject. “Where’s the rest of the family? Don’t you guys usually travel in a pack?”

“Usually, yeah, I guess we do. But Gran stayed home tonight. Big crowds are a little much for her these days. And Steven is still at the Law Enforcement Academy. Should be home soon. And everybody else is working this clam dig. You knew Sarah got married, right? She married the owner of the Dip ’n’ Dine, so she’s around here somewhere.”

“I did not know that.” When Andy thought of Sarah Cooley, he thought of a skinny little kid barrel racing and roping goats at local rodeos. Hard to imagine her all grown up and married.

“This is her niece, Olivia.” Lainie put her hand around the shoulders of a little blonde girl of about seven or eight sitting on the other side of her. “Olivia, say hello to Coach Ryan.”

Olivia glanced over before returning her attention to her meal. “Hello.”

“Wow, here I thought I’d find Last Chance frozen in time, and nothing’s the same. Steven at the Law Enforcement Academy? Now that I think about it, he’d be great in law enforcement, but to tell the truth, it’s not something I’d have predicted.”

“He’s surprised a lot of us.” Ray looked up as a tall, slender woman with a shock of pink hair over one eye approached them. “And if you ask me, here’s a major reason for that. This is Kaitlyn, owner of the beauty shop across the street, sister of Chris Reed, the owner of this place, Sarah’s sister-in-law, Olivia’s mother, and the one who seems to have brought out the best in Steven. Kaitlyn, this is an old friend, Andy Ryan.”

If Kaitlyn had ever heard of him, she was not awestruck. In fact, if anything, she just seem harried. Her smile was brief. “Hi. Do you know if you’d like the combination plate or the rellenos?”

Andy looked at Ray and shrugged. “The combination plate, I guess.”

“Take the rellenos.” Lainie leaned across Ray. “These chiles are stuffed with meat and spices and walnuts and raisins. So different! You can get the combo plate tomorrow. Kaitlyn’s brother is an amazing chef and he only gets into the kitchen when they have these fiestas. You won’t be sorry.”

“Okay then.” Andy looked up at Kaitlyn and smiled. “The rellenos it is then, thanks.”

Kaitlyn nodded as she left. “Be right back with that.”

“Excuse me, do you need this chair?”

Andy looked up at the man standing next to him with his hand on the back of the empty folding chair. He was about to tell him to take it when he caught sight of the ticket table on the edge of the parking lot.

“I’m sorry, but it’s taken. The party I was holding it for just got here.” He pushed back from the table. “Be right back.”

Jess was standing next to the ticket table scanning the tables with a bright I’m-going-to-look-confident smile on her face when Andy reached her.

“Hey, you made it. I’m sitting with some friends and there’s an empty chair if you’d like to join us.”

Jess actually looked glad to see him, and with her coppery hair fluffed around her face and just a little makeup, Andy had to admit that she cleaned up real good. “I’d like that,” she said. “Goodness. You said everybody in town would be here, but I had no idea that Last Chance was so . . . big.”

“Spread out, it seems pretty small. Bunched up like this, well, there’s a lot of us. Plus, from what Rita tells me, people come from all around. Anyway, we do have a place over here. I’m sitting with an old friend I grew up with and his wife, who I just met. I think you’ll like them.”

He led the way back to Ray and Lainie and began the introductions. The trouble with introductions in Last Chance was that they never stopped with just names. Lineage, relationships, and connections all had to be explained. Jess’s smile began to look a little fixed and her nod a little automatic.

Lainie laughed and reached across Ray to touch Jess’s arm. “Don’t worry about getting everything straight. It’ll take weeks, months. I’m not sure I’ve got it all, and it’s been two years since I came to Last Chance.”

“Wow, practically a native.” Jess grinned, and as she and Lainie went on talking, Andy sat back and watched.

Jess smiled a lot, and her eyes crinkled at the corners when she did. There was an eagerness about her when she met folks that seemed to say she had been looking forward to the pleasure and was delighted that it was finally taking place. When Andy thought about her introduction to the town earlier that day, he felt kind of bad. Oh, they had been friendly enough, and Last Chance was probably a lot more welcoming than a lot of small towns, when you got down to it, but they did have to look you over a bit first, bide their time before they made up their minds about you. Clearly, Jess hadn’t been quite ready for that, and Andy was glad that Lainie, a newcomer herself by Last Chance standards, had cut right through all that reticence and was making Jess feel right at home—at least he hoped Jess was beginning to feel at home. He certainly wanted her to.

“So, what do you do, Lainie?”

Andy winced a little. The question, the first one asked in so many places, was not so common in Last Chance. In the first place, everybody pretty much knew what everybody else did, and in the second, what you did just wasn’t the most interesting thing about you. But Lainie seemed to take it in stride.

“I work here, actually. The woman who owned the Dip ’n’ Dine before Chris gave me a job when I first got here, and I just love the place. If Times Square is the crossroads of the world, the Dip ’n’ Dine is the crossroads of this whole area. Take a booth in the corner, and you’ll see everyone from miles around pass through.”

“Here you go.” Kaitlyn was back and placed the plate she was carrying in front of Andy. “And what can I bring you?”

She smiled down at Jess, who looked around and shrugged. “Menu?”

“Combination plate or rellenos?” Lainie, Ray, and Andy spoke in unison with Kaitlyn.

“But the word is that rellenos is the dish to order,” Andy finished up.

Jess eyed the dish in front of him and nodded. “Looks good. I’ll have that too.”

“Here, take mine.” Andy set the plate in front of her and looked up at Kaitlyn. “Just bring me another like it.”

“No, no. This is yours.” Jess began to protest.

“It’s fine. It won’t take Kaitlyn a minute to bring me one, will it, Kaitlyn?”

“I wouldn’t dream of taking your dinner.” Jess set the plate back in front of him with a little thump and turned her crinkly-eyed smile back up at Kaitlyn. “And take your time. No need to rush.”

Andy sat back, not knowing quite what to do. He had been raised with “ladies first” and “don’t eat until everyone is served.” Now here he sat with a plate of cooling food in front of him while the lady sitting next to him had just told the server to take her time.

“You eat that while it’s hot.” Jess jabbed a finger at his plate. She sounded awful bossy, but her eyes still smiled. “My dinner will be here soon enough.”

“If I were you, I’d do what she said.” Ray nudged him with his elbow. “Times are a-changing, even here in Last Chance.”

Andy shrugged and picked up his fork as Jess picked up the conversation that had been interrupted by the arrival of his dinner.

“So, I have to ask. If you love working here and everyone connected to the place or the family is working this fiesta, how come you’re not?”

Lainie slid a glare toward Ray. “Because Ray and his grandmother, who we live with, ganged up on me, that’s why. They say if I’m on my feet during working hours, I need to be off my feet when my shift is over.”

“Well, congratulations!” Jess’s face lit up, and Andy noticed that when she really smiled, her eyes almost crinkled shut. But he still had no idea what they were talking about. “But you know, they’ve got a point. First trimester?”

Lainie nodded. “Ten weeks.”

Ooooh. Andy got it. And fervently hoped this wasn’t going to be that kind of conversation.

“All the more reason to get as much rest as you can. You’ve got a big job ahead of you.”

Andy was of two minds. As Jess leaned to give advice to Lainie, who was sitting two seats away, her arm and shoulder pressed against his, and he liked that. But he sure wished she were talking about something else.