The drive back from Montana was long, but the return to Denver felt even longer. Jeremy and Alexandra rolled into the city late Sunday night, the skyline glittering in the distance, the weight of Alicia’s absence heavy in the cab of Jeremy’s truck. They didn’t talk much on the way home-both lost in thought, both wondering what the next week would bring.Monday morning dawned sharp and cold. The Cannibals’ practice facility was already buzzing when Jeremy arrived, coffee in hand, his mind still turning over the cryptic text he’d received the night before.You can’t ignore me forever, Jeremy. I’ll see you at next week’s game in Denver against Salina. Miss you!!!He hadn’t shown Alexandra the message again. He didn’t want to worry her, not with everything else on her mind.Inside, the team was quieter than usual. The locker room felt emptier without Alicia’s laughter, her easy confidence. Heather sat at her locker, scrolling through her phone, and Mo
The Montana sky seemed to go on forever, a pale blue bowl stretching over Lloyd Wright’s sprawling ranch outside Dillon. For Jeremy, Alexandra, and Alicia, the week away from football was more than a break-it was a return to something simpler, something real. The days were long and the work was hard, but the rhythm of the ranch, the honest ache of muscles, and the laughter around the fire made it feel like a world apart from the noise and pressure of the season.Each morning, Lloyd’s ranch hands were already at the pens, sipping coffee and swapping stories. Jeremy and Lloyd manned the branding iron, the hiss and sizzle of hot metal on hide a reminder of tradition and responsibility. Alexandra and Alicia teamed up to wrangle calves, boots digging into the churned earth, hands growing rough and strong. The air was filled with the sounds of bawling calves, the crackle of the branding fire, and the easy banter of people who knew each other’s rhythms.“Hold him steady!”
The Colorado morning was so clear and sharp it felt like a new beginning. Alexandra stood on the porch of Jeremy’s family ranch, coffee mug warming her hands, the air tinged with sage and distant pine. The sun was barely up, but the ranch was already alive: horses nickering in the corral, the lowing of cattle, and the distant voices of ranch hands prepping for the day. She glanced sideways at Jeremy, who leaned against the railing, his own mug cradled in his hands.For a long moment, neither spoke. They just breathed in the quiet, the kind that only comes when you’re miles from anywhere, with nothing but work and sky ahead of you.“It’s beautiful here,” Alexandra said softly.Jeremy smiled. “It’s home. Even when I tried to leave it behind, it always pulled me back.”She nodded, feeling the weight of their shared history. The last time they’d been alone like this, things had been simpler-or maybe just less honest. Now, the silence between them was thick with everything unsaid.The crun
Sunday morning broke crisp and clear over Denver, but Jeremy Davis barely noticed the spring sunlight streaming through the Coliseum’s high windows. He was already at the stadium, dressed in a sharp navy suit, tie knotted just so, hair combed with the care of a man who knew the cameras would catch every detail. The Cannibals’ home turf was quiet for now, but the air buzzed with the promise of attention-ESPN, Fox Sports, and, later, the local 9 News crew were all coming to get their piece of the comeback story.Jeremy checked his phone for the third time in as many minutes. No new texts from Alexandra, but her message from the night before still glowed on his screen: “I’m coming with you to the ranch. See you soon.” He smiled, nerves and excitement tangling in his chest. But first, he had to get through the gauntlet of interviews.ESPN: The Comeback KidThe ESPN crew arrived first, setting up lights and cameras in the Cannibals’ media room. Jeremy shook hands with the producer, then to
The echoes of the game still lingered in the Denver Coliseum’s corridors, but Jeremy Davis felt like he was walking into a new world. Clean-shaven, hair still damp from the shower, he straightened the cuffs of his tailored suit-a tradition he’d kept since his earliest days as a player. On GameDay, he dressed for the part, and tonight, he wanted everything to be perfect. This wasn’t just any post-game dinner. This was Alexandra.He waited outside the women’s locker room, hands fidgeting with his phone, nerves fluttering in his stomach. Every detail had to go right. He replayed the game in his mind, every throw, every call, but it was Alexandra’s smile after her game-winning touchdown that kept flashing in his memory. He wanted that smile to last forever.The locker room door swung open, and Alexandra emerged, hair still a little damp, cheeks flushed, eyes bright. She wore a simple black dress and a leather jacket, her Cannibals duffel slung over her shoulder. She caught sight of Jeremy
Saturday dawned over Denver with a sky so blue it looked painted, the kind of day that begged for something big, something unforgettable. The city buzzed with anticipation, every sports bar and living room tuned to the same story: Jeremy Davis, once the heart of the Denver Mustangs, now owner and GM of the Colorado Cannibals, was making his improbable comeback as quarterback. The Cannibals’ season, their locker room, and maybe even Jeremy’s own future, all hung in the balance.Inside the Denver Coliseum, the energy was electric. Fans poured in, faces painted, jerseys new and old, the stands a sea of black, crimson, and silver. Reporters from ESPN, Fox Sports, and every local station milled around the field, their cameras trained on the tunnel where the Cannibals would soon emerge. The air vibrated with the thump of bass-heavy music and the distant scent of popcorn and hope.But beneath the surface, nerves ran high.Pre-Game TensionIn the Cannibals’ locker room, Jeremy sat at his cubb
Monday night settled over the Front Range, the Denver skyline twinkling in the distance as Jeremy Davis sat alone in his office at the Coliseum. The echo of practice still lingered in his bones, his arm throbbing with a dull ache that felt both familiar and foreign. Somehow, word had gotten out-maybe a trainer, maybe a player with a loose tongue, maybe just the way news always seemed to find its way to the surface when you least wanted it to.Jeremy Davis was unretiring. The Cannibals’ owner and general manager was going to suit up and play quarterback.Now, ESPN, Fox Sports, local news, and every other sports outlet in the region wanted a piece of him. His phone had been buzzing all evening, interview requests stacking up like blitzing linebackers. He didn’t want to be a distraction, didn’t want the circus to swallow the team whole, so he’d scheduled every interview for after Saturday’s game. He made sure the networks knew: this wasn’t just about him. They’d get to talk to the whole
The Monday morning sun glinted off the glass facade of the Denver Coliseum, but Jeremy Davis barely noticed as he strode through the side entrance, phone pressed tight to his ear. He’d barely slept, his mind a storm of doubt, hope, and fear. The league’s decision would come today. Would he be allowed to play? Or would his last shot at redemption slip away before it even began?He checked his phone for the hundredth time. No call yet from Commissioner Helton. He tried to focus on the Cannibals-on the team, on Trisha, on the promise he’d made to her-but his thoughts kept drifting to Alexandra.He hadn’t seen her since the hospital, but her words from their last real conversation echoed in his mind: If you want to get back to the NAFL, you have to fight for it. For yourself. For us.He wondered if “us” meant what it used to.A League DecisionIn his office, Jeremy paced, waiting for the call. When his phone finally rang, he answered on the first ring. “Jeremy Davis.”“Jeremy, it’s Larry
Sunday night settled over the Wild West Indoor Football League with a tension that was almost physical. In homes and offices across the Midwest, team owners and executives logged into a hastily arranged video conference, their faces flickering into view in a checkerboard of anticipation, rivalry, and curiosity. At the center of it all, in a quiet home office lined with league memorabilia, Commissioner Larry Helton adjusted his tie and prepared to referee what promised to be a stormy debate.Jeremy Davis was not on the call. He’d made his request official that afternoon, citing the Cannibals’ extenuating circumstances after Trisha Steinmetz’s devastating injury. The league’s bylaws were clear: an owner could only play for their team if two-thirds of the league’s owners approved, and only in “extraordinary situations.” It was up to the rest of the league to decide if this was one of those moments.Larry’s screen filled with familiar names and faces: Chad Ross of the Wyoming Cavaliers, F