Tami finally laid eyes on Eric Taylor during her last class of the day - U.S. Government. The cheerleaders were right. He did have gorgeous eyes, muscular arms, and a lovely ass. The voice she didn't know about. Mr. Thomas, a boring teacher who only lectured and never held class discussions, didn't even ask Eric to introduce himself.

While most students chatted during the last five minutes of class when Mr. Thomas let them "get started on the homework," Eric didn't. Tami, who sat directly behind him, saw that he was sketching play diagrams in a spiral notebook. He spoke to no one, and that, somehow, made him even more attractive.

Dark.

Handsome.

Mysterious.

[*]

Tami glanced at the empty spot at the end of the first pew where Mo usually sat beside her, holding her hand. She missed it more than she had expected she would. There was something special about a hand held in church. But last week, Mo had said, "I really think I should start going to church with my mother again. I'm going away to college in less than a year. I should spend more time with her." Tami had greeted his announcement calmly enough. In fact, she took this consideration for his mother as a sign that he really was the same Mo she'd first fallen for. Mo was being a dutiful son to his mother, and who couldn't admire a dutiful son?

After the service, Tami stood by the church door and handed out smiles as her father handed out handshakes. She was just saying, "Bye, y'all" to a departing couple when she saw Eric Taylor.

As Mr. Taylor shook the hand of Reverend Hayes, Tami shot Eric one of her signature smiles. Most boys would have caught it giddily like candy tossed at a parade, blushed or flustered, but he just stood silently beside his father, his lips a straight line, and nodded to her. She thought those cheerleaders from the bathroom would flip out if they could see him filling out that dark suit, the red tie setting off the lighter browns in his eyes.

Eric's father was even taller than he was, and his hair was just as dark and thick, though it was peppered with a few specks of gray. His eyes were the color of Hershey's chocolate. Next to him stood Eric's mother, a pretty woman, a full head shorter than her husband, with golden brown hair and sparkling green eyes.

"Are you visiting with us today?" Reverend Hayes asked the family.

"Yes," Mr. Taylor replied. "We've just moved from Houston."

So the cheerleaders were wrong. Tami momentarily envied Eric Taylor his former chance to live in a place with museums and diverse restaurants and a lot of people who didn't even know him. Tami had always wanted to live in a city. The culture lured her, but the anonymity attracted her even more.

"I hope you enjoyed the service," Reverend Hayes said. "We'd love to have you again next week."

"Not next week," Mr. Taylor replied. "We're going to visit a few more churches before we decide where to attend. We're Episcopalian, but the closest Episcopal church is over thirty miles away, so I suppose we'll have to settle for something else."

Tami watched her father raise his head slightly on the word settle. "Well," the Reverend Hayes replied, "one should never be hasty in settling on a home. But we do hope you come back again. Mr. Taylor, Mrs. Taylor, and - " He turned his head to Eric.

"You probably know Eric already," Mr. Taylor said. "I'm sure his reputation precedes him."

"Dad," Eric hissed beneath his breath, and his face flushed.

The Reverend Hayes turned his eyes to Tami without turning his head. Those eyes told her he was quite at a loss as to the subject of the boy's reputation.

"You don't know?" Mr. Taylor asked. "Eric has been the starting quarterback of Sam Houston High's Wildcats for two seasons. He took the team to the State Championships last year, and they won. He already has a state ring."

"Ah," the Revered Hayes said.

"Well that's remarkable," Tami's mom chimed in. "When's the first game of the season?"

Mr. Taylor looked at her as though she had just asked who the current president was. "This coming Friday, of course."

The Reverend now turned his attention to Mrs. Taylor. "Just the one child?" he asked her pleasantly.

Again, it was Eric's father who answered. "We have a daughter who recently graduated magna cum laude from TCU. She works in Dallas as an accountant."

"She's an actuary, darling," Mrs. Taylor said, speaking for the first time.

"That's what I said, Janet."

"TCU," the Reverend Hayes said. "A fine school."

"Kathleen received a full academic scholarship to that institution," Mr. Taylor boasted. "And Eric here," he clapped his hand down on the boy's shoulder, "will likely be getting a football scholarship and a spot on one of the top ten football teams. Isn't that right, son?"

"I'll try, sir."

"We don't try in this family, Eric. We do."

"Yes, sir," Eric replied.

"Well, you know what the Bible says," the Reverend Hayes told Mr. Taylor. "We may make our plans, but God has the last word."

Mr. Taylor laughed, as though he thought the Reverend were joking. "Well let's be on our way, Eric," he said. "We've got an afternoon game to watch. And you better be taking notes this time. I don't want to see a repeat of that confused play you made last season." He placed a hand on the small of his wife's back.

Eric's mother smiled silently at the Hayes family and let herself be guided out the door.

"Sheesh," Tami's mother muttered when the Taylors were out of earshot. "I wonder if he ever lets her speak for herself."

"See," Reverend Hayes replied. "Your husband's not so bad. It could be worse. You could be married to that pompous ass."

Mrs. Hayes shot her husband a teasing smile. "He sure was easy on the eyes though."

The Reverend looked down at her, an eyebrow raised. "I'm going to have to keep an eye on you," he said, but he was smiling back.

[*]

"He never talks," Marie said as she checked her lipstick in the mirror of the girls' bathroom.

Tami was being careful about her mascara again.

"Eric you mean?" Cindy asked.

"Of course, Eric," Marie replied. "He's so…." She sighed dreamily. "Brooding."

"Or maybe he just doesn't have anything smart to say," Anita muttered.

Cindy tilted her blonde head and smirked. "Sounds like somebody got turned down for the homecoming dance when she asked a second time."

"That's ridiculous," Anita replied. "No one on the football team turns me down."

Tami cleared her throat.

Anita shot her a fake smile. "Excepting the boyfriends of present company, of course."

[*]

"Does that new kid ever talk at practice?" Tami asked Mo at lunch. "Eric Taylor?"

"Yeah, he runs his mouth all the time," Mo said, opening his milk carton.

"What do you mean?"

"He's always suggesting plays. Like he was the coach. And the really annoying thing is that Coach lets him. Doesn't reprimand him for it."

"Well…are they good plays?"

"What does that matter? He's not the coach. He's not even team captain." Mo chugged his milk and set it down hard. "I am."

"Well someone's in a bad mood today," she said.

"Did you know coach is thinking about starting Eric instead of me in Friday's game?"

Tami shook her head.

"I could lose my chance at a scholarship if I don't get enough field time this season."

Mo had never suggested he thought he had a chance at a scholarship before. He was an above average player on a mediocre team that had never made it to a state championship. Fewer than 8% of high school players ever got college scholarships. No one was scouting Mo. In the past, he'd always told Tami that he thought football was for fun, and that he might or might not play in college, and he was going to major in business.

"Hey," she said softly, putting her hand over his. "It's just football. You're a smart guy. You'll be successful in life whatever you do."

He pulled his hand away. "Just football? Where have you been living, Tami?"

[*]

Tami flopped down in her father's arm chair. He was in his desk chair, bent over a commentary, scribbling notes. "Daddy, I need a car," she said. "I'm a senior. I'm 17. Everyone else has a car."

"Everyone else most decidedly does not have a car," he said, without looking up.

"Mo won't give me a ride to school in the mornings anymore, because my volleyball practice is so early."

"That's what they have the early school bus for." He turned a page in his legal pad and resumed writing.

"No seniors ride the bus. Not even any juniors ride the bus."

"Then take your bicycle. It's only three miles."

"I'd have to ride on the street for a mile. Doesn't that frighten you?"

"Not in the least," he replied.

"Please? Just some cheap, used car. You have no idea how embarrassing it is not to have a car."

He sighed and finally looked up. "Margaret needs to reduce her hours. She's caring for her elderly mother. I could use a little extra help in the church office. I'll drive you to school and back so you don't have to be mortified on the bus. You can work at the church after school, from 2:30 to 4:45, Monday through Friday, so you have time for your studies."

"How long will it take me to earn a car?" she asked.

"However long I decide it will."

[*]

Tami watched Eric in government class to see if he would speak. When they were supposed to be silently reading the next chapter of their book, Eric was drawing play diagrams again. Tami wondered when, or if, he did his work. Surely he must. His father probably expected perfect grades.

Mr. Thomas stepped out to speak to an administrator in the hall, and Kimberley, who was sitting in front of Eric, turned around and asked him where he was from. Kimberley was a cute, sweet girl who was on Tami's volleyball team, and she and Tami hung out from time to time.

"Houston most recently," Eric answered.

"Most recently?" Kimberley asked. "Where else have you lived?"

"Dallas. San Antonio. El Paso. McAllen." He returned his attention to the diagrams.

"Is your dad military?" she asked.

He didn't reply. She repeated her question, a little louder. He didn't look up from his drawings, but he answered, "No."

"Then why do you move around so much?"

Eric put down his pen. He glanced to his left and then to his right. He leaned toward Kimberley and whispered, "Don't tell anyone, but we're in witness protection."

Kimberley giggled. Eric resumed his play diagrams. She resumed talking to him, but, after not getting more than a word or two response to her next three questions, she gave up and left him to his drawings.

[*]

At Friday's game, Coach alternated Mo and Eric, giving each equal play time. Mo was daring, while Eric was cautious. Mo energized the team, while Eric kept them focused. Mo laughed and whooped and hollered whenever the team scored, while Eric mostly just looked relieved.

The Tigers won.

After the game, Mo took Tami out for ice cream to celebrate. He was going to a party later, but Tami couldn't accompany him. In deference to her father, and in penance for her rebellious year, she now only went to parties for which he gave his (often reluctant) permission. This one was being hosted by a high school graduate, a former Tiger who was now twenty, and who had once spent a year in juvie. The Reverend did not approve.

Tami took a bite of ice cream and licked the spoon.

"Did you see that rushing touchdown I made?" Mo asked.

She offered him her praise and rewarded him with strawberry-laced kisses across the table.

"Eric never even set foot in the end zone," he said when he pulled away. "He never even threw a particularly long pass."

Tami did not mention that Eric's completion rate was very high, or that the team scored 24 points while he was on the field and only 13 while Mo was on the field.

Mo glanced at his watch. "We should get going."

"You said you'd spend an hour with me before you went to the party."

He grinned. "Yeah, but I didn't mean at the ice cream shop. I know a great place where we can park and…celebrate."

They hadn't had a real date in a while, and Tami thought of telling him no, that she just wanted to go for a walk and hold hands and talk, but he had just won a game.

She smiled. "Okay, but you better take your time, even if that makes you late for the party."