Wilson was laying in Harrison's vacant spot. She sat up, giving Wilson a little belly rub, and letting her eyes adjust to the bright light streaming through the window.

The Panthers didn't have workouts or practice today. But knowing Harrison, he'd still be practicing. She gave Gary a short massage before getting out of bed.

After staying over at his house so many times, she had her own drawer of clothes. Slowly making her way across the room, Carrie dug through the drawer, finding a t-shirt, while going into his closet for a pair of sweatpants.

She came out once again decked out in Panthers gear. Just as she was about to head downstairs, Carrie heard a thud coming from outside. Being curious, she made her way over to the open window.

There he was in last years Color Rush uniform, working on his tackles. She watched as he started behind the makeshift line of scrimmage, ran forward, working on his footwork through a few cones, before sprinting to the left around another cone and getting a straight shot at the tackle bag. Harrison purposely hit it from the side as he wrapped both arms around it and took it down.

Carrie made her way downstairs and out onto the deck where she sat with Wilson and Gary to watch him work. He was in all of his padding as well. She wondered how long it was going to take for him to notice her when his tinted visor was looking in her direction. But he simply turned around and started again.

This time he pushed one of the sleds that was designed to be a lineman. Pushing it for 15 yards, he spun around it and ran at the tackle bag. He noticed her this time.

After pulling the sled back into position, he jogged over. Harrison stepped up onto the deck and undid the four snaps to unstrap his helmet. "Morning Carrie."

She gave him a quick kiss. "I thought you didn't have practice today?"

"You know me. I'm always practicing." Neither of them said anything for a few seconds. "I missed two easy tackles yesterday."

"It's okay Harrison. Just get them next time."

He was by far the hardest working player she'd ever met. On a day off, most guys would be enjoying it while he was practicing and working out.

"You want to help me with something?"

"Sure."

Harrison stood up to his full height of 6'1. He was on the shorter side of the average linebacker, but it didn't matter when he was out on the field.

"Come on."

Carrie followed him into the backyard where he ran into the shed he had and came back with a pad. "Hold this."

He then came out with string which he formed into a circle around her feet. "I'm going to work on a blitz. I'll tell you which way I'm going to go around you and I want you to push me with the pad like an offensive lineman would. Once I get around you, I'll go for the sack."

"Bring it on."

Harrison stood a few feet away from her. He then held his right arm up, signaling he'd be going to her left. Once he started coming around, Carrie pushed the pad at him, pushing away from the tackle bag that was her quarterback.

"Nice. A QB might of gotten a throw off."

Then he tried the left side. This time Carrie came out of her circle and pushed him with the pad, hard enough the she actually knocked him over.

He fell to the ground with laughter. "Wow."

"I sure blocked you."

❺❾

Harrison continued to work on the blitz for another half hour until Carrie asked, "how do you put on all of that gear?"

"I'll show you."

He finished up his mini practice and took off all his gear. "It's a lot."

"You're lucky you don't have neighbors," she blurted out.

"Why's that?"

"Because you're standing in your backyard in just your underwear."

He shot her one of his lopsided grins. "Well, we're starting from the beginning."

Harrison picked up a white Panthers tank top and pulled it over his head. "First, undershirt. This one has a little padding around the ribs."

"Do you have to wear one?"

"Mostly everyone does. Shoulder pads itch without an undershirt."

"Next, compression shorts. This is where all the lower body padding is."

Then he pulled on his blue socks that matched perfectly with the all blue uniform. "Did you ever not wear knee and thigh pads? Before I've seen guys not wear them."

"Honestly, I get blocked down there too much to feel comfortable not wearing them."

He picked up his shoulder pads and put them on before buckling them. "I have a back plate on these just in case I get hit from behind returning an interception or something. And some guys wear a flak jacket that goes around their ribs. Mostly quarterbacks wear them. If I was on offense I would wear it."

Carrie handed him his blue Color Rush jersey from last year with his captains patch. The jersey wasn't much bigger than the ones he'd wear to a no pads practice, or out to charity events. "That really stretches."

"It does."

Then he put on his very tight pants and tied them at the waist. "Cleats and helmet."

It wasn't long before he was all geared up again. "How do I look?"

"Like you're about to go tackle somebody."