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Her life is a constant go, go, go, and in the months that I’ve known her, she’s never talked about a guy outside a passing mention of a one-night stand or quick hookup.
“You’re bringing a guy to my game?” I ask, and something hot flares behind my eyes. My hand flexes at my side and my muscles clench tight, like I just finished a grueling workout under the summer sun.
“Yeah,” Lacey says. “Not for Maven’s birthday party. The one after. Is that okay?”
“Of course it’s okay,” I say. “Why wouldn’t it be?”
“I don’t know. They’re your seats. I don’t want you to think I’m taking advantage of you or something. Using our friendship to impress other people.”
“I don’t think that.”
“Okay, cool.” Lacey flashes me a smile, and the moment of tension is gone.
I’m not sure why I care she’s bringing someone, but every home game, Lacey is there in the front row with an ear-splitting grin. Whenever the Titans are down, whenever we’re lining up to kick a game-winning field goal and I’m too nervous to watch, whenever we score a touchdown to take the lead and the rest of the team is celebrating, I find her in the crowd. She’s not hard to spot; it’s like she’s a magnet and I’m metal.
I’ve never been distracted on the field before, but Lacey never fails to catch my eye.
If somethingisgoing to distract me, I’m glad it’s her.
She always laughs like a maniac and waves her arms in the air, looking like she belongs at a rave rather than the sidelines of a packed football stadium. Then she turns around and shows off the name stitched on the back of the jersey I used to wear when I played in the league.
Holmes.
Maggie pulls her off the stool and puts her through an interrogation about the guy she’s been talking to. Lacey says he’s in finance, and I want to roll my eyes.
Fucking snoozefest.
“You good?” Aiden asks, his eyebrows pinched and a spatula in his hand.
“Why wouldn’t I be good?”
“You got a little testy when Lacey said she was going on a date,” he says cautiously, and I can tell he’s treading lightly to make sure he doesn’t ask the wrong thing.
“Testy?” I laugh so hard, my shoulders shake. “I don’t care if she brings a date, Aiden. I guess I’m bummed because the games are our thing. You all hang out on the field beforehand. Half the team tries to flirt with Lacey, but she shoots them down. I stop by before halftime to say hi, and after, we go to the diner near the stadium for milkshakes. It’ll be an adjustment to add someone new to the mix, but I’ll survive. If Lacey likes him, I’m sure he’s a great guy.”
Aiden bobs his head in a slow nod before dipping his chin and biting back an obvious smile. “Okay. If you’re sure you’re good.”
I clamp a hand on his shoulder. “Never better.”
THREE
LACEY
Maven blinks backtears as she gapes at the suite.
It looks like an explosion of pink decorations, with eight dozen balloons and streamers. There are buffet tables with steaming food. An extra-large sheet cake covered in buttercream frosting sits on a table in the middle of the room, and each leather stadium seat has a jersey draped over the back.
“This is so cool.” She grabs a bite-sized burger and inhales the food faster than I can blink. “Uncle Shawn did all of this?”
“Yeah.” Maggie drapes her arm around Maven’s shoulder. “He came up here earlier. He wanted to make sure your birthday was perfect. Lacey picked up the cake from your favorite bakery, and your dad asked for the buffet to have all of your favorite game day foods.”
“You only turn eighteen once. Go big or go home,” I say, and Maven wipes her eyes.
“Thank you so much. All of you.” She reaches out and squeezes her dad’s hand, and the three of us wrap her in a bone-crushing hug she doesn’t try to pull free from. “This is the best birthday ever.”
After a minute, her friends tug her away from the embarrassing display of affection and move on to gush over the amenities of the suite.
It’s Shawn’s personal box, the one he donates to the team for charity invitations or season ticket holder upgrades. I’ve never been up here before, only sitting in the seats he has for us down by the field.
