"But we could match."
"Still no."
Five minutes later, Toby reappears with another jersey.
Adult size.
Again, with Colby's number.
I stare at it.
"No."
Toby looks wounded. "I went to considerable effort."
"You walked to a closet."
"A heroic closet."
Liam leans against the boards. "It would be rude to reject team hospitality."
Jamie says nothing, which somehow again feels like betrayal.
Colby is trying not to smile. Failing. Badly.
"You too?" I ask him.
He lifts both hands. "I know better than to interfere with team hospitality."
Jillie presses the jersey into my hands.
"Please, Mom."
There are many reasons to refuse.
Good reasons.
Practical reasons.
Emotionally responsible reasons.
I put it on anyway.
The jersey is too big. Warm. Navy.
His number is across my arms and back.
Colby looks at me. Just looks.
The teasing fades from his expression so quickly my breath catches.
For one second, the whole arena seems to go quiet.
Then Toby whispers loudly, "Oh, that's excellent."
Colby does not look away from me.
"Yeah," he says quietly. "It is."
