Page 233 of On His Team

I laugh.

Me: ROWAN!

Me: THAT WAS SO GOOD!

Me: THAT PASS!

Me: YOU’RE GOING TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP!

His answer takes longer this time.

Rowan: Yeah.

Then another.

Rowan: Wish you were here.

Everything in me goes soft.

I sit down on the arm of the couch while the room continues buzzing around me.

Me: Me too.

Three dots.

Rowan: Come over when we get back tomorrow.

I smile.

Not if you want.

Not maybe I’ll see you.

Just come over.

Me: I’ll be here waiting.

I look back at the TV, where they are replaying the overtime goal again.

Every win still buys them another game.

Another practice.

Another week of Rowan walking into a rink with Camden on his chest.

I know it can’t keep going forever.

But tonight, he wants me waiting when he gets home.

Chapter 21

ROWAN

By the time we get back to Camden on Sunday, I’ve slept maybe three hours. Most of that happened on the bus with my forehead against the window and Stanley’s foot under my seat. It should be enough to make me want Hawthorne, food, a shower, and nobody talking to me for the rest of the night. Instead, the first thing I do when we pull into the rink parking lot is text Gianna.

Me: Here.

Her answer comes before I’ve finished getting my bag out from under the bus.