Page 286 of On His Team

She’s standing with her mom, crying hard enough that she keeps wiping under both eyes with the heel of her hand. The second she sees me, she starts climbing over something she absolutely should not be climbing over.

A staff member notices. He thinks about stopping her. Then he very wisely decides against it.

She reaches me at full speed and throws both arms around my neck.

“Ow.”

She lets go so fast she nearly falls backward.

“Oh my God.” Her hands go straight to my arms. “Are you hurt?”

“I’m fine.”

“You literally just said ow.”

“You got my leg.”

Her eyes drop. “What happened to your leg?”

“Puck.”

She looks back up at me. For one second, she just stares. Then her face changes completely.

“You’re a national champion.”

I smile. “Yeah.”

She pinches my ribs. “You’re a national champion, Rowan.”

“Yeah.”

“You fucking did it.” There are tears on her face again.

I put my hands around her waist and pull her closer. “I love you.”

Her whole expression breaks open. “Say it again.”

“I love you.”

“Again.”

“G.”

“One more time.” She’s smiling now, crying and smiling at the same time. “You just won a national championship. I get one more.”

I laugh. “I love you, Gianna Reeve.”

“I love you too,” she says. “Obviously. Oh my God.” Then she pulls me down by the back of my neck and kisses me over the boards.

There’s a camera somewhere nearby. Her parents are directly behind her. Somebody behind me is yelling my name. I don’t care.

When we finally pull apart, her mom hugs me next, which I am not prepared for, and her dad shakes my hand before putting the other one on my shoulder.

“Hell of a block, son.”

“Thanks.”

Then Benson comes through the tunnel, and the whole thing shifts immediately.