Page 142 of Hometown Halftime

“THIS IS BULLSHIT!” I parrot.

“FUCK YOU, ANKYLOSING SPONDYLITIS!”

“FUCK YOU!” I say angrily.

His voice echoes right beside mine while the two of us stand in the middle of a field screaming at the sky like complete idiots.

And somehow, it helps. God, it actually helps.

Eventually my screams dissolve fully into laughter while tears stream down my face. Riley’s grinning beside me now, cheeks pink from the cold and the yelling while his chest rises hard.

He comes to me, wrapping his warm arms around me.

“Proud of you, Kinsey.”

I lock my arms around his waist, feeling some of the remaining stress leave my body. His sandalwood smell surrounds me as I press my ear against his chest to listen to his heartbeat.

"Can we sit for a minute?" I ask him.

"Whatever you need."

He helps me to the ground; the grass crunching beneath us. I sit facing him, my legs stretched around him. He reaches up and turns his cap backwards and my hand rubs over his flannel-clad arms.

For a moment, we stare at each other. And I can’t help but feel unspoken words pass between us.

“Thank you for this. For not panicking or being mad when you came home.”

His hand reaches to cup my jaw.

“I couldn’t be mad at you, Kinsey. But fuck, you scared me.” He huffs out a breath. “Just promise me that no matter what happens between us, that you won’t keep stuff like that bottled up. You didn’t have to keep it from me.”

I nod, leaning into his touch. “I know, and I won’t anymore. And I’m sorry.”

He kisses my forehead. “Don’t be sorry. Just know I’ll always be here for you, Kinsey. No matter what.”

“I know.”

He tips my chin up with his thumb to look into my eyes.

“I’m serious, Kinsey. I’ll move mountains for you when you can’t do it on your own. I’m here to help you through the rough times and laugh with you through the good. I promise. Because fuck, I’m falling for you.”

My eyes search his as I fight tears, even though it feels like I have none left to cry. So, instead, I place my hands on his jaw and my lips meet his. The kiss is gentle and lazy, not leading anywhere.

It’s then, sitting in the grass with the golden light of sunset warming us, that I feel the truth down to my bones.

He’s everything I’ve ever wanted, and it’s going to hurt so damn bad when he leaves.

Chapter fifty-seven

Riley

November passes by in the blink of an eye.

The girls celebrate their fourth win of the season one minute, and the next, the mornings have turned colder, people are hanging Thanksgiving decorations around Cedar Falls, and rugby playoffs are suddenly only a couple of weeks away.

And life has settled into a rhythm somewhere along the way.

Practices, games, class finals, and early morning workouts for combine training all start blurring together until the weeks pass in a haze of exhaustion and routine.