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Cheers erupted behind me as I stood and shook hands with the other finalists, hardly able to believe my ears.
I'd won.
I'd fucking won.
“Congratulations, man,” one of them said, but it all became white noise to the thrum of my heart in my chest.
This was… I had no fucking words.
Nothing.
It was a good thing Cameron and Asher had helped me write an acceptance speech just in case… because, fuck.
I moved toward the aisle behind me and my dad grabbed me, pulling me into a bear hug. “I’m so proud of you, son. So fucking proud.”
“Thanks, Dad,” I managed to choke out over the giant lump caught in my throat.
Denise was next, her overpowering perfume making me cough as she enveloped me into a hug. “Congratulations, Jason. I know what this means to you.”
We’d had a tenuous relationship when she and Hailee first moved in with me and my old man. Right up until senior year, I’d wanted nothing to do with her or her daughter. But as I moved along the line to my stepsister, I could no longer imagine not having her in my life.
“I’m so proud of you.” Hailee hugged me, and I let her. Because I was no longer that same boy who had tormented her, and she was no longer the girl who rubbed me the wrong way.
“Get over here, bro.” Cameron and Asher pulled me into a big group hug. The three of us silent as we acknowledged this moment.
The two of them had been there for every high, every low. They had seen me at my best, my worst, and every shade in between. And their loyalty and friendship had never faltered, not once.
Before I broke away, Ash grabbed my neck and pulled me close, “Now you go up there and own it, you hear me?” He shot me a wink, stepping aside to let me kiss Mya’s cheek.
“Go get her, tiger,” she whispered.
Felicity was waiting on the end, tears brimming in her eyes as she watched me close the distance between us. She looked stunning in the jade-green dress that fell over her curves like a silk waterfall.
“You did it,” she breathed as I hauled her against my body, not caring we were in a room full of people, live on national television.
“I couldn’t have done it without you.” I couldn’t explain it to her, but Felicity grounded me in a way that no other could. Her wild spirit and empathy, her passion and insecurities, everything about her anchored me. I needed that.
I needed it more than I’d ever realized.
“Go,” she nodded to the stage, “they’re waiting.”
Stealing a kiss that barely touched my bone-deep need for her, I looped back around to the other row of chairs to shake hands with my coaches.
“Never doubted you for a second, son,” Coach Faulkner said, giving me a rare smile.
“Thanks, Coach.”
“Now get up there and do Penn proud.”
With a swift nod, I made my way to the stage. “Congratulations, Jason.” Someone guided me to the podium where the trophy was situated. I curled my hands over the bronze sculpture and lifted it in the air to hair-raising applause.
My heart beat so hard I felt a little lightheaded, but I couldn’t wimp out now. This meant everything… everything to me. Placing the trophy back on its stand, I pulled the scrap of paper out of my pocket and looked out over the crowd.
“This is… wow. I should warn you now, I perform much better on the field.” Emotion welled up inside me and I inhaled a shuddering breath, but the gentle laughs from the crowd settled my nerves. “I want to thank my team first. At the beginning of the season we lost our captain, Lincoln Manella, and Coach Faulkner asked me to step up as captain.”
“Hell yeah, he did,” Asher yelled, and everyone chuckled again.
“The team didn’t only accept my leadership, they respected it. My O line: Gio, Klein, Macca, Treyvon, Austin, Louis, Paulie. Those guys have been unbelievable this season and I couldn’t have done it without them. All my teammates have supported me and made this possible. I want to thank my coaches for guiding me right and keeping me grounded. For imparting their knowledge and pushing me to work harder.” I gave an appreciative nod in the direction of Coach Faulkner and his team.
