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He won’t spot us up in the bleachers, among the thousands of fans who have travelled out to Norwalk, California to see and support both teams. But I’ll be waiting for him afterward, rea
dy to tell him how proud I am.
“God, I’m so nervous.” Anticipation skitters up my spine and Conner wraps me into a side hug.
“You have nothing to worry about, Hadley, baby. Our boy’s got this.”
Cole glances up, his eyes running over the crowd, and my heart stops. I think back to the night I found him in the shadows, stunned and covered in blood. So much has happened since then, to both of us. We’ve been through so much pain and heartache. It makes me so happy to watch him down on the field, no longer the boy on the fringe, but a part of the team.
A Seahawk.
A fighter.
A survivor.
We’ve spent so long fighting to stay afloat, but maybe we don’t have to anymore. Maybe together, we can find peace.
Chapter Thirty-Six
Cole
The whole night has been unbelievable. From the size and sheer noise of the crowd, to the buzz of the game, to the incredible high of our win, it’s been more than I ever could have imagined, and it makes me ever more excited about the secret I’ve been keeping from everyone the past week or so. The only thing missing is Hadley. Conner told me he’s asked her time and time again, Remi too, but she was adamant that she wasn’t coming.
Even if there’s no future between us, I want her here for this. She’s been such a huge part of my life the past few months and I want to celebrate with those I care about, those who encouraged me to even be here tonight.
The atmosphere in the locker room is electric as we all shower and dress, ready to greet our families. Seeing the guys’ smiles is infectious, and I find myself joking along with them.
I might have never wanted to join the Seahawks when I was first dragged to Sterling Bay, but somewhere along the way, I became a part of this team, or more so, they became a part of me. And winning tonight just seals that deal. I always hoped that football would be my future, and the fact that it looks like it’s going to be blows my mind.
Eventually, we all make our way out of the locker room to be greeted by the crowd of Seahawks fans who travelled to support us.
The roar as the door opens knocks me off-kilter a little. Even knowing we just won, I can't quite get my head around it all.
One by one, the guys around me get swallowed up into the crowd. I look around, hoping to spot my family, but there are so many people I don’t find them straight away.
“Cole.” Conner’s loud shout fills my ears, and I turn in the direction it came from to find him beaming back at me. He fights his way through the crowd and pulls me into a hug.
“Bro, that was fucking incredible,” he shouts, bouncing up and down with me in celebration.
“It was something else,” I agree, laughing at him.
“I’ve got a surprise for you,” he whispers.
My heart damn near stops as I pray that he’s about to tell me what I want to hear.
I turn to look at where he emerged from the crowd, hope bubbling up inside me. But I don’t see her, and disappointment floods me that I’ve jumped to conclusions. Then the front of the crowd parts, and I find the most beautiful sight.
Hadley wears my number as she smiles at me. Excitement fills her eyes, but I don’t miss the flicker of concern that darkens them as our stare holds.
“Surprise,” Conner says beside me, but I pay him no attention as I walk toward my girl.
“You came,” I breathe, the noise of the crowd surrounding us disappearing as I approach her.
My eyes flicker over her face, taking in all of her features, as if trying to convince myself that she’s actually here.
“I did. Congrats, champ.”
“You came,” I repeat, making her chuckle.
