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I look over my shoulder, spotting those mean girls from the elevator earlier sitting with my party now. They don’t even seem to care that Emma isn’t with them, so it feels like we could leave and head somewhere quieter to hang out without anyone even noticing.
“You wanna get out of here? Maybe check out some of the tourist sites with me?” I ask and I see Emma look around for her friends.
She bites her bright red bottom lip, those big blue eyes of hers growing worried as she debates what to do.
I can’t help it. I reach out and tuck some of her light blonde hair behind her ear so that I can lean in and whisper to her.
“I’ll have you back before they even notice that we’re gone.”
Her eyes meet mine and I give her my most charming smile. I’m praying that she says yes. I’ve never wanted anything more in my life. Not even when I entered the NFL draft.
She chances another look at her friends before she straightens her shoulders and nods.
“Alright. Let’s do it.”
She smiles at me as I take her hand and pull her out of the booth. We weave our way through the crowd, me leading the way and pushing the few drunk people out of our path.
I don’t let go of Emma’s hand as we burst out onto the busy Las Vegas sidewalk. It’s getting late, but the whole city is lit up with flashing lights.
“What spots have you already been to?” I ask as I look around the strip.
I would love to take her on the High Roller or to the Gondola ride at The Venetian.
“Um, the pool and spa at the Luxor,” she says, biting her lip and seeming embarrassed. “Taylor is running the show,” she explains.
“Ah,” I say, grinning. “Well, let’s fix that.”
I tighten my fingers around hers and take off toward the center of the strip. I buy us tickets for the High Roller and we take our spots at the end of the line.
“Are you really retiring?” Emma asks, surprising me.
I am, but I haven’t told anyone except my mom. I didn’t announce it publicly yet. But Destiny Falls is a small town. My mom must have spread the news around town. I know that she’s excited I’ll be moving back home next year.
“Yeah, after this next season. I tore a tendon in my shoulder on a hard tackle last year and it hasn’t been healing as well as I’d like it to.”
Her concerned eyes flit to my shoulder and she frowns.
“I’m alright. I’ll play one last season, hopefully get to the Super Bowl again, and then head back to Destiny Falls.”
She smiles at that last part and I grin.
“What about you? Are you still living in Destiny Falls? What do you do for a living?”
She tells me about leaving our little hometown to head to Michigan State University and getting her degree in education. She’s now a kindergarten teacher at the elementary school in Destiny Falls and my heart flips when I think about us living in the same town soon.
“You never wanted to move somewhere else?” I ask her as we move up in line.
“No. I know that may sound weird since Destiny Falls is such a small town, but I’ve always loved it there. I love the people, the cute little shops. My entire family lived there and they might have driven me crazy sometimes, but I still loved them more than anything. It’s just my mom and me now and she’s still there in my childhood home. I even love the weather. It’s not too hot and sweltering in the summer and we still get snow in the winter. It’s just always felt like home.”
She gives me a sweet smile and my heart thuds and then takes off in my chest.
She’s so sweet and down to earth. So kind and caring. How has no one swooped her up and made her theirs yet?
She tells me about her family and a lot about her mom and friends back home. I ask her why she chose to teach kindergarten and she tells me how much she loves the little kids. A vision of her laughing and playing withourkids hits me and rocks my whole world.
I can tell that she loves what she does. She can’t stop grinning as she talks about her students and some of the other teachers. She mentions that Eloise Hurley is her best friend and a fellow teacher, and the name sounds familiar, but I can’t put it to a face.
It’s our turn next and we both look up to see the big round balls on the wheel.
