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I motion to the game he’s paused. “Are you ready for tomorrow’s game?”
“We had a meeting tonight, Grey, Hudson, Palmer, and me. We decided that we’re going to stay for one more year.”
I turn to look at him, a myriad of conflicting emotions filling my chest and head as I shake my head. “What about the increased chance of injury?”
“I face those same risks if I get drafted. The average player in the NFL only plays for three years. If I stay and get my degree and Krueger’s able to lead the offense, I stand a damn good chance to be a higher draft pick.” His lips brush against my temple. “It gives me a year to focus on this future and make it a reality, and it gives us another year together. It’s a win-win.”
“I want you to stay, but I don’t want you to regret staying.”
Nolan shakes his head. “I won’t but I know I’d regret leaving. I’m not ready for the draft. I realized this when a couple of questions sparked me to lose my shit. Krueger’s going to mentor me, help me work toward preparing both mentally and physically for what this future can hold, and next year, I’ll be ready.” He slides his hand down my jaw and lifts my chin, so our eyes meet. “Next year, we’ll be ready.”
“I love you,” I tell him.
He smiles victoriously. “And I love you, Hadley Foster.”
Epilogue
Hadley
“You look stressed,” Katie says.
I glare at her. “I am stressed. Why are finals so brutal?”
“It’s your birthday,” Hannah protests. “We aren’t supposed to be in the library today.”
We spent most of Saturday watching Camden’s final game of the season. Once again, they won. There’s a distinctive difference between the offense with Kruger in charge, one beyond just the pacing and energy. The guys were having fun, actually smiling for once. It makes me so damn hopeful and also a little terrified about Nolan’s decision to stay for another year when Peters’s future remains unknown. Their game was early, allowing us the entirety of our Saturday night to celebrate. I don’t regret a second of the time I missed studying, but I need to make up the time, and with Nolan still practicing long hours as they prepare for their bowl game, I have no qualms about studying now if it will help my chances of getting a better grade for public speaking.
“This is kind of a lame way to spend your birthday,” Katie says.
“I don’t have time to be cool,” I say, highlighting a chapter in my textbook. “Maybe next semester.”
Evelyn chuckles.
“The only final your grade is depending on is public speaking, and you know those facts inside out and backward. You haven’t put your notes down,” Katie argues. “We should be going out. Tacos. Margaritas. Cake.”
“One more hour,” I tell her, sticking the back of my pen between my molars and flipping through the pages. This entire week has me a little stressed out because after my last final on Friday, I’m about to fly home to Vegas for a full week to celebrate Christmas at home with my family. It’s a bittersweet feeling to be leaving, especially since Nolan won’t get the opportunity to go home again due to football.
“Does having your birthday so close to Christmas suck?” Mila asks. “Does everyone give you one gift and say it’s for both Christmas and your birthday?”
I shrug. Birthdays were never big occasions in my house, either, but explaining this is too long of a story for here and now. “It’s never bothered me.” I turn back to my textbook, reading the same passage for the third time when a trumpet horn blares through the library.
“What in the hell?” someone behind us asks.
More band members flow through the doors, playing their instruments to Camden’s fight song. Katie grabs her phone and starts to record the scene, almost everyone in the library is doing the same.
The song ends and the band parts, and Nolan walks in, flanked by half the football team, maybe more.
My cheeks are already growing red as he makes his way to our table, eyes bright with mischief and humor. He reaches for me, pulling me out of my chair.
“What are you doing?” I ask.
“Celebrating your birthday by creating a new Camden tradition.”
“What?” Behind us, the library doors are opening again, more streaming into the giant library.
“Everyone should be celebrating today.” He pulls me into his arms and then kisses me. I melt into his arms, into his lips, into him as the band begins to play again, and all around us people dance and laugh—so many wonderful laughs at the bizarreness of the moment that seems to have everyone forgetting about finals and studying.
The football team sets to work, moving the tables and chairs to create a giant dance floor in the middle of the library where people don’t hesitate to make use of the space as the band plays popular cover songs. Startled librarians come to see what’s going on, but shake their heads and disappear, as more gather in the library, creating a Camden tradition that I hope lasts long after we graduate but I know that even if it doesn’t, it’s my favorite tradition by far.
“Happy birthday, Cutlass,” Nolan says against my ear, producing a square jewelry box.
I crack the box open and find a gold chain with two boxing gloves hanging from it.
Nolan leans closer as the music gets louder, his eyes a dark shade of green tonight. “I’ll always fight for you, Cutlass.”
And then I kiss him.
