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The man had been so damn thrilled when I told him I was ready to attend a game. He got me tickets to the first one he will be playing in after his sprain finally healed, and he got me tickets for Bianca and Tina, too. I would’ve brought along Cody, but unfortunately he was busy, so he couldn’t make it. And Elaine is currently with Logan for their last weekend together—a thought I try to keep out of my head solely because it makes me think of Elaine potentially being hurt after all of it is over and not seeing her dad again. Because I have no doubt once this weekend is over, Logan will be disappearing from our lives like he had wanted to years ago.
I try to focus on the game instead, feeling weird about being here —but in a good way. On my other side sits Andrea, Leo’s sister, who informed me that Willow is here too, except she’s down in the section right near the field with the other sports reporters for the post-game interviews. My gaze switches to the field in front of me to one of the TVs that plays a close up of the game, and somehow, my eyes always find Caden.
He gave us special passes that allow us to head to the team’s lounge/locker room after the game, which Andrea would take us to, and it kind of makes my stomach nervously and excitedly flutter at the idea of us just. . . Existing together in public. As a couple. Sure, this is nothing like a first date in public—we haven’t even had one of those yet—but it would still be me and him, in front of his entire team and other people, as anus.
Months ago, the thought alone would have freaked me the hell out. But right now, I find myself actually looking forward to it. To just being with him.
When the game is over—the Rebels won, unsurprisingly—and the enthusiastic cheers die down in the box and the teams are off the field, Andrea gets up and we follow her out and down long hallways and elevators to where the team will be after the game. Butterflies flutter around in my stomach as we follow her, with Bianca and Tina giving me reassuring smiles, and when we reach the lounge, I see a bunch of other people gathered around as well. Friends and family of the team, I’m sure, who attended today’s game.
“This is so cool,” Tina chuckles under her breath. The lounge is pretty nice with leather couches and tables with drinks and snacks.
“How’re you doing, babe?” Bianca asks me quietly after around ten minutes of waiting, bumping her hip against mine. “Still freaking out?”
I crack a smile. “Only a little,” I answer truthfully. Heat gathers in my cheeks as I say, “I’m just excited to see him.”
Just as I say that, the door opens and out comes the team, out of uniform and back in regular clothes, their duffels strapped to them. My heart jumps to my throat as Caden emerges in jeans and a hoodie, hair damp and curling around his ears as hazel eyes search the room until they land on me and, I swear, the moment they do, it’s like everything and everyone else in the room disappears.
A slow, sexy grin spreads on his face that nearly has my thighs clenching, as he strolls over to me, confidence in his gait as if he never sprained his ankle. A stupid little grin is on my own face as he approaches, feeling my heart thundering away in my chest, and he doesn’t hesitate for a second in cupping my face in large, calloused hands, tilting my head back, and dipping his own head to press his lips to mine.
I’m putty in his hands at the slow, knee-weakening kiss, my hands lightly gripping his wrists to hold on as I return the kiss. Heat explodes across my skin, and in the back of my mind, I know people are watching, probably wondering who the hell I am. But in this moment, I can’t bring myself to care. Not when Caden kisses me like he’s been waiting his whole damn life to do it, the scruff on his chin deliciously scratching my skin and the butterflies in my stomach going into a frenzy.
Eventually, he pulls away, but just enough for a hairsbreadth of space between us. Foreheads still pressed together, I feel his thumb brush along my cheekbone, my eyes still closed as I try to calm my racing pulse. “I’m glad you’re here,” I hear him say in a low, husky voice.
A smile touches my lips, my cheeks on fire. “If that’s the kind of greeting I’m gonna get, I should’ve come to your games ages ago,” I quip breathlessly.
Caden chuckles and pulls back just as my eyes open. I look up at him, catching that grin on his face, and my own smile widens a little despite being aware of multiple sets of eyes on us. His hazel eyes are fixed on mine, and I see some concern slip into his gaze as he asks quietly, “Was that okay?”
Because we’re in public. Because now there will no doubt be media outlets writing articles about this. Hell, I wouldn’t be surprised if a picture or video of this moment was posted on the Internet, too. But as Caden stands in front of me, tall and solid, with his hands still cupping my cheeks, my lips tingling from the kiss, and his soft gaze on me, I realize with sudden clarity that none of that matters. All of the shit I was worried about before. . . It’s unimportant. This, right here—me and him—that’s what matters.
“Totally okay,” I assure him with a grin, gently biting down on my bottom lip.
“That’s one way to announce your relationship,” a new voice speaks up, and I glance over to see JJ grinning at us knowingly.
Caden scoffs through a smile as Bianca nods with JJ in agreement. “They live for the drama, clearly,” she says somberly, though a teasing glint is obvious in her eyes.
I shake my head as Caden’s arm casually slings over my shoulders, pulling me into his side. It feels so natural, so right, and I lean into him immediately, my own arm wrapping around his waist. He smells good and I want to wrap myself up in him.
For the next few minutes, Caden, JJ, and Leo who eventually wanders over, ask us if we enjoyed the game, and we all make small talk in the buzzing room. But at one point, the guys’ coach calls Caden over, and he presses a kiss to my temple. “Gotta talk to some sponsors really quick. I’ll be right back.”
I nod with a smile, watching as he walks over to where Coach Scott stands with a small group of men and women. “No surprise we won today,” JJ says, dragging my attention back. He’s grinning a shit-eating grin. “Caden put on a hell of a show for you.”
My cheeks heat up despite my growing smile. “I’m sure,” I murmur, earning laughs from everyone else.
While we wait for Caden, I chat with the girls, JJ, and Leo. I can still feel a few people’s curious gazes on me, but they all are from afar, which is fine by me. My nerves from before are long gone, and I feel comfortable where I stand with everyone, not really feeling as out of place as I feared I would.
In the pocket of my jeans, I feel my phone buzz, and when I pull it out and see Logan’s name on the screen, a frown pulls at my eyebrows as maternal worry instantly floods me. He rarely ever calls me. And Elaine is with him right now.
I quickly answer the call. “Hello—”
I barely get the word out as Logan speaks tightly, his words quick and a little frantic. “Daria, I’m on my way to Northwestern Memorial.” My heart immediately drops to the pit of my stomach at the mention of the hospital. “Elaine, she—she had an allergic reaction. We’re almost at the emergency room.”
Panic. Instant, heart-stopping, blood-icing panic takes over me at Logan’s words. The air stills in my lungs, and instead of freezing in place and letting my terror seize me, I snap a quick, “I’m on my way,” before hanging up and turning my wide, alarmed eyes to Bianca and Tina. My voice is trembling from barely restrained fear as I tell them, “I need to get to Northwestern. Elaine’s in the emergency room.”
Horror instantly takes over my two friends’ faces, and Tina is already pulling out her keys as she says, “Let’s go.”
I look towards Andrea, JJ, and Leo, all of whom are watching with worry taking over their faces. I glance at Caden, who is still deep in conversation, and I don’t want to interrupt him. My mind is frantic, only thoughts of Elaine racing around in time with my pounding heartbeat. “Go,” Leo tells me. “We’ll let Caden know.”
That’s all I need. I nod and am rushing out of the room with Bianca and Tina, trying to keep my panicked breath even as we run down the hall towards the exit. I try not to think of how it might be impossible to leave the stadium parking lot quickly, but it’s been almost an hour since the game ended, and I’m desperately hoping most of the cars have cleared out by now.
