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I glanced at the clock to see the game had ended with us ahead by six.
With my new notoriety, I struggled to reach the gate without being stopped every ten seconds. The show of support felt good, but I needed to get to Parker. After thanking the millionth fan, I gave up and hopped the railing.
The cold metal on my palm took my breath away, but then I was running. With the sixth sense we had about each other, Parker turned my way when my feet hit the grass. A smile lit up his face, and the rest of the people on the field disappeared.
Luckily, he’d already put his helmet down because I didn’t slow when I reached him, just launched myself into his arms. He caught me with a laugh, bracing me with both hands on my ass.
I wound my arms around his sweaty neck and kissed him for all I was worth.
“You were amazing,” I whispered against his mouth. “I’m sorry I got up in my head. Nothing could keep me from coming to watch you play.”
He brushed my nose with his. “Except you playing with me. I love you, Lorelai Jones.”
“I love you too, and I’ll be out there with you soon enough.”
“Where you belong.”
It took me several seconds to realize the people around us were applauding. I unhooked my legs from around Parker’s waist and dropped back to the ground. He anchored an arm around me ensuring I couldn’t move too far away from him.
We smiled and waved for the cameras pointing at us, and he didn’t let me go again until he had to go to the locker room with the team. As they filed past us, they bumped my shoulder or slapped my back. Every single one of them wore my name marked on their skin somewhere.
* * *
Monday morning,I got out of Parker’s bed—I still hadn’t decided about moving in with him—took a shower without anyone interrupting for once, and dressed in one of the few professional outfits I owned.
Parker wouldn’t let me go to the director alone, or rather without him, since his mom and Harper were meeting me there. He drove us to campus, holding my hand the entire time, and parked in front of the administration building.
Gina and Harper waited at the top of the stairs, a world away from us in the car. My heart thundered away in my chest, and nerves made my stomach twist.
“Do you want me to come in with you?”
I shook my head. “If they need to talk to you, Harper said she’d come get you.”
Harper lifted a brow and tapped her watch. Time to get this show started.
“Glory lasts forever,” I muttered.
He tilted his head. “Did you just quote The Replacements at me?”
My face heated. “You weren’t supposed to hear that.”
Parker kissed me, quick and full of confidence. “You’re going to be great.”
I leaned against him a second longer, still getting used to being free to touch him in public. “You’re the best thing that’s happened to me, and I got to ride in Mike Taylor’s private jet when I was nine, so the bar isreallyhigh.”
“I’ll keep that in mind later.” He grinned, and the naughty promise in his eyes helped distract me from my nerves.
“No matter what happens in there, I’ll be waiting for you out here. This isn’t the end—this is our beginning.”
“I’m glad I’m at this beginning with you.” I hopped out of the car before I could convince myself to stay a little longer staring at my ridiculously hot boyfriend. Or turn around completely and drag him back to bed.
The cold air settled my stomach, and with my lawyer and my publicist at my side, I walked into the athletic director’s office with my chin high.
We met with Matt Delongio and two assistant directors. They listened while I pled my case, a speech I’d practiced with Parker and the others for hours the night before. As expected, they weren’t open to negotiation until Harper showed them the school’s social media feed.
She’d filmed me jumping on Parker after the game, and thanks to her scarily brilliant marketing, the video had gone viral the next day. My mostly ignored social media was exploding, we’d officially been dubbed college football’s power couple, and#catchmenowwas trending.
She’d done more for my career in the last two days than I’d done in two decades.
