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“No one is here to judge us but you,” Annie said and put them on the coffee table with the other food. The game had started, but nothing interesting had happened yet, meaning Carson wasn’t playing.
Annie straightened the neon pink Alaska T-shirt she wore. “I’ve got my lucky shirt on to help the Broncos win. I’m assuming you guys are wearing your lucky T-shirts too?”
“I don’t have a lucky T-shirt,” Olivia said. Her wardrobe was once again lacking.
Riley cocked her head. “What did you do on your Alaskan cruise that now you have a lucky shirt to commemorate the event?”
Annie smiled dreamily. “I’ll never tell.”
Olivia popped a chip into her mouth. “Does Amazon sell lucky T-shirts? I could use one.”
“Unfortunately, no.” Annie sunk into the couch beside Olivia. “Your shirt has to earn it with a track record.”
Riley swiveled in the recliner to better see Annie. “You only went on that cruise last year. How many things have you done in that shirt?”
Annie reached for a piece of pizza and didn’t answer.
Riley shook her head. “I knew I should’ve gone on that cruise with you.”
Olivia ate another chip, eyes still on Annie. “You wore the shirt last week when you went for a run. Nothing lucky happened then, did it?”
Annie just smiled and bit into her pizza.
“Well, she didn’t pull a muscle,” Riley pointed out. “Or get hit by a car. So maybe the shirt is doing its job.”
Olivia huffed. “Or maybe she just pretended she was running and really did something else.”
“Not telling,” Annie said.
Riley picked up one of the Brussels sprouts. “Great. Now I’m going to have to go running and stealthily follow her to find out what she’s up to. I hate running.” She popped the vegetable into her mouth, made an “Mmmm” sound, and shut her eyes. “I take back everything I said about your Brussels sprouts being an abomination. Hand me the entire dish.”
Eventually, the three started paying attention to the game.
Olivia was biting her nails by the end of the first quarter. The 49ers had scored and the Broncos hadn’t.
“Why are you so nervous about this?” Riley asked her. “Carson still gets paid if they lose.”
Olivia picked up an orange slice so she wouldn’t bite her nails anymore. “Yeah, but he’ll be sad if they lose, and then I’ll be sad. I don’t want to cry over a football game. I don’t want to be one ofthosepeople.”
Despite Carson’s worries that he wouldn’t get any play time, the coach put him in a fair amount. Olivia hardly paid attention to the plays. She just watched Carson. Anytime he got knocked over, her eyes were on him, making sure he got back up. When the team was down by fourteen points at halftime, she felt sick on his behalf.
The team made one touchdown in the third quarter and another one in the fourth. She clapped and yelled things at the TV just like a regular fan. She was clearly becoming one ofthosepeople, but she couldn’t help herself. This was Carson’s team.
Going into the fourth down, the score was tied. The Broncos had one more chance to score before the buzzer. Olivia, Riley, and Annie leaned toward the TV, all quiet concentration. Olivia held her breath as though doing this would help the players.
The Broncos’ quarterback took several steps backward, searching for an opening. The 49ers’ defense was converging on him. He threw the ball. One of the 49ers swatted it out of the air.
The football bounced onto the ground near Carson, still live and in play. He scooped it up and dashed forward.
The closest 49er tried to stop him, but the man was no match for Carson’s size and strength. The guy practically bounced off him.
Then Carson was sprinting down the field, his long legs eating up the distance. The Broncos fans jumped to their feet, screaming in excitement. The commentator said something, but Olivia couldn’t hear what because she and her roommates had also jumped to their feet, screaming.
Carson darted over the touchdown line and held the ball aloft in triumph. He was instantly mobbed by his team members.
Tears pricked the back of Olivia’s eyes. Carson had definitely turned her into one ofthosefootball fans.
“My lucky shirt worked.” Annie held her hands up and did a victory dance. “You’re welcome.”
