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Pulling back from the kiss, I hold Beck’s face in my hands. “I’m so proud of you guys! I can’t wait to celebrate.”

“Oh, we’ll be celebrating. Tonight, tomorrow, probably all week!” He laughs, then sets me down. “I have to get back to the team. I’ll say goodbye to my dad and Brooke before we get on the bus to head back to campus, so I can tell them you left if you don’t want to stay.”

“Uh … yeah, we’ll probably head back to campus now that the stadium has emptied out a bit. Hopefully, traffic won’t be too bad on our way home. Just tell everyone I said goodbye, and I’ll call my parents on our way to campus.”

I tilt my head up with my lips puckered, asking for one more kiss. He complies, then touches his forehead to mine.

“I’ll see you at home.” Beck turns to walk away, stops, and turns back. “Oh, and, Charlie, I expect you to be waiting in bed wearing nothing but my jersey.” He winks, then turns back around and heads toward the rest of the team, who are standing together in front of the band, playing our anthem.

As I watch him walk away, I can’t believe how we got back to this place so effortlessly. I guess it was inevitable that we would get back together, but thinking about where we were last year and the year before … I would have said a big fathell noif someone had told me we would be a couple again. And I know there are things we’re avoiding that we will need to resolve if we’re really going to make this work. I just need to find the courage to bring it up. I don’t want to risk us falling back into a bad place. I know, without a doubt, he’s meant to be mine.

When I walk back over to where Arbor and Lily are, they have an odd look on their faces.

“What’s wrong?” Looking between them, I wait for someone to say something. “Arbs?”

She clears her throat. “I’m not sure how to tell you this, but I just saw Britney walking off the field with some girls.”

I suck in a deep breath. Since we played Chandler, I wondered if she would make it to the game. I mean, it is one of the biggest games of the season for both teams. I just hoped I wouldn’t see her.

“Which way?” I ask, standing frozen, stomach churning.

“Looks like she’s leaving out the tunnel across the field from ours. You know what? Who cares? You can’t let her get in your head. We probably shouldn’t have said anything because she’s irrelevant.” Arbor waves her hand in front of her like she’s brushing Britney away.

Lily walks up to me and puts her arm around my shoulders. “Babe, I don’t know the story, but I’m guessing it has to do with Beck. But you seriously have nothing to worry about. That boy is so far gone for you. And besides, you’re so much prettier.”

I know she’s trying to make me laugh, but the truth is, Britney is pretty. “It’s fine, really. Let’s just go back to campus. I didn’t see her, she didn’t see me, so it’s like it didn’t happen.”

Arbor and Lily look at each other again.

Then Arbor looks at me and says, “Yeah, totally. I’m sure she didn’t see you.”

“Okay, ladies, let’s get out of here. I want to hit some of the parties on campus and see if I can find my latest conquest.” Lily hooks her arm around Arbor’s, then mine, and we start walking toward the exit we came in from.

“Count me out. I want to be home when Beck gets back.” With one last look at the team, then around the field to make sure I don’t actually see Britney, we leave.

CHAPTERNINETEEN

BECKHAM

“Okay,boys. Where are we going to celebrate tonight?” Pitz walks over to Archie and slings his arm around his shoulders.

“No can do, Pitzy. I have someone to see, and I plan to celebrate all night long.” He smirks and looks over at me and winks. “I think Linson has the same idea. Right, brother?”

Casey makes a gagging noise. “Dude, that’s gross.” Which just makes Archie laugh.

Shaking my head, I smile and finish packing up my bag. I can’t wait to get home to my girl. The faster we can get out of here, the faster I can get to her.

“Let’s move it out, team. We have a bus to catch,” Coach yells into the room.

I turn to Casey. “I’ll meet you on the bus.”

He likes to take his time packing his bag, but I’m too anxious to sit around and wait for him.

When I walk out of the locker room, there are still some family members hanging out in the hallway. I saw my dad, sister, and the Kings before I went into the locker room to shower earlier and got to say goodbye to them then.

I turn the corner to exit the stadium toward the bus and hear my name being called. I almost don’t look because I’m used to fans cheering for us or the opposing team’s fans heckling us. But this voice … sounds familiar.

“Beckham Linson!” I hear again.