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“You’re right,” he comments, flipping on his turn signal to turn into the hotel. “My face is pretty. Thanks, man.”

Rolling my eyes, I turn back to the window, watching the remainder of the building pass us by before Bryce is pulling into the drive of the hotel so we can all get checked in.

“This is going to be great,” Kat promises, her arms winding around my neck as soon as we get out of the car. “I’m excited to be here with you.”

Placing my hand on the small of her back, I pull her in closer until I kiss the top of her head. “No one else I’d rather have here.”

“Well, I take offense to that,” Mia teases, hoisting her bag over her shoulder. “Come on, lovebirds! I want to take a nap.”

Laughing, Kat and I each grab our carry-ons while the valet and bellhop take care of everything else. For the most part, the Riverview Convention Center is obscured from my view as we walk in, but I can see the corner of the picture. The picture that’s making me realize how many people are paying attention—how many eyes are on me. If I’m named to the team, I’ll be one of the oldest. They’ll look to me as a veteran to show the others the ropes and be there to help with everything that goes into being an Olympian. I’ve been a team captain for an international meet before, but somehow this feels different.

Acoupleofhourslater, we’re all hanging out in the hotel lobby. Most swimmers are arriving tomorrow, but there are still a few people we know who are coaches, media personnel, or even swimmers themselves. After tonight, Kat will room with Mia for the remainder of the meet, giving me plenty of space to ensure I’m well rested and not getting distracted; it was the one thing my coach made me agree to when I told him I’d travel out here alone. Now, she’s standing across the room with Bryce, chatting with one of our old coaches from Arizona, while I sit on one of the couches, lost in thought.

“Hey, buddy!” Josie is grinning as she plops down on the couch beside me. “How are you feeling?”

“Oh, I’m freaking out.” My tone is casual as I wrap my arm around her shoulder, pulling her into my side. “Happy to know you’ll be there cheering me on, though.”

“Of course I am! I wouldn’t miss this, and I’ll be there to do it again in Paris.”

It’s never been difficult for me to understand what made Bryce fall for her—she’s vibrant, open, and the type of person who always makes you feel seen. She’s beautiful, inside, and out, and I’m lucky to have her as a friend.

“You’re going to be there if I make the team?” I haven’t had the chance to talk about it with Bryce, not knowing if they’d be able to get away with everything going on back home. They have the pool, the house, and it’s expensive. Sure, our team is starting to develop with Bryce now utilizing at least one pool, but we’re not rolling in money yet.

“Stop.”

Startled, I glance down to see Josie glaring at me. I frown in confusion.

“Stop whatever is going on in that head of yours. Just stop it.”

Busted. “You and Bryce don’t have to come. That’s all I was going to say.”

“Yes, we do,” she insists. “It won’t just be us, either. Mia and Kat are going to be there, too.”

I knew about Kat, spent many nights trying to convince her she doesn’t have to come, but I didn’t know about the rest of them. “You’re kidding me.”

“Um, no, absolutely not,” she says. “Come on, Carter. Did you really think any of us would miss this?”

Warmth floods me as I glance over to where Bryce stands talking to Kat. He never said anything to me, but I know he’d have given just about anything to have that moment with Josie back in 2021. He knows he’s the reason he didn’t get it, and there’s no dwelling on the past. If anything, I just want to acknowledge that I know how lucky I am, and I don’t want to take it for granted.

“You know, I missed you when you and Bryce broke up, or whatever you call it,” I admit, turning back to her. “It sucked I lost you, too.”

Her smile dims ever so slightly. “I missed you, too. I thought about reaching out but never did because I didn’t think you’d want to be friends with me after everything. I respected you and your friendship with Bryce too much to put it in jeopardy.”

“He was an idiot for letting you go.” I want her to understand how much I mean that. How many times I told Bryce that same thing after the breakup and before, knowing he’d regret it if he lost her. “I told him that so many times. He knew I was right, but I kept telling him losing you would end up being the thing he’d regret the most.”

“I know.” She bumps my shoulder with hers. “He told me. Thanks for having my back.”

“But I should have been a better friend to you—”

She cuts me off. “Don’t do that to yourself, Carter. He needed you more, and I had Mia. I don’t blame you for how any of it went down.”

“He pissed me off, seeing him treat you like that. It wasn’t like him, and I was so angry.”

“And he knows that.” Her gaze drifts to him before looking back at me. “Can I tell you something?”

“Anything.”

“The time apart did us all some good. We lived in this dream world where anything was possible, and nothing could touch us. We all had some growing up to do, reality to see, and we had to do it on our own.”