Page 77

I look over at my best friend, who’s so at ease with himself and where he is in his life right now, and I know she’s right. He’s the one person who’s been by my side my whole life, constantly proving he’ll always be there. Bryce and everyone else in this room are the family I choose, and I’m pretty damn lucky.

“You two are good now, though, right? Because I don’t—”

“Bryce Clark is the love of my life.” There’s not a flicker of doubt in her features, and I’m fighting the urge to smile. Maybe scream aloud, because my best friend found it. “He’s it for me.”

Bryce found something solid, real, and good. He’s not going to freak out this time. I’ve always wanted him to find happiness—real and true happiness, but I never would have guessed it’d come in the form of a spunky, yet shy, curly-haired blog owner who saw the future impact he’d have on the sport of swimming. Yet here we are, and I got to be part of their story the same way they’re part of mine.

“You know, I think you might have saved him.” My tone is quiet as I lean closer to her. “He hated that job; he hated doing the responsible thing. You were the thing that kept him sane again and helped him see what else is out there.”

Josie smiles back at me. “I think we saved each other. He’s always been the one person who can make me be brave.”

“Nah, Jos.” I wave her off. “You’ve always been brave. He might shine a spotlight on it, but it’s always been there.”

A blush coats her cheeks. “That’s sweet of you to say.”

“It’s true, Josie, and Bryce sees it, too. He’s told me so many times how fearless and strong you are,” I counter. She needs to hear it. “I know you always told me you’re a big Bryce Clark Fan, but I think he’s a bigger Josie Martin fan.”

June2024

“Is it normal to feel like you’re going to throw up?”

“Absolutely,” Mia confirms, barely glancing up from her phone. “It’s also normal to throw up. There’s a lot at stake here.”

Her words offer little comfort. Instead, my stomach gives a sickening twist and I try to remember where the quickest restroom is. I don’t know if I’ll ever know how Josie and Mia managed to spend so many years in these seats, caring about people whose entire careers were about to be defined by something that’d be over in moments, if not seconds. I’ve been part of this world for six months, with Carter for three, and I’m a little relieved he’s not going to keep going after this.

If he wanted to, of course I would support him. But Josie and Mia had a point: It hurts to care.

I’m feeling helpless. Over the last few months, I’ve learned how to be emotionally supportive and there for him when a meet goes well, or horrible, but this is different. Glancing down at my phone, I make sure I haven’t missed a text I knew wouldn’t be there. He’s trying to get in the zone, focusing on the race in front of him, which means pretending nothing else exists.

Including, or maybe especially, his anxious girlfriend.

“He has a good chance,” Bryce assures me, lowering himself into his seat. I assume he’s talking to Mia or Josie, so I don’t say anything. I’m shocked when he nudges my shoulder to get my attention. When I turn to him, he gives me a reassuring smile. “He’s trained hard. His times have been solid, and his lane placement is good.”

“But none of that guarantees him a spot on the team,” I reply. “It doesn’t matter that he’s been training his ass off. Someone can still be faster than him.”

He sighs with a nod. “Yeah, that’s true, but he knows what he’s doing, and we need to trust that he can pull this off.”

I look over at Josie, who is pretending not to listen in. Bryce is the only person who can give me any sort of insight into what’s going through my boyfriend’s head right now, but he’s never been one to open up about his feelings. Especially not with me, and especially not when it could mean speaking on behalf of his best friend.

“The only thing you can do right now is be there for him,” he continues. “No matter what happens tonight or the rest of the week, what goes right or wrong, just be there for him. Even when Josie and I weren’t together, I knew she was in my corner and that meant everything to me.”

Josie reaches out to squeeze his knee, a sign of comfort which is strengthened by the way he reaches down to entangle their fingers. This is a first for him, too; the first time in years he’s in the stands instead of getting ready to step behind the blocks. His career is over, he’s moved on, but now he is supporting his best friend. I’m insanely grateful for him.

“Do you think he’s going to make the team?”

Bryce hesitates at the question, not wanting to be overly confident, but still wanting to be supportive. It’s a feeling I know well. “I think he has a much better chance than he seems to think he has.”

I frown. “So, he’s having those same conversations with you?” He nods. “Why doesn’t he just trust in his own abilities?”

“Unlike this one,” Mia joins, reaching past me to flick Bryce’s arm. Bryce winces, leaning away from her. “Carter has never been cocky.”

Bryce laughs. The sound relaxes me slightly. If we can make jokes, it’s okay to be fine. Right? “It’s not cocky if it’s true, right, babe?”

Josie grins at the heat sheets in her lap. “You’re a cocky asshole. Always have been, always will be.”

“Oh, whatever.” He rolls his eyes.

“I love when I’m right,” Mia gloats, before she pulls my attention back to her. “Carter has always been the humble one, but the talent is there, too. He’s the most consistent swimmer we ever followed. I’m confident he’ll make the team.”