Page 25

“The place is beautiful,” I said, signing the papers on the kitchen counter. I was strangely calm for someone who had just purchased their first home. Maybe it was because there was no one here to celebrate with me.

I clicked the pen off and handed it and the papers back to my realtor, who in turn put them in his bag.

“Is there anything else I need to do?”

“Nothing at all. The place is all yours,” he said, offering his hand with a smile.

I shook it. “Thank you.”

“No, Mr. Mathieson. Thank you. I’m sure you and your wife will be very happy here.”

I smiled as he handed me the keys, trying to hide the fact that Britt being recognized as my wife did strange things to my stomach. She was still mine, and this place was ours even if she didn’t know that yet.

The house was beautiful, I knew Britt would like it, and I couldn’t wait for her to put her stamp on it.

“Alright, well, if that’s all you need me for, you have my number if you have any further questions.”

“Thanks,” I mumbled.

My shoes echoed as I walked into the middle of the room and took in the view from the full height windows.

Would this place be enough? I was only just starting to make it up to her, and I hoped this proved how committed I was to her.

My phone rang, echoing through the near-empty great room. When I saw the name flashing on the screen, I grinned. Not because I was happy over who it was, but because I was excited to finally end this. “I’ve just got to get this, but I’ll talk to you soon.”

“I’ll show myself out. Thank you again, Mr. Mathieson.”

I waited until the door shut before answering the phone because I wanted to have this conversation in private. Before I could even get the phone to my ear, Olana was already talking. Okay, I was being polite, she was screaming noncoherent things at me.

“I can’t believe you’re doing this!” Ah, that was the first sentence I could understand.

I knew exactly what she was talking about, and I shouldn’t smile at her misfortune, but she’d been mooching off me for too long. I’d given her too many passes over the years, and it was time I became a good husband to Britt.

Kicking Olana out of my life was the start of that.

“I can’t believe it took me so long to do it.”

“You canceled my rent payments?” She sounded confused, and I wished this was a video call so I could see her reaction.

“What can I say? I don’t have the money to fund it anymore.”

“But I’m pregnant!” Her growl made me laugh even though her being pregnant wasn’t a laughing matter. She did need to figure out what she was going to do, but again, not my problem.

“Are you, though?” She didn’t answer. “If you are, I think you should contact your baby daddy and ask him for help. I’m assuming it’s that guy from high school I caught you sleeping with, right? Terry. Isn’t he in line for the NBA? You’ll have more chance of getting money from him than me.”

“You’re joking, right? Where am I supposed to go?”

I walked back toward my new kitchen, admiring the white marble countertop and matching cabinets. I wondered if Britt would want to keep it this way, or if she’d change it to add a little color. Maybe some blue to match the ocean behind us.

“Well, I talked to the landlord, and he said you’ve still got three months of rent left on the house. So, you can live there until the end of semester, then you might have to move back home to your parents’ or your brother’s. I spoke to them. They have space and would love for you to move in with them.”

“You talked to my family?”

“Just returned the favor.”

“I can’t believe you. After everything.”

“Was there something you wanted, Olana?”

“Yeah, for you to help me like you promised.”

“Sorry. I can’t do that. I’ve already paid for enough. You aren’t my problem anymore.”

The counter felt cold as I swept my hand across it and I smiled. Britt would look so good sitting on top of it. Maybe I could eat her out whilst I cooked her a steak. Actually, an oil splash might make that a little dangerous.

“So that’s it. After one crappy dinner with your dad, you’re just going to drop me? After all the years I stuck by you.”

Her tone dripped with sorrow, but I was immune to it now. That dinner made me prioritize things. Having Britt and losing her because of my past changed me. I was no longer shackled to the things that happened to me. I was ready to move forward and prove my love to Britt.

“You seem to think our past dictates our present and future. It doesn’t. Not anymore at least. You lost any chance of sympathy from me when you lied about having cancer.” My throat closed a little. That still felt like a punch in the gut. She came up with that lie, knowing it was my one weakness. Knowing that was the best way to use me. She deserved my silence.

“It wasn’t a lie. I had inflammation and didn’t know what was the root cause of it.”

I rolled my eyes and walked over to the window, looking out to the choppy seas. One of Britt’s favorite places. God, I hope she likes this place. My mind was second-guessing my decision to buy this without her input, but I didn’t want her to think I was willing to make big promises and not follow through. She deserved more than the lackluster wedding in Vegas she got. She deserved to be cherished. For everyone to know just how much I wanted her.

“You never gave me the opportunity to tell you the truth,” Olana whined down the phone.

Oh, was she still talking? I’d forgotten about her. Thinking about Britt was so much better than this conversation.

“You lied, Olana. You admitted as much at the dinner with my father and wife.”

“Wife?” She coughed out. “You’re still calling her that?”

“Of course.”

“Well, I’d be worried if I were you. She dropped you without question because of a few things I said. Imagine if she actually caught you doing something terrible. You’d be out on the street and she’d be laughing all the way to the bank.”

I took in a deep breath, ready to wrap this conversation up. I didn’t have time for her shit anymore.

“Britt dropped me after you told her you were pregnant with my child. She didn’t want to get in the way of us being a family. That’s called being a good person and backing down. You lied and manipulated your way through our entire relationship, and I’m done with it, and more importantly, I’m done with you.”

“W-what does that mean?”

“It means we’re finished in any capacity. I’m not funding anything for you anymore. Once you hang up, I’m blocking your number. This is it, so if you have something important to say, say it now.”

The only noise was the static down the phone.

“Oh, and stay away from my father.”

“Gladly. He was just a belligerent drunk anyway.”

I took a deep breath, stopping myself from going at her for that comment. Yes, my father had done bad things, but after his confession at dinner, I realized I needed to do more to help him. We were both lost in the memories of what we had because it was easier than facing our reality. Now was the time to help him come back from all that the same way Britt helped me.

“Matty, I’ve got something to tell you. I’m—”

“Goodbye, Olana. Find a new guy to hustle.”

“We’re not thro—”

“Woops,” I said as I hung up the phone and stared at the screen. “I guess I had a bad connection.”

Then I blocked her number, something I’d already done on my father’s and Britt’s phones, not that either of them knew about it. That was it. She was out of our lives. I didn’t need to feel the burden of caring for her anymore. It wasn’t my problem.

The waves had calmed, and as I looked at children playing on the sand below, the future I wanted flashed before me. One where Britt and I would play with our kids out on this beach. We’d tell them how we met, and we’d roast marshmallows just like the day we met.

I wanted it so badly I could almost taste the sticky, sweet treat.

When my phone alarm went off, I jumped into action.

It was go-time.

I needed to be on that field and ready to play for my life. It was a regular game against one of our rivals, but it was the most important one for me because it was the game I would finally win Britt back for good.

“Moving out?” Tanner asked as we walked through the tunnel to the field. His helmet was half on, and his hair was sticking out at the ends, but he didn’t look hurt by the news, more intrigued.

“Yeah,” I eased out. “I’m sorry. I wanted to speak to you about it myself, but I’m guessing Thea told you after she found me looking at property listings the other day.”

“Not Thea. Jackson.”

“Shit. You both know?” He nodded. “I’m sorry. It’s just, you know my family situation. I really can’t move home after college, and I kind of wanted to get my life in order before graduation.”

“Makes sense. You’re a married man now, after all.” He winked. “Isn’t the saying ‘happy wife, happy life’?”

“That’s what I’m hoping for.” My smile faded because I missed my wife. Two weeks without hearing her voice had been torture. We needed the time apart, though. I needed to figure out my plan to try to win Britt back, and she needed time to decide if she wanted me.

“Too soon? Sorry, I just never thought you’d be the first one to get married out of all of us.”

“I wasn’t. Devin beat me to it by around eight hours.”

“Devin doesn’t count since I never lived with him.”

“Who’d you think would get married first, then? Adam?”

Tanner frowned, thinking it over, and then it hit me.

“Oh, shit. Did you mean you?”

He kept his lips sealed, but the glint in his eyes told me the answer.

“Wow, T. I knew you liked Aster, but I didn’t realize you were that serious. You’re still in college.”

“Could say the same thing about you,” he teased. “I’m not planning on asking her to marry me this year, but I am going to try my chances in the draft this spring. Once I’m established on a team, I don’t want to waste any time.”

“You like Aster that much?”

“I love her,” he emphasized. “I don’t want her thinking I want anyone else.”

I stared at my friend in awe as players walked past us in the tunnel before slapping him on the shoulder, feeling the hard padding underneath his jersey. “Good for you, man.”

He chuckled before looking down at the floor. “Yeah, well, she doesn’t know anything about it, yet. Figured she’d think I was crazy if I mentioned it.”

“Is she out there tonight?”

He looked up to the stands. “Always. She hates the game, but she loves watching me play.”

“Well, I’m happy for you. You deserve it. Aster would be one lucky girl to get a guy as good as you.”

He smiled, his cheeks tinging red. “Could say the same thing about Britt and you.”

“We’ll see.” I didn’t want to jinx it. “And just so you know, I might be moving out, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to stiff you guys on the rent. I committed to two more semesters, and I’m depositing that amount to the landlord this week.”

“Matty, you don’t have to do that. We can find someone else.”

“I’m doing it. If anything, Thea can take the room if she wants it.”

Tanner shook his head, laughing. “If only. Unfortunately, she’s not going to be living with us for much longer. She got into that stupid sorority.”

“She did?”

“Yup. Hid it from me, so it all came as a wonderful surprise when she was packing her bags the other day.”

“Thea’s a big girl, I’m sure she can fend for herself.”

“Yeah, Thea’s not a wilting flower. I know that much. It’s just some things happened in high school that still get me a little concerned over how quickly that tough outer shell can crack.”

“What kind of things?”

Tanner looked around before meeting my eyes. He was about to speak when a different person called him from behind.

“She’ll kill me for telling you, but I need to talk to someone about it.”

“Tanner.”

Her voice. The elixir for my soul. The only voice I’d miss if I never heard it again. Thank goodness I was wearing a jock strap, otherwise I’d be rocking a hard-on in front of thirty thousand people.

Tanner eased back, pointing his thumb over his shoulder. “Uh, I gotta go. I agreed to a pregame interview with your wife.” He gave me a weary look as he walked past me.

I looked over to see Britt standing next to a cameraman, holding the mic to her lips. Those perfect, pouty lips.

My eyes drifted down to her outfit, and when I saw what she was wearing, I moved over to her. There was no way I was leaving her with my teammates dressed like that.

I wouldn’t hound her. I’d just stand at the side and watch Tanner’s interview. If my arm accidentally brushed hers in the process, then so be it.

By the time I’d strolled across the astroturf to the camera and bright lights, Britt was holding a microphone toward Tanner who was answering a question.

“Well, our aim is to make it to state, and this game brings us one step closer to that.” His voice filled with hesitation toward the end as he watched me brush arms with Britt. She was too deep in concentration to notice.

She brought the microphone back to her. “What about playing a big rival like St. Michael’s? There’s a lot of pressure and expectation for you to perform.”

Tanner glanced between the two of us, and Britt still didn’t break form and look at me.

“Yeah, there’s a lot of pressure, but let’s be honest, if we win, I get all the credit for it. This guy right here…” Tanner stepped forward, hung his arm around my neck, and dragged me into the camera frame. “This guy is the one who gets the most stress without any of the glory. Ben ‘Matty’ Mathieson is the best kicker this school has ever seen, and I’m sure he’ll prove his excellence again tonight.”

When he rubbed his knuckles into my hair, I laughed, shaking him off, and glanced at Britt. Her smile ticked ever-so-slightly, but if you weren’t watching her as obsessively as I was, you’d probably not notice.

“I hope so,” she said, and it made me wonder what she was referring to. My game or the one she and I were playing. “Thank you for talking to us tonight, Tanner. Good luck out there.”

Without acknowledging me further, she turned to the camera, leaving me ample time to stare at her ass in her jeans. Peachy and perfect, but I didn’t expect anything less.

When the cameraman brought the camera down to take a break, Britt adjusted her Covey Wildcats jersey. The one that said fucking “Brennon” on the back and even though I expected her to turn around and speak to me, she didn’t. She just walked across the turf, holding her microphone with her hips swinging.

Laughing, I watched her go.

What a tease.

Did she think she could get away from me that easily?

“Where you going, wifey?” She stopped immediately, turned on her heel and swallowed the distance between us. I leaned in, thinking she was coming for a kiss. My brows rose in surprise when I felt her palm instead of her lips.

She looked at the crowd. “Matty! My mom and brother are here. They might hear you.”

I smiled against her palm and licked the skin there. She squealed and backed away, wiping her hand on the jersey.

“Are they? Maybe it’s about time we introduced them to your husband,” I said, albeit a lot quieter since it was more to tease her than to out her.

“Husband?” Confusion laced her voice, still somewhat hesitant to use the phrase. I got it. If watching her come on her vibrator and then sending her divorce papers wasn’t mixed signals, then I didn’t know what was.

“Yeah. Your jersey might not reflect the truth, but you and I know it.”

“Matty,” she drawled out.

“Wifey.” I mimicked her.

Her lips quirked, and she pushed me a little. “You can’t say that. We aren’t—”

“Married?” I raised my brows and tried to hold back a smile, but I couldn’t help it. She was so damn cute when she was flustered. “Last time I checked, divorce papers hadn’t been filed out, so I still have time to prove to you why we should be together.”

I took a step toward her and when she didn’t move away, I brought my hand forward, grazing her hip. Again, she didn’t back away.

With her chin tipped up, she watched me with those big blue eyes of hers, and I tracked her face. Her lips, her lashes, that mole. She was all I wanted. Now and forever.

“Mathieson!” my coach called, but I was too busy looking into Britt’s eyes to care what he had to say. Her lashes fluttered as she stared into my eyes, and my head was dipping before I had time to think it through.

“Mathieson!”

I was an inch away from her lips when she took a sharp breath and placed her hands on my chest. “I think you’re needed,” she whispered, tipping her head the direction of my coach. Like I gave a fuck about what he wanted. “Please,” she whispered. I took a step back, taking her in.

Go slow. No need to rush kissing her in front of the crowd. We had our whole lives for that.

“You look gorgeous tonight, Brittany. I’m so proud you aced your first interview and I can’t wait to watch your analysis during halftime.” The compliments rolled off my tongue the same way they did in Vegas, only this time I was trying to convince her to remain my wife.

“Thank you.” She dropped her gaze to the floor and pushed a strand of her hair behind her ear.

“You’re—”

“Mathieson.”

I didn’t have long, so I was savoring every moment.

“Everything. I love you, Britt.”

“Matty, stop.” She raised her hand before I could continue showering her with compliments.

“Why? You haven’t signed the papers yet, which means I still have time to prove my worth to you, and that’s all I intend to do for the rest of my life.”

Her brows furrowed, and a playful smile adorned her lips. “I haven’t even had time to look at them. There’s a lot of stuff going on.”

She was bullshitting me. “Interesting. No time to look at your desk, but you’ve had time to answer Spillit blog posts?”

“Wha—How did you know? That’s supposed to be anonymous.”

“I’ve hacked into school systems and the government before. Do you really think I haven’t looked into everything there is to know about you?”

She paused for a second, but her lip quirked. “Be careful, Matty. You’re starting to sound like a stalker.”

“Is it stalking when it’s your own wife?”

She smacked me on the chest but didn’t walk away. She couldn’t. She knew damn well that we were inevitable, she was just holding out on me until I proved it. Good for her. She deserved to be worshipped, and I had a lot to prove. “So, what else did you find out about me?”

“The shorter answer would be what I didn’t find out about you. Your shoe size seems to be evading me. I’ll find that out soon, though.”

“Oh, yeah?”

“Yeah, next time you’re at mine and I can take that godforsaken jersey off you.”

I reached out, wanting to take her hand, but she backed away, and I couldn’t deny that it hurt my ego, but I didn’t show it.

“Matty.”

“Britt.”

“I’m sorry. I can’t do this.”

“Do what?”

“This!” She gestured between us. “I can’t go back to being friendly and making jokes with you.”

“Why not? You said you wanted that?”

“I do, but I’m just waiting for you to…” Her eyes skimmed the field. I knew what she wanted. I also knew she wouldn’t be able to articulate it. Britt was the kind of girl who needed to be wooed. She deserved more than the half-assed proposal in front of the Eiffle Tower and the Vegas wedding she got. She deserved a man who wanted to get on their knees and pleasure her every single night.

I would be that; I just hadn’t proved it yet.

“I know what you’re waiting for,” I said as I stepped closer to her. She crossed her arms but didn’t back away. Good. “Watch me closely tonight because everything I do is for you. You’re the only person in the crowd I care to impress.”

Take it slow.

I didn’t listen to the warning my brain gave me, and I pulled her in for a short, demanding kiss.

“Mathieson! Get your ass over here now!” Coach called, forcing me to pull away from her. Her eyes wide and she was breathing slowly.

“I’ll let you off wearing the wrong jersey tonight, but I’m starting to think you don’t like our last name.” Her eyes widened. “Have you changed it yet? You promised my dad that’s what you were going to do, after all.”

“Mathieson, if you’re not over here in two seconds, I’m taking you off the roster.” Coach wasn’t playing around, and if I wanted tonight to work, I needed to be on the field.

“I’ve got to go, but I’ll see you later, Wifey.”

I left her with a wink and jogged over to the rest of my team.

Coach whacked me upside the head. “What the hell do you think your doing? Kissing girls on the field. You need to be focusing on kicking balls, son.”

“Yes, sir,” I said, putting my helmet on. I didn’t care he was angry. I only cared about one thing tonight, and that was scoring a fucking goal.

“You can do this.” Jackson hit our helmets together. I nodded at him. The final kick of the game. The most important 30 yards of my life.

With my mouthguard in, I took one final look at Britt before jogging onto the field with the rest of the special team. She was watching me closely; I could feel it. Good. It was what I wanted.

With the crowd cheering, the atmosphere in the stadium was electric.

The final kick.

Ten seconds left.

The game had come down to this.

One kick at the twentieth yard line. One of the easiest kicks I could do, and I’d done countless times before. My only problem tonight, I was more distracted than ever.

Britt was watching me from the bench, her microphone between her knees. Nothing could disguise the tremble in her leg. She was nervous for me and her expectations felt like a heavy weight. One I was prepared to carry. Taking a deep breath, I cricked my neck and tested the sponginess of the turf as the rest of the team set up my shot.

When our eyes connected for a brief second, I pointed to her, then to the post. If she didn’t get the reference that this kick was for her, then we had no hope. The team formed their line, and I pushed all my feelings aside. They didn’t matter at that moment. What mattered were the nuts and bolts of the kick. Getting my system right was the only way I would ever win this game and my girl.

Snap. Hold.

A breeze cooled my arms, but it wasn’t strong enough to affect my kick, so I wiped my palms on my pants and looked down at the turf.

One breath.

Two breaths.

The whistle blew, then I let the flow take over, kicking the ball with ease. The second of silence as the football flew through the air was always my favorite moment of the game. I knew the kick was good, but the crowd didn’t start cheering until it made its way through the cross bars.

Then it played in slow motion.

We’d won the game. The band started playing our fight song and the rest of the team emptied the benches, making their way to me. I got so caught up in the hustle of the celebration, that I couldn’t find Britt.

Did she see that? Did she know it was all for her?

The moment passed in a blur, and by the time I got out of the huddle, Coach was waiting for me. “Good work, Mathieson,” he gritted out with flat lips. Usually, he’d have his hand out, ready to pull me into a hug. Not today. I’d screwed up too many times over the last couple of games to warrant that. I’d need to earn his trust back. “Glad you were able to concentrate today.”

He pointed to the cameramen. “It’s your turn to get interviewed, but for the love of all things football, don’t kiss your girl on screen.”

My girl? The tension eased from my body as I thought about Britt, and I nodded, thankful I still had my helmet on and he couldn’t see my goofy smile. “No problem, Coach.”

With a strong pat to the back, I turned my attention to the bench, the last place I’d seen her. She was still there, talking to Tanner on the camera, giving that perfectly practiced smile of hers.

I strolled over, taking my time to admire Britt. My wife. My future. She’d been the girl in the stands cheering me on, and I always felt that support as my friend, but it was more than that now. She was my rock. The only person I wanted to celebrate with or come home to her after a hard loss. I wanted to make her smile. I wanted to know every damn secret about her. She was everything I ever wanted, but there was one thing missing. There was no ring on her finger claiming her as mine. Hell, she’d never even worn my jersey— our jersey before. Both things I wanted to rectify as soon as I confirmed we were on the same page.

By the time I reached her, Tanner had left and she was talking to someone on her ear piece, too engrossed in the conversation to notice me. Not one to take kindly to being ignored, I took my helmet off and brushed beside her.

Britt’s gaze flicked to me, her smile firm. “Ah. We also have the winning kicker here with us. Ben, congratulations.” Ben? How very formal of her, and even though I hated my name, I liked the way it rolled off her tongue.

“Final few seconds of the game and it all came down to you. How do you hype yourself up for moments liked that?”

When she pushed the microphone in my direction, I looked down at it, then back to her. Still with her professional face on, I figured I might toy with her slightly. “Watching the guys play and seeing them put their all into the game gets me pumped up, but when it comes down to the few seconds before a kick, I always find focusing on the reason you’re out there in the first place, and most importantly, who you’re playing for is the biggest motivator. If I wasn’t thinking about her, then I’d probably fall on my face and miss.”

There was no emotion on her face. Still the same forced smile as the camera focused on her.

Did she get it, or was that not obvious enough?

“What about your little tradition with Jackson James on the sideline? Does clinking your helmets together bring you luck?” Nice change of subject, I see.

“You noticed, huh?” I raised my brows, grinning. For her to call it a tradition meant she had to have noticed it over several games. Maybe she was watching me as much as I was watching her. “Well, if you noticed that, then you’ll know my performance has been abysmal over the last few games. The thing that changed my performance tonight was the girl on the sidelines watching me.”

I took her in, trying to hide my smirk as she subtly shifted on the turf, squirming because I was being so brazen. I was keeping my lips to myself, though, so Coach would be happy. As tempted as I was to call her my wife on screen, I didn’t. Her family were here and I wanted to make a good impression.

“How does it feel when you know the game comes down to you?”

She pushed the microphone in my direction, completely ignoring my declaration again. I held back my laugh.

“I love it and I hate it. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous about it. It’s easy for personal things to get in your head and screw up your process, but when you have a team, a school, and a family to make proud, you turn up.”

I swallowed, watching her as I said the words. Would she finally acknowledge that all these statements and the win was for her? That I’d do whatever it damn well took to have her.

“Congratulations again, Ben. Thank you for taking the time to talk to me.”

“Anytime.”

The camera stopped rolling, but I didn’t stop looking at her. How could I when she was the best thing I’d ever seen?

Finally, it was our moment to talk. I could tell her everything I have planned for her and give her the ring that was always meant to be on her finger.

“Britt?”

She drew her attention to me. A wide smile across her face. This was it.

“I—"

“You did a great job, honey.” A woman pulled Britt into a hug, completely stopping my train of thought. Oh, shit. The hair, the eyes, the smile. There was no denying that was Britt’s mom. “I’m so proud of you. If those networks aren’t clambering for you, then they’re the idiots.”

I stood motionless. Something burned deep in my chest watching their interaction. Was it longing? Or was it happiness that Britt had a support system I’d only dreamed of? Britt’s mom pulled away from her and gave her a comforting smile. So comforting that my heartbeat slowed.

“Thanks, Mom.”

My smile faded. I knew exactly why I was feeling like this. I missed my own mother and although I was starting to put the pieces of my life back together, it would never be the same again. Not without her.

I stepped back, wanting to give them a little privacy, but before I could, Britt’s mom turned to me with a bright smile.

“And you must be Matty, right? Or do you prefer Ben?” She stepped toward me, her arms wide open, expecting a hug. I flicked my gaze to Britt, hoping she’d give me cues on what she wanted me to do.

When she didn’t, I just collapsed into her mom’s open arms and hugged her. Thankfully, any sweat had dried, but it was a clunky and awkward hug, considering the uniform. I glanced at Britt from over her mom’s shoulder, feeling somewhat hesitant as to how to introduce myself. This wasn’t the way I was expecting to meet my mother-in-law. I wanted her to like me even if she didn’t know I was married to her daughter.

“I like Matty,” I said as she pulled away and took me in.

“Oh, sorry. Was the hug too much?” I barely felt when she squeezed my arms because of all the padding. “I can’t help it. I feel like I already know you.”

“Oh, yeah?”

Throwing a smirk her daughter’s way before looking at me again, she said, “Britt hasn’t stopped talking about you since freshman year, and I can see why.” Her eyebrows rose as she took me in.

“Mom!” Britt whisper-shouted, knocking her mom with her elbow.

“What? I was referring to his nerves of steel. Performing like that under pressure isn’t easy.”

“Thank you.”

Britt’s cheeks pinked, and the second her eyes connected with mine, she looked away.

“Congratulations on your win tonight. Are any of your family here to celebrate?”

Yeah. Your daughter, and the only person I want to celebrate with.

“No, ma’am. Unfortunately, none of them could make it.”

She slapped me on the shoulder. “Please don’t call me ma’am. That’s almost insulting. I’m Vivianne, and the tall, overly muscular man over there is—”

“Sam Brennon. I, uh, know him.” When she pointed over at the guy in the crowd, I knew exactly who it was. Even in a Covey Wildcats jersey, he couldn’t hide his six-foot-five frame and the obvious cast on his arm.

“Oh, did you meet him when he visited Britt at the start of the semester?”

“No. I, uh, watch a lot of baseball.” I glanced over at Britt, giving her a knowing smile. She was the only reason I started watching the game. I wanted an excuse to hang out with her, and baseball always worked since there are an obscene number of games in one season. With two brothers in the MLB, one of them was always on, which meant I always had an excuse to be around.

“Well, I bet Sam would love to talk with you about it.” She nudged my side, and he came toward me. If he wasn’t already my brother-in-law—albeit, unknowingly—I might be afraid of him. I knew so much about him at this point that it felt like I’d be able to win him over once he realized how in love with his sister I was.

“Why don’t you come to dinner with us?”

“Mom…” Britt looked between her mother and me with pressed lips. “Matty doesn’t want to do that.”

“Why not? You said your family aren’t here, so are you going to celebrate your win with anyone?”

“Uh, no?” I raised my eyebrows toward Britt, who watched me with fascination.

“Well, you can’t kick a game-winning goal and not get cake for it. We’ll celebrate. Don’t worry. It’s nothing fancy. It’s just a little sports bar we love to go to when we visit Britt. Might even be able to catch a glimpse of Max in his game.”

Britt was still watching me, but I couldn’t decipher the look on her face. Turning to her, I asked, “Is it okay if I join you guys for dinner?”

“Judging by that kiss earlier, I’d say she’s fine you with you joining us,” Sam said as he approached. Stone-faced, he looked at me like he wanted to crush me under the pressure of thousands of baseballs. Well, that wasn’t the start I was going for. “I, however, have questions.”

“Sam.” Britt knocked her brother on the side, but it did nothing to move him. The guy was built like a house. “Shut up.” She dropped her head to look at the ground so I couldn’t see her face. Why did I find her embarrassment so damn cute?

I held my hand out to Sam. “It’s nice to meet you, Mr. Brennon.”

He took his time to accept it, but when he did, I felt a little pressure in my hand. “Heard a lot about you.”

“All good, I hope?”

“Debatable.” His hand was still gripping mine. No longer a friendly shake, but more of an intended warning. Hurt my sister. I hurt you.

“Oh my God. Sam, stop!”

He dropped my hand instantly. “What? I’m just telling the truth. I have heard a lot about him.” He turned back to me. “When she came back from her first semester at Covey U, she wouldn’t stop talking about you. Everything was ‘Matty this’ or ‘Matty that.’” He rolled his neck until he was looking at his sister again. “I swear she thought you invented football the way she talked about you.”

“Sam. Please. You’re embarrassing me.”

A small smile grew on his face. “Sorry, but I think your boyfriend needs to know just how obsessed with him you are.”

“He’s not my…” She paused and looked over at me, hesitant to finish that sentence.

Luckily for her, Sam didn’t give her time to. He pulled Britt in for a side hug and kissed her on the top of the head. “Well done, sis. I’m proud of you. You make that look easy.”

She snuggled into his side, hugging him back. The sheer love they had for each other was clear, and I was happy Britt had such caring people around her. “Thanks.”

“When you get big and you’re interviewing me on the field, would you mind flashing my number across the screen? Could use a little help in the dating department.”

He pulled back enough to ruffle her hair, causing Britt to squeal.

“Stop it!” She cried, patting down her blonde tresses. “Like you need any help. I read last week that you took that singer Bailey Hill to dinner. Is it true?”

“That was all PR.” Sam eased out a smile and winked before looking into the stands, and his gaze landed on the reporter booth where Sienna and a couple of other journalist majors were standing. “I’m still looking for the one, and who knows, she might be here.”

Her gaze followed his, and she immediately pushed him away, causing Sam to let out an audible grunt. “Ugh. Don’t you dare go near my friend. If you want a girlfriend, then go on The Baseball Bachelor . You’ll fit right in with their sleezy pickup lines.”

He scratched his chin and pouted his lips. “You know what? That’s the best idea to ever come out of your mouth. Maybe I should do it. I could spread the love around before settling down.”

“You’re disgusting.”

“Alright you two,” their mom said, stepping between them. “Let’s get some food before we have to listen to any more bickering.”

Britt’s face softened as her eyes landed on me, and when she smiled, my fingers itched to touch her. To claim her as mine, but I held back. It wasn’t appropriate. Not yet, at least.

“Are you coming?” she asked with this low, husky tone. It was fucking sexy without even trying.

“Would you like me to?” I brushed my helmet against her arm, the only form of connection we were allowed to have in this moment.

“Of course.”

“Then yes, I’ll come.” I dropped my gaze to my uniform. “I’ll just change out of this and meet you there.”

“Okay.” She pressed her lips together, her hand coming up like it was about to touch me, but she stopped herself.

Would it be that bad to kiss her right now?

“Go change already and stop looking at my sister like that.” Sam interrupted the moment, making Britt and I laugh.

I pointed my thumb over my shoulder as I stepped backward. “I won’t be long.”

Britt nodded, and I made my way back to the locker room, cursing myself for only having a T-shirt and sweatpants in my bag. Not the outfit I’d want to wear for my first dinner with Britt’s family, but maybe someone in the locker room had something more appropriate.

Either way, I wasn’t going to let this opportunity with her family go to waste.