Page 156 of The Defender

I forced the image of Seth’s arm on her neck out of my mind.

“How long are you staying in London?” I asked.

“I leave next Thursday. I need to prep Haley for nationals, but there’s no way I’m missing your semi-final match.”

“Next Thursday,” I echoed. “That soon.”

“Yes, but I have something to tell you. I wanted to wait until it was one hundred percent confirmed, but I think we both need a pick-me-up today.” Brooklyn lifted her head to face me. Hereyes shone with a mixture of hope and nerves. “There’s a strong possibility I’m moving back to London this summer.”

My heart stopped for one glorious, shocked second before it beat again at triple speed. “What about your job? I thought you loved working with Haley.”

“I do, but when I accepted their offer, I had two requests. One, if Haley advanced to nationals, which she did, I could take off for any Blackcastle matches this season. That’s why I’m here—to see you guys play in the semi-finals. Two…” Brooklyn took a deep breath. “If sheplacesat nationals, I can move back to London and work from home. The job was supposed to be remote anyway. They only wanted me in Chicago because of the transition and the time crunch, but I think they also wanted to see how well we worked together first. If I didn’t do a good job in person, then remote would be a no-go. But they’ve been happy with me, and they agreed to my second request on the condition that there be a three-month probation period. That’s to see how the remote work and time difference pans out.”

I processed the news, my thoughts a tangle of hope, shock, and disbelief. “How likely is Haley to place at nationals?”

“She’s really freaking talented, so highly likely. Plus, I’m going to do everything I can to make sure she gets a medal. I don’t care if I have to carry her to the podium myself.”

I laughed, but there was a catch in my throat. “Why didn’t you tell me about your requests?”

“I didn’t want to get anyone’s hopes up in case regionals didn’t pan out, but now that we’ve passed the first hurdle…” Brooklyn swallowed. “Honestly, I shouldn’t have said anything until after nationals. But when I was in the kitchen, and I thought I was going to die, all I could think about were the things I never did. The words I never said. I don’t want there to be any more secrets between us, which is why I’m telling you this now.” She hesitated. “I hate to bring him up again, but while we’reon the subject of secrets, Seth mentioned something interesting earlier. He said that you might transfer to Chicago.”

I frowned. How did he know?—

A puzzle piece suddenly clicked into place. Lloyd and I had been arguing at Blackcastle. I thought everyone had gone home, but Seth must’ve stayed late and overheard us.

Brooklyn had also told me about about her run-in with Mason at the cafe, which was why Seth thought she was cheating on me.

If he was that obsessed with me, I imagined something would’ve set him off eventually. He’d just hyperfixated on Brooklyn because she was the most obvious scapegoat.

My gut tightened with guilt, but I forced myself to shake it off. Seth was an adult. He was responsible for his own decisions, and I couldn’t blame myself for his delusions.

“I was exploring the idea of a transfer,” I admitted. “I asked Lloyd to look into it for me.”

“Let me guess. He lost his shit?”

“Oh, yeah. He lost a Mount-Etna-eruption-level of shit. I thought he would keel over from a heart attack when I told him.”

Brooklyn smiled, but her eyes gleamed with emotion. “I wouldn’t have let you transfer anyway. You’d hate Chicago.”

“Oh? You think you can ‘let’ me do stuff now?”

“Yes.” She turned fully and wrapped her arms around my neck. “I’m very good at predicting your likes and dislikes, and there’s no way in hell the captain of Blackcastle would thrive in the States. They don’t like football that much over there. They don’t evencallit football.”

“You sound like Lloyd,” I said, amused. “I understood the risks. It was early in the process, but if push came to shove, and I had to choose between you and Blackcastle?” My voice turned tender. “I’d choose you. Every time. Because you’re it forme, Brooklyn Armstrong. There’s nothing and no one else I love more.”

It was the first time I’d ever uttered the L word to a girlfriend. I thought it would be scary, but it felt as natural and effortless as breathing because it wastrue.

Brooklyn’s eyes shone brighter. She pressed her forehead against mine. “I have one more secret to tell you,” she whispered. “Earlier, when everything went down with Seth, all I could think about was you. How much I miss you. How much I need you. How much Iloveyou. I was so afraid to say it before, but fuck that. It’s how I feel. No secrets and no regrets, right?”

Fuck. If my realization that I loved her cracked me open, her confession that she felt the same waydestroyedme. There was no way I’d ever be the same again, knowing that the person of my dreams thought I was hers too.

“Right.” I smiled, my chest somehow tight and full all at once. “Does this mean we actually agree on something for once?”

“I think so. Hell must’ve frozen over.”

“Probably. The heat is overrated anyway.” I kissed her, deep and slow and reverent. “I love you.” Now that I’d said it once, I couldn’t stop saying it.

“I love you too.”