Page 131 of The Wrong Game

“That’s the spirit, sweetheart.” Doc lifted his sunglasses, eyes glistening a little. “Well, I know it’s almost kick-off there, I just… I just wanted to see you guys on the big day.”

“Big day?” I asked.

Doc shrugged, putting his sunglasses back in place. “You know, the home opener. First game of the season, first time starting all your traditions.” He paused. “First time at a game together where you’re not causing headaches for yourselves or the ones who love you.”

“Hear, hear,” Belle piped from the side, tilting her beer into camera view.

Doc chuckled.

“Anyway, I’ll let you guys go. We’ll be watching from paradise.”

“Are there even any TVs there?” Zach teased, but Doc just smiled wider.

“No screens, no shoes, no problem.”

I leaned into Zach’s side, waving goodbye at Doc before Zach ended the call. He tucked the phone into his back pocket before wrapping me up in his arms as best he could with the arm rest between us. His lips pressed against my forehead, and he sighed.

“Hard to believe we’re here again, isn’t it?” he said.

“A lot has changed.”

“It has. But some things are still the same,” he argued. “Like how amazing you look in that Bears tank top. That’s the same one you wore on our first date, you know?”

“Oh, is it?” I faked surprise, looking down at the logo stretched across my chest. “I didn’t realize.”

“Sure you didn’t.” Zach tickled my side. “Little tease, just wait till I get you home.”

I laughed, pushing him off me as the anthem started, and we all stood to pay honor to our country. After that, the game kicked off, and we settled in for the first quarter.

I was glad we’d invited our family there for the first game, especially when we scored. It was more fun celebrating with a group of people you knew than a bunch of strangers — not that I didn’t still share high-fives with everyone around us, too. But, being there with Zach, with the family we’d made together? It was everything I’d ever wanted in my football season.

Hewas everything I’d ever wanted in my life.

It was hard to believe how much he’d changed me, opened me, shown me how to trust and how to face my fears. He’d made me feel more loved than I ever had in my entire life in just one short year, and I hoped there would be many more to come.

“Hey, excuse me, miss?”

Janet tapped me on the shoulder, pointing to where one of the interns with the Bears was trying to get my attention from the aisle.

“Would you and your boyfriend like to come onto the field during the quarter break for a game?”

I smiled, turning to Zach with wide eyes. “Oh! Babe, can we? Are you down?”

He looked skeptical, nose scrunching up as he glanced at the kid and then back at me.

“Pleaseeee,” I begged, batting my lashes.

He sighed. “Well, like I can say no to that.”

“Yay!”

I jumped up, grabbing his hand and tugging him with me as we squeezed past Janet, Roy, and the rest of the row to get to the aisle. We followed the kid with the clipboard and headset up to the lower levels of our section, and the security guards opened the lower field gates for him once they saw him, letting us through.

And then, we were on the field.

“Oh, my God!” I whispered, tugging on Zach’s jersey sleeve. “We’re on the field. This is so cool! Oh, look! We’re so close to the players!”

I pointed at the different players I knew, and Zach entertained me the whole time, though he seemed like he was about to crawl out of his own skin. You would think after him having the entire stadium’s attention on him last year when he was dressed up as a hot dog, that he’d be calm in situations like this. But, Zach got nervous, too — and it always seemed to come out in the strangest times.