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Chapter thirty-four

Keala

T hursday evening after practice, Keala lay in Landon’s arms, strands of hair twirling around her fingers. It had only been four days since they’d agreed to be together, but she’d spent every night since at his apartment. When they were with Ikaika, they were a group of unlikely friends, but after Ikaika went to sleep, they could finally hold each other.

“Wear my jersey for the Philly game Sunday.”

Keala smiled, her lips an inch from his. “What’s with men and asking women to wear their jerseys? Or rather, demanding.”

“It’s hot. Do you know how hot it is to know that someone’s proud to be yours?”

“Not really.”

“That’s because you were with idiotic men. If you had a jersey, I’d wear it all the time.”

Keala giggled. “Now I’m picturing you in my cheer top.”

“Sexy, right? I could totally pull it off.”

She nodded. “You would.”

“So you’ll wear my jersey?”

“Landon, you know I can’t. I’m going to be watching with the girls, and just because Zoe knows doesn’t mean I’m looking to tell the rest of them.”

“So wear it underneath a sweatshirt. If it peeks out, say it’s Ikaika’s. I want to know when I get on that field that I have my girl back home wearing my jersey and rooting for me.”

“Rooting for you and Ikaika.”

“Yeah, yeah. But think about how well we’re doing this season. We’ve only lost three. Not only are we likely to get to playoffs, but we could have a shot at a championship. And I’m playing so well. Don’t you see the correlation?”

“What’s the correlation?”

“You.”

Keala scoffed playfully. “That’s a lot of pressure to put on me. And correlation is not causation, haven’t you heard?”

“Keeks, I went to school so I could play football. I didn’t pay attention to anything.”

“You’re ridiculous. But you’re not going to stop until I say yes, are you?”

“Nope.”

She sighed. “Fine. I’ll wear it. But only if you score a touchdown for me.”

“You know I will. God, even the thought of it is sexy. Want to put it on and go again right now?”

“My legs are still shaking from the last two.”

Landon leaned in, kissing her neck and then exhaling. “I’m so powerful.”

“I’m going to sleep,” she joked.

“And making you come is an otherworldly experience. You didn’t let me finish!” When she was quiet for a few moments, he continued, softer, “I’ve never asked anybody to wear my jersey, you know.”

Affection burrowed deep inside her at his words, and how vulnerable and small he sounded as he admitted that to her. He still struggled to talk about his feelings, but compared to how evasive he had been when they’d first met, she was incredibly proud of him.

“Thank you for letting me be the first.”

“And last?” he asked quietly, pulling back to search her eyes.

Keala thought about her parents dancing together in the kitchen as they put off cleaning dishes. She remembered how her mother would laugh as her father spun her around, how happy they always were when they weren’t fighting about their kids. Suddenly, those happy faces morphed so they were Keala and Landon, dancing in the kitchen he spent so much time in.

She ached for it, and while she knew she should be scared after the failures of her past relationships, she couldn’t bring herself to be.

“And the last.”

He kissed her softly, sweetly, and she felt rewarded, like she’d said the right thing. “Are you sure you’re still okay meeting my family next week? We can cancel. We can stay in. Have a sexcation. I could slather you in chocolate sauce and lick every inch of you.”

“Mm. I don’t think I’ll make a very good impression on your family if, in the first two weeks of us being together, you’re absent from the one time you all get together each year.”

Landon kissed her jaw. “Screw impressions. If I tell them you’re spectacular, they’ll believe you’re spectacular. Hell, I’m sure they already think that since you’re the first person to tame me.”

“Ew. Don’t say ‘tame me.’”

“The first to get me to settle down?”

“Better, I guess. But no, I’m excited to meet everyone. I moved my shifts around and everything.” She’d been apprehensive about changing her schedule, but it wasn’t like she was working less. Just changing when she worked.

“You’ve been doing much better about not making every second of your life about work. I love it.”

“You love it because I spend all my free time with you.”

“Yes, I want a monopoly on your free time. I would pay you a better salary than you make right now to have you with me all the time.”

She rolled her eyes, though the thought of that made her heart skip, hop, and topple over. “As if you’re not plenty busy. I’d be sitting around twiddling my thumbs half the time.”

“Yeah, but you’d be twiddling your thumbs in my jersey, waiting for me at home.”

Keala scoffed again, turning around and pulling his arm around her body so that he spooned her. His large, warm palm dragged under her shirt, settling against her stomach.

“Wake me up before you leave for work tomorrow,” he whispered into her hair.

“I’ll try, but you sleep like the dead.”

“You’re one to talk.”

Keala smiled, ready to fall into a restful sleep. As she felt it take over, he said, “Now that you’re mine, I can tell you a deep, dark secret.” He paused. “I totally cheated to win the pumpkin carving contest. I had a step-by-step tutorial on while I carved it. I just wanted to win a favor so I could convince you to go out with me.”

“I knew it,” she mumbled. “Your pumpkin was too perfect. Ikaika’s going to be so mad. Now you owe me something.”

“Anything you want,” he whispered against her neck.

Keala was squished between Len and Zoe as coverage of the fourth quarter of the Sentinels’ week thirteen game continued. Zoe’s townhouse was bustling with Sirens, and Keala couldn’t help feeling like she was a part of something more. Sure, she always tried to watch away games with the team, but usually she had a million thoughts racing through her head, mainly items on her never-ending to-do list. Now, despite an itch to do something productive, she was genuinely enjoying herself.

And like he’d asked, Landon’s jersey was tucked into her jeans and covered by one of the many Sentinels sweatshirts she’d “borrowed” from Ikaika.

Len passed a bowl of chips to Keala, who took a couple and passed it on. “I can’t watch,” her friend said, turning her head and putting it on Keala’s shoulder. “What happens if we lose this one?”

They were only down six, but time was running out.

“It’s not ideal, but the season won’t be over. An eight-four record isn’t the worst,” Keala answered reassuringly. They’d have to win a few more to be in a comfortable position for playoffs but nothing to be worried about.

“Better than last year’s,” Zoe piped up.

“True. The fact that we’re eight-three right now is a miracle,” Aurelia said from beside Zoe.

“It’s because we finally have a real Beaumont.” Keala didn’t see who’d said that but didn’t care to comment.

“I think the new coach may also be a bit of a help, Nova. One player doing better isn’t changing everything.”

“Yeah, but Landon and Myles are playing better in general and together. That’s huge.”

The conversation continued, but Keala tuned it out. Landon had been playing much better, and his extra effort seemed clear to everyone. She didn’t care about stats but she’d heard his were way up this season. He’d mentioned something similar.

She was glad he’d been feeling so much better. Keala had hardly heard him talk about his brother or father recently, and he’d stopped answering the latter’s texts entirely. Not that there had been any of substance to warrant a response.

“Should’ve stopped a long time ago, if I’m honest,” he’d told her a couple of nights ago. “I kept waiting for something good to come out of his mouth but…”

“But you don’t need him to tell you how good you are. You don’t need anybody to tell you how good you are. You’re a top tight end, and you always have been. You just needed to see that.”

He’d smiled softly at her, pulling her close. He’d been doing a lot of that lately. Only two-thirds of his smiles were the cheeky ones, and if they were alone, she could guarantee he would be touching her in some way.

Keala loved it. She loved it even more that she didn’t feel like she had to be anyone but herself with him. When they were together, they didn’t have to think about disappointing their families. When she was with him, the fear of being so much less successful than her brother didn’t make her want to die.

Maybe cry. But that was still progress.

The girls quieted, and when Keala looked at the TV, she realized why. The Sentinels were driving, and it was probably their last shot to get the game back. A field goal would do them no good.

Myles called a play in the huddle and clapped before the linemen and receivers lined up. Landon was in, and the moment the center hiked the ball to Myles, Landon got in a quick block, juked left, and then ran right. He hopped into the air to catch Myles’ pass, a defensive back closing in on him.

The girls all cheered, Keala probably the loudest. She clutched Zoe’s hand as Landon stiff-armed one defensive back, faked out another, and continued running. Everyone stood from the floor and various pieces of furniture as Landon moved farther and farther down the field. Six-five and built, Landon dragged a man with him until he finally went down at the one-yard line.

Pride ballooned in her chest. When he scored the one-yard touchdown with a catch in the back of the end zone, his cleats both just touching inbounds, that balloon exploded with the sounds of the girls screaming so loudly, Zoe would probably get a noise complaint.

Landon had done it. He’d scored a much-needed last-minute touchdown to tie the game. It may not have been a pivotal game, but every win was important on the road to playoffs. She couldn’t hold back her smile as he celebrated with his teammates in the end zone, posing like their mascot with an imaginary sword held over Ikaika.

He jogged toward the sideline, his fingers held in the sign of a half heart. The camera focused on him as he did so, commentators speculating who it could have been for.

“Bet I know,” Zoe whispered softly enough that no one else could hear, the women around the room still buzzing excitedly.

Keala, hiding a smile, elbowed her friend, and Zoe laughed.

Landon may have gone his whole adult life without someone saying they were proud of him, but she would end that streak. She wasn’t going to let him continue thinking he was a disappointment. She hadn’t ever seen him in Colton’s shadow, and now more than ever, he’d proved that he was capable of great things himself.

Ikaika was her favorite fullback, but Landon was her favorite player, and she would make sure he knew it.