“You better, or I’m suing for full custody,” she chirped.
“You guys coming?” he asked Ben.
“Yes, sir. We have the car ready outside.”
“All right. Let’s roll.”
“Wait,” Rachel called. “Where are you going? I can leak a location, get some coverage.”
I groaned. “Do we have to?”
She shot me a look. “The cameras are the whole point, remember?”
“Yeah, yeah.”
“I’ll text you the spot,” he said. “It’s close.”
“Okay. Love you, El. Be safe.”
“Always. Love you.”
Sawyer slipped his arm around my shoulders as we left the tunnel, his body still warm from the game. Adrenaline wafted off him, his smile contagious.
“I didn’t think I’d see you until tomorrow,” he said.
I glanced up at him, the corners of my mouth tugging up. “Surprise. I thought it’d be fun to show up. Are you mad?”
He looked down at me, brows raised. “Mad? Ellie, you showing up at the rare game I get to score a touchdown? That’s basically my dream scenario.”
We passed through the security checkpoint with Ben and another member of my team beside us, scanning the surroundings.
Sawyer nodded at the exit. “You ready for the circus out there?”
“I’ve seen worse.” I leaned into his side. “Besides, I’ve got you.”
That earned me a soft laugh. “Damn right you do.”
The second we stepped outside, the mayhem hit: camera shutters clicking, reporters yelling our names, fans shouting.
“There she is! Ellie, over here!”
“Sawyer! Big win tonight—what’s next?”
Flashes sparked from every angle. I kept my head down and stayed close to him, one hand on his chest as we moved throughthe crowd. He didn’t flinch or slow down, keeping one hand on my back and guiding us through.
Ben was already at the curb, yanking open the back door of the SUV. “Straight in,” he said, eyes never leaving the crowd.
Sawyer helped me first before sliding in beside me. The door slammed shut behind us. Inside, it was quiet, just the hum of the engine and the low rumble of voices from outside.
I exhaled slowly, leaning back into the leather seat. “That was fun.”
“You okay?” he asked, already turning toward me.
“Yeah.” I nodded, stealing a glance at him. “You?”
He shrugged, eyes still on me. “I am now.”
For a beat, we just sat there, breathing the same air, shoulders almost touching.
