“I could if you prefer. Or we could go out to dinner. Whatever you prefer. It’s your day. You should choose.”
“I was teasing. A pizza and movie night would be great.”
“Casey has an early start in the morning and a long day, so we could get an early night together,” Auggie says.
I hug them. “How did I get lucky enough to have two amazing guys?”
“It’s because you’re wonderful too,” Auggie says.
“I love you,” Casey says.
I close my eyes. “I am so happy right now.” I want to bottle this feeling so I can make it last forever. But I can’t, so I’ll have to savour every second of it instead.
“Pizza,” Auggie says.
“Snuggles,” Casey whispers.
“Hey, do I get to pick the films?”
“Yes. We can watch whatever you want,” Auggie says.
I rub my hands together. “Great. An evening of American teen movies it is.”
23
CASEY
The short-course final goes about as well as can be expected from a competition involving every university swimming team in the UK. Our team gets top ten places in several events but no medal placings. I’m happy with fifth place in the one-hundred-metre free stroke, and our mixed medley relay team gets fourth. It’s a long and exhausting weekend, during which I miss Em and Auggie far more than I’d expected to. The crazy thing is, they’re there. I see them watching every time I go out to swim, but I don’t have time to talk to them, because I’m always with the team.
On Sunday evening, the team coach drops us off at the university, and from there, I get the bus home. I open the door to Auggie and Em kneeling on the sofa, waving banners with my name and ‘Champion’ on them.
“What’s going on?”
“We’re welcoming our champion home,” Em says as though it’s obvious.
“I didn’t win anything.”
“You will always be a champion in our eyes,” Auggie says.
I rub the back of my neck. “You two are so dorky.” But I can’t deny my heart has melted into a puddle.
They abandon their flags and come to hug me. I wrap my arms around them and soak up their tender warmth. Cuddles are the best.
“Are you tired?” Em asks.
I nod. The competition was full on. If I wasn’t swimming, I was warming up or cheering on my teammates. Each evening, we ate as a team and then hung out in the hotel bar together, going to bed far too late. When the competition ended, we went for food before boarding the coach to come home.
“Sore?”
“A little.”
They shepherd me to the sofa. Em stands behind me, kneading my shoulders, while Auggie sits cross-legged on the floor, takes my socks off, and massages my foot.
“What are you doing?”
“What does it look like we’re doing?” Em asks.
“Pampering our boyfriend.” Auggie grins.
