This is the life I want.
The future I want.
The woman I want to build everything with.
Today, in this field, with her dress rucked up and her laughter still clinging to the air...
I let myself believe, just for a moment, that nothing could take her from me.I tell myself that I will figure this all out.I will have it all.
The drive back to Summit City feels lighter than anything has in weeks.
Tessa sits curled into the passenger seat, her hair still messy from the wind and… other things. My hoodie’s drowning her, and every few minutes she reaches across the console to touch me, my arm, my thigh, my hand, like her body can’t help but be connected to me.
I can feel every place we touched in the field.
She hums along to whatever is playing on the radio, even though she doesn’t know half the songs.She keeps stealing glances at me when she thinks I’m not looking.
When we get back to the city, the skyline rising up around us, she reaches for my hand again, thumb brushing my knuckles.“You sure you want me to come?”she asks softly.“It’s your team thing.I don’t want to crash guy time.”
“You’re not crashing anything.”
I squeeze her hand.“You’re part of this, too.Where I go, you go.”
Her eyes flicker with something warm, nervous, and hopeful.If I could bottle that look, I would.
A few of the guys live in the same complex, so we meet in one of their apartments, with high ceilings, music playing, and food spread across the counter in a way that looks like everyone kept trying to contribute until it turned into chaos.
“Tessa!”Reeves calls the second we walk in.“Did you bring the good pie from Maggie?”
“Rude,” I mutter.“It’s my family pie.Not hers.”
But she’s already laughing and holding out the foil-covered dish mom insisted on sending with her.McKenna swoops in next, hugging her like they’ve been best friends for years.Anders and Petrov fight over who gets to show her the view from the balcony.Half the rookies lurk awkwardly until she smiles at them, and suddenly they all relax at once.
It still amazes me how seamlessly she fits into both sides of my life that rarely touch.
She moves around the room, and I cannot take my eyes off her as she jokes with the guys and listens intently to their stories.She talks to them like she’s known them all forever, but she never tries too hard.This isn't a performance, she’s just herself.
Petrov tosses a popcorn kernel at me across the room when he catches me staring at her like a lunatic.“Stop making heart-eyes at Tessa and come over here,” he teases.
Tessa turns to look at me and blushes a little.“Go.”
“I’ll go if you come too.”I need you close.
She rolls her eyes but follows.Petrov smirks when she sits on the arm of the couch beside me.“Perfect,” he says, tapping his beer against mine.“Since the cowgirl is here, we can settle something important.”
She laughs.“I’m scared.Should I be scared?”
“Yes,” Petrov says at the same time McKenna says, “No,” which immediately starts an argument between them.
Finally, Petrov grins widely and announces, “Halloween game bet.”
Tessa tilts her head.“Halloween… bet?”
“It’s a day game this year,” McKenna explains.“Everyone dresses up.Fans.Media.The whole thing.And afterward, we’ve got the kids’ charity event with the sponsors and box holders.”
“And,” Petrov says dramatically, “rookies choose the captains’ costumes if they lose.”
Anders cuts in, “Correction, rookies chooseyourcostume if you lose.”
