She looked up and smiled—sleepy and so full of love it almost hurt.
“You were amazing today,” she whispered, like it was still a secret. “Everyone around me was cheering for you like crazy.”
He walked over and cupped her cheek, brushing his thumb gently under her eye. “You were all I saw.”
She leaned into the touch.
“I’m glad I came,” she said. “I was scared. But it felt good. Right. And maybe a little weird.”
“Because of the stadium?” he asked.
She nodded. “Because of… everything. But I think I made new memories today.”
He kissed her forehead, then her lips. Slow. Like he had all the time in the world.
“I hate that we have to head out soon,” she murmured against his mouth.
“Me too,” he said. “But, I’ll be back soon. Or you’ll be here again. We’ll figure it out.”
Her fingers slipped under the hem of his hoodie, resting against the skin of his lower back. “I just don’t want to lose this. Any of it.”
He tipped his forehead against hers.
“You won’t,” he promised. “Youwon’t.Not this time.”
And for a while, they just stood there—her in his arms, his heart beating steady again, both of them silently holding on to the moment before the world outside pulled them back into motion.
End Game
Ali
Ali sat cross-legged on her bed, laptop open, the soft hum of her ceiling fan the only sound in the room. A cold Diet Dr. Pepper sat sweating on her nightstand, and her inbox was open beside a dozen tabs of job listings.
Accounting positions near Orlando.
She’d typed it in half an hour ago. The results blinked back at her now, a blur of CPA firms and corporate listings that didn’tmean much yet. She clicked through one, then another, scanning benefits and qualifications, but nothing quite clicked.
Still… her heart knew what she wanted. She wanted to be withhim.
Dylan’s life was in Orlando. His teammates, his season, his rhythm. And maybe she couldn’t rewrite the past—but she could build something new alongside him now. She wanted to find her own footing, not live in his shadow, butwith him.Not miles away.
She stared at her phone for a moment, then opened her contacts and tapped Kallie’s name.
It rang twice before a smooth, no-nonsense voice answered. “This is Kallie.”
Ali’s voice was a little breathless, unsure. “Hey, it’s Ali Presley. I hope this isn’t a bad time.”
“Not at all,” Kallie said, her tone instantly warmer. “I was wondering when you’d call. What's up?”
Ali exhaled a nervous laugh. “I, um… I was wondering if you might be able to help me look for a job. In Orlando. Accounting or finance, preferably. And if you maybe know someone who could help me find an apartment…”
There was a beat of silence. Then Kallie’s voice, gentle but sharp with understanding.
“Does Dylan know?”
Ali shook her head, then realized Kallie couldn’t see her. “Not yet. I wanted to… I guess I wanted to make sure it wasn’t just a fantasy before I said anything. I’m not doing thisforhim. I’m doing itfor me—but yeah, I want to be near him.”
Kallie’s smile was practically audible. “I respect the hell out of that.”
