“Thanks for the pep talk today. It helped.”
“And what did you decide...?”
I looked at him with confidence. “Neither. Just that I needed to beat him.”
“Well... it worked. I’m here for you, man.”
Remy and I shared a moment. He knew a lot, not too much, but he knew, and I trusted him.
“Let’s go in,” he said and started walking toward the door.
Remy looked at ease—oversized hoodie, skinny jeans, moving through the crowd like he owned the place despite being a foot shorter than most people here.
The house was exactly what you’d expect—sticky floors, the smell of cheap beer and cologne, music so loud you had to yell to be heard. Stairs leading up where couples were definitely sneaking off to.
“I’m going to get another drink,” Remy said as he parted a group of bros. “See you on the back deck for beer pong.”
Through the back windows, I could see a massive deck with several tables for beer pong—it was like a damn tournament out there. I guess I had a little more winning to do today.
“Yo, Liam!”
I turned. Evan—one of the freshmen who’d raced this morning—was pushing through toward me, red cup sloshing, that dark freckle on his cheek. Kid had rowed bow seat in the eight that crushed Kingswell earlier. Good rower. Great smile.
“Hell of a race today,” he said, a little breathless. “I feel like we’re unstoppable right now.”
“Appreciate it, man. You guys killed it out there.”
“Dude, I was dying in that chop,” Evan said, laughing. “But I remembered what you said at practice—about staying loose through the recovery when the water gets rough? Total game-changer. Like, I could actually feel the difference.”
Something warmed in my chest. “Yeah? That’s awesome. You looked solid from where I was.”
“Thanks, man. Seriously.” Evan’s grin widened.
The comment landed somewhere deeper than I expected. Evan had listened to my advice and it helped. He was learning from me. Coach said I was captain material. Standing here, with today’s win still buzzing through my veins, I could actually see it. Not someday. Soon.
It felt good. Real.
“Just keep listening and you’ll be unstoppable by spring,” I said, grinning.
“Hell yeah.” Evan raised his cup. “To beating Kingswell.”
“I’ll drink to that,” I said, then realized I didn’t have a drink.
Emily appeared at my side and pressed a cup into my hand. “Got you the good stuff. Well, the less-terrible stuff.”
“Thanks.” I smiled.
I tapped my cup to Evan’s. He gave a nod and drifted back toward his freshman crew friends, still grinning.
I took a sip. Definitely terrible. “Perfect.”
Emily laughed. “Good. Noah is arguing over the merits of bottom shelf liquor with some guy from Kingswell.”
“Also perfect.” I smiled. “I guess it’s just us then.”
“Come on,” Tyler called from the back. “They’re starting the tournament outside!”
Emily looked up at me, eyes bright. “Beer pong tournament?”
