“I knew you wouldn’t do anything,” said Anesu, the deflation in her voice familiar. It was the same tone of voice Ari remembered from all her childhood birthdays. From the moment when the parties ended, her friends went home, and there was still no birthday card at the front door. From the school talent shows and end-of-term plays when she looked out at the audience hoping, despite all evidence to the contrary, that he was in the crowd. It was the voice that came to Anesu when her disappointmentturned inward. Ari hated knowing that this time she was the cause. If Ari had been there, she would have hugged her sister, but she was eight hundred miles away.
“Youalwaystake her side, but this hurts my feelings too. Couldn’t you have just backed me up this one time?”
“I was going to—” Ari began.
But Anesu had already hung up.
Ari held her silent phone and stared out at the falling snow. She’d seen a text from her sister that morning. A message saying that her mom was threatening to hide her passport so she couldn’t go to the wedding at the end of the month. Ari had intended to reply, but she’d spent the morning with Drew, and once she’d left his hotel, there’d been no time to check her phone, text back, or think about anything other than the game. She knew being focused on the biggest match of her career was a perfectly justified reason not to reply to every single text her family sent her. But she couldn’t help but feel guilty for not fixing the situation before it got this bad.
Ari’s childhood had revolved around trying to mediate conflicts within her family. First between her parents and now between her mom and sister. She’d spent years of her life fighting for the people she loved, defending them when they were wrong, and pouring her energy into fixing things. It was her role as the eldest daughter, and she took it in her stride. But this time felt different. She’d just won the most important game of her life, and instead of calling to congratulate her, her family had called to get her to resolve their issues.
As Ari sat in the locker room, on her own, she began to trace that pattern through from her childhood to her current situation. She was there for everyone, but it felt like nobody she loved was willing to sacrifice their time and energy to be there for her.Then, just as she was about to pack up her things and call it an early night, a text came through.
Drew:SHE SHOOTS, SHE SCORES, SHE QUALIFIES FOR THE QUARTERFINALS.… Should I start learning the British national anthem?
Ari smiled. Drew had messed up, but despite her better judgment, she was still happy to see his name lighting up her phone. She tried her best to stand her ground.
Drew:Meetup at 5 to celebrate/apologize/return the watch I forgot to give you yesterday?
She didn’t even realize it wasn’t on her wrist anymore. Hmmm. Maybe that’s why she’d woken up feeling lighter. A part of her wanted to be rid of it for good. But for some reason, there was no one in her life that she wanted to see more that day than Drew.
Ari:Let’s meet at 5 p.m., but just to get the watch.
Drew:5 p.m.? It’s a date.
37Drew
DAY EIGHT OF THE 2026 OLYMPICS
Drew watched Ari’s final heats game with Luiz and the rest of the journalists in the press office, cheering for Ari and her teammates the entire time. He jumped out of his seat when she scored the winning goal and clapped as the commentators announced that, in doing so, Ari had just secured Team GB’s place in the quarterfinals at their first Olympics. A few of the CNN journalists he’d been sitting with had given him a funny look, no doubt confused as to why an American photographer was cheering so loudly for a British team, but Drew was way too proud not to celebrate Ari’s win as if it were his own.
He left the press office and went straight to the Village gift shop, impulsively buying the biggest, brightest bouquet of flowers he could find before heading toward GB House.
Drew walked across the Village trying to figure out how to make things right with Ari. They’d both done a pretty good job of complicating things on Thursday night, but she’d been certainto remind him that this ended with the closing ceremony. She’d even gone as far as to call it all a mistake, so he had to respect her wishes. It was supposed to be a fake two-week relationship, and they only had a few more days left until that contract expired. But knowing that didn’t change how Drew’s face lit up when he spotted a figure in a huge blue coat walking toward him, carrying a gym bag.
“Do you have my watch?” she asked. He could tell she was trying to stay mad at him, but the sparkle in her eyes betrayed her. He reached into his bag and handed over the watch, as well as the earrings and scarf she’d left behind.
“This isyourscarf.”
“It looks better on you.”
They stood in silence for a moment. She gave him a hard stare, then let her shoulders drop.
“I’m still mad at you,” she said as she wrapped the scarf around her neck.
“I know, you’re right to be,” he admitted. After a moment she glanced down at the bouquet in his hands.
“Are you getting into floristry? Interesting choice for a side hustle.”
“Before you ask, they’re notI’m sorryflowers. They’reI watched your game today and you were incredible. It’s Valentine’s Day, so I was thinking of you and also… I’m sorryflowers,” he said.
She examined the bouquet and then she studied him. A small smile appeared on her face. She tried to straighten it out, but then she gave in.
“Ranunculus, you remembered,” she said, taking the flowers, bringing them closer to her face, and then smelling them.
“I knew you’d make it to the quarterfinals, and I’m proud of you.”
“Thanks, pal,” she said, elbowing him.
