Carter grins. “Yeah. But now it’s…less destructive. I’ll give you that.”
The words land heavier than the joke.
Because he’s right.
Last year I was angry at everything. At Jaxon taking my starting spot and a good chunk of my yards. At him being happy with Madison. At the world. At myself. Angry in that way that makes you pick fights and start shit just to feel like you’re in control of something.
It’s not like I woke up one day and decided to be better.
It’s more like life kept ripping things out of my hands until I ran out of energy to be cruel about it.
Pops getting sick did that. Sloane’s face did that. My knee snapping did that.
But I don’t say any of those things; I just lift a brow. “Should I be honored you noticed?”
Carter’s grin shifts into something more real. “It’s been…good to watch. Even with everything.”
Even with the injury. Even with the draft clock winding down. Even with whatever the hell my life is right now.
Coach Harding clears his throat like he’s bringing us back to business. “All right. Brooks has light work today. Carter, you wanna watch him move?”
“I’d like to throw him a bone or two.” Carter’s gaze flicks to mine. “If you don’t mind.”
My pulse ticks up.
“Sure,” I say, like it’s nothing.
Beck leans closer to my ear as I turn away. “You’re sweating, and you haven’t started yet.”
“Shut up.”
“I’m just saying?—”
“Beck.”
He laughs under his breath and jogs away to grab a ball.
I walk to the starting spot, flex my fingers in my gloves, and try to ignore the way my ribs feel like they’re full of bees.
“Sixty percent,” Mara calls from the sideline. She’s out here now, too, arms crossed, unimpressed as always.
Coach Harding points at the cones. “We’re not chasing pretty, Brooks. We’re chasing controlled movements and no overextensions.”
I nod once.
The route is simple. Ten yards. Break. Come back. Hands.
My body remembers it before my brain finishes thinking.
I quickly head out, controlled, and plant.
The knee holds.
I turn, hands up.
Carter’s spiral hits my palms clean.
It thuds against my chest like a heartbeat.
