“WHEN THE GOALIE APPROVES, YOU CAN PUT THAT ONE ON THE SCOREBOARD.”
I fire a shirt into the stands, watching a kid scramble for it.
The cam jumps.
Another couple.
Barely a peck.
Mason’s voice comes through.
“NOPE. THAT WAS A PRACTICE REP. WE NEED GAME SPEED.”
Laughter rolls like thunder.
Dex piles on. “OKAY, THAT WAS CUTE BUT YOU CAN DO BETTER THAN THAT.”
Bryce howls. “COME ON, MAN. YOU’RE ON THE KISS CAM, NOT A JOB INTERVIEW.”
They kiss harder.
Crowd ROARS.
Dex cheers. “Yeah,” I say. “He’s hired.”
I’m laughing now, full-on, chest loose for the first time all night.
This is harmless.
Just the guys being idiots.
The cam jumps again.
Two Friends. Panic.
Dex: “HEY, you don’t have to panic. Just pick a person... to the left, to the right.”
Mason: “ANY PERSON. STATISTICALLY THIS ENDS WELL.”
Eli’s voice drops in, calm as ever.
“That's not accurate.”
The crowd goes wild.
The camera cuts again.
An older couple appears on the screen, gray hair, arms wrapped around each other like they’ve been doing it for decades.
Dex’s voice softens, just a beat.
“OH. HOLD UP. NASHVILLE, THESE TWO HAVE BEEN DOING THIS LONGER THAN MOST OF US HAVE BEEN ALIVE.”
The crowd melts.
The couple laughs and shares an easy, unhurried kiss.
Bryce adds, impressed, “WOW. PROFESSIONALS.”
