She laughs and glances out onto the field. “Nope. But you look really impatient, and I thought maybe football lessons would take your mind off the fact that you’re about to do your big grand gesture thing. And also, for someone who works for an NFL team, you really don’t know much about football.”
What was that thing I said about loving teenagers? I was just kidding about that. “I’m a hockey player. I know hockey.”
“Because hockey is the best sport.” Ethan holds up a hand for a high five, and I slap it with a smile. “I’m glad you’re back,” he says, his serious voice making him sound so much older than ten. “My dad was pretty sad this week. I know you were texting Riley and whatever, but it wasn’t the same as when you’d come over and we’d get to see you. My dad is happier when you’re around. He smiles more, and I like that. I just like when you’re at our house. It’s almost like we have a m—” He cuts himself off and flushes, his eyes darting around the tunnel like he’s embarrassed by what he almost said.
Mom.
I never thought much about being a parent, but my heart squeezes, love for these two kids filling me up, and I think that I would really like to be a mom to them.
Reaching out, I lay a hand on his shoulder, and before I realize what’s happening, Ethan is throwing his arms around my waist and sniffling into my jersey, and I think I would burn down the world for both of them if it meant making them happy and keeping them that way.
We were meant to belong to each other.
I hold out an arm to Riley, and the look she gives me is peak,You are extremely uncool right now. It lasts for ten seconds before she joins our hug, and then I have full arms and a full heart and there is just one important piece missing.
Glancing out to the field, I see the time out just winding down. I’m half a field away from the Renegades sideline, but I could pick Cam out of a crowd of a million. He’s standing on the edge of the field, flanked by Drew and Tyler. Even from here, I can see that Cam looks rough. His shoulders are drooped, jaw tight, and the way Ty and Drew seem to be bolstering him, both physically and emotionally, has my heart shattering into a million pieces.
I did this to him, and I need to fix it.
Immediately.
I glance back at Riley and Ethan and make a split-second decision. “Screw halftime. My chill has left the building. We’re doing this now.”
Riley’s face explodes into a massive grin. “Seriously? Oh my god, this is better than Broadway.”
“You ready to make a scene?” I ask Ethan.
“Oh, hell yes,” he says with a laugh.
With butterflies in my stomach, and my arms aching to get around my guy, I fly out of the tunnel and take off on a run, the kids following behind me, heading towards the sidelines like we planned. The stadium staff who stand at the entrance to the tunnel look bewildered, the cameramen perplexed, and I’m starting to attract attention from the players who mill around waiting for game play to start. I ignore everything and everyone except for number sixty-eight, the man with themessy hair and smile that stops my heart, who is about to take the field.
“Cameron!” His steps falter for a second, like he heard me, but then he keeps moving towards the huddle. I yell his name twice more, and on the second time, my eyes meet Tyler’s, and he grins huge. His lips move, and then Cam’s head is whipping around, his eyes scanning the sidelines.
In a split second, the entire stadium ceases to exist, and then his eyes connect with mine. I can’t stop the grin that spreads over my face, the thrill that bubbles up in my chest as his eyes drop to my jersey and then snap back up, the heat and possession in his gorgeous blue gaze visible even from thirty yards away. And the love. God, the love. It pours out of him and hits me right in the chest, and I wish I had rocket boosters on my feet or wheels on my shoes or the ability to run a four-minute mile. Literally anything that will get me to him faster.
My breath is coming in short pants, and I’m pretty sure I feel a cramp coming on because running is the fucking worst, but an earthquake could turn this entire stadium to rubble and I would still be right here, running to my man.
And then, he’s running too.
I hear Tyler’s “Whoop!”and Drew’s “Fuck yeah!”and this is better than any rom-com ever because it’s real life, and this man is mine.
We meet at the forty-yard line, and he stops inches from me. We stare at each other for a beat, my heart galloping in my chest and my breathing matching the cadence of his. When Cam raises an eyebrow, lips quirking up in a smile and amusement in his eyes, my grin can’t be contained.
He’s here.
He’s mine.
Laughing with the joy of it all, I throw myself at him, wrapping my arms around his neck and my legs around his waist, determined never, ever to let go. He slides an arm tight aroundmy waist, holding me to him, and with his arms around me, not a single inch of space between us, I’m home.
Cam presses a kiss to the side of my head, his breathing coming in ragged gasps as I feel both of our bodies settle, our souls quiet. Two people who were never meant to be apart, coming back together. With all the space between us erased, I am exactly where I need to be.
“I love you,” I say, my voice rough with emotion. Burying my face in his neck, I breathe him in, pressing a kiss to his jaw. “I love you so fucking much, and I’m so sorry I disappeared for a week. My head was all fucked up because of my own shit, but it didn’t have anything to do with you. I should have stayed. Worked it out with you. I should have done anything except for walk away from you and stay away for so long. You didn’t deserve that. Ethan and Riley didn’t deserve that. You deserve everything.”
“Oh baby,” he murmurs, his arms tightening around me, his lips pressing the sweetest kisses behind my ear. “I love you, too. I already have everything because I have you.”
“I fucking missed you,” I say, drawing back and grinning at him, wondering if anyone has ever felt this happy in the history of ever. “Kiss me, Cameron, because a week is too damn long.”
He tilts his head, studying me, the smile spreading over his face so huge that elation bubbles in my chest. “Right here? Right now? Everyone will see.”
