I shrug, even as those leftover emotions try to resurface. “I just got lucky.”
“You didn’t,” Maddy says quietly, turning to me. “Nothing about that was luck.”
For a second we get lost in each other before Drew’s voice breaks the spell. “So, we’re celebrating, yes?”
Yanking my gaze away from hers, I look at Drew, his eyes clearly sayingGet your shit togetherbefore giving Brian and Coach a meaningful glance. I follow his gaze to find both men looking at me with what I could swear are questions in their eyes.
Shit.
“We’re definitely celebrating,” I say quickly. Too quickly, probably, but my brain is still scrambled from the touchdown and the smell of Maddy’s shampoo.
“Fuck yeah!” Tyler throws an arm around my shoulders. “We’re getting fucked up tonight!” With a quick glance at Brian and Coach, he schools his expression dramatically. “I mean, we’re going to go out and have a very tame and appropriate celebration of our guy and his unlikely touchdown.”
Brian snorts out a laugh. “Ty, I’ve known you since you were born, and you have never done anything tame a single day in your life. Go have fun. Just know that if I have to get up to bail anyone out of jail, Liv is going to be pissed, and she’s way scarier than I am.”
“And I’m the scariest of all.” Coach gives us a stern glance. “Don’t be fucking stupid, and anyone who falls asleep during film tomorrow is doing fifty-fortys until you forget the wordhungover exists. Be in the locker room in five minutes. Lowry and Ellicott, you’re on post-game media.”
“Ten-four, Coach.” Drew gives him a mock salute and Coach rolls his eyes, giving us a curt nod before heading off the field.
“I’m heading out too. Gotta do all the things and get home to my wife. Fucking amazing play, Cam.” Brian leans over and wraps Maddy in a hug before heading off with a wave.
“Okay, now that the grown-ups are gone, Cavo. Nine p.m. I’ll handle the VIP shit.” Tyler gives us a wicked grin. “You coming, Mads?”
Maddy rolls her eyes. “When have you ever known me to set foot in a club?”
Drew shakes his head. “That’s weak sauce. There’s a first time for everything. You’re on the team, Maddy girl. You have to come. We’re fucking celebrating.”
When he tosses me a sly grin, I realize he’s wingmaning me, making sure Maddy comes out tonight because he knows without me having to say a word exactly how I’m hoping this night ends.
I really have great taste in best friends.
Maddy looks at me for a beat. “Don’t you have kids to go home to?”
I shake my head. “They’re sleeping at my mom’s.”
“Please come, Maddy.” Tyler gives her a pleading look. “Please, please, please, please, pretty, pretty please? I’ll text Soph and get her to come too. It won’t be the same without you.”
Shifting slightly to the left, I graze my hand over hers again, and she sucks in a quiet breath, but when she doesn’t do anything to move away, I know I’ve got her. “What do you say, Maddy?”
When she looks at me, I can tell she understands I’m asking her about a lot more than just a team night out to celebrate a win.
She searches my face for a beat before nodding slowly.
“Okay.”
The single word is final and heavy with meaning, and anticipation hums between us as we accept without words what we both already know.
It’s happening.
Tonight.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
MADDY
“Holy shitballs, you look amazing.” Emmy grins from her perch on my bed, a giant bag of Skittles in her lap. She has one eye on me and one eye on the candy, where she’s meticulously separating the red Skittles from the rest of the pack and tossing them in a bowl.
“I can’t believe you’re making me wear this,” I grumble as I tug down the hem of the deep purple dress. The very short, very tight dress.
