He’d given me a home.
“You okay?” Matty murmured, staring down at me in concern.
I grinned and nodded. “Yes,” I answered. “I really am.”
CHAPTER 36
MATTY
The stadium roared around me, a hundred thousand voices folding into one as the ball hit my palms and I broke through the line. I barely felt the hit that came too late or the grass tearing under my cleats.
Touchdown.
I spiked the ball, adrenaline searing through me like fire. My teammates tried to swarm, giving me slaps to my helmet and shouts in my ear, but I made them wait until I did my celebration dance.
The one that perfectly matched the moves Ophelia had just performed for the crowd, of course.
I made her teach me the tiger’s dances every week so I had them ready.
And then it was time for the next part of my celebration.
Kissing her.
I jogged toward the sideline, looking around with a grin until I spotted the orange tiger mascot—mytiger—jumping up and down.
My chest warmed.
Then the warmth curdled.
Because it took me half a second to realize that the jersey she was wearing, the one stretched over that tiger suit, wasn’t mine.
It was Parker’s.
My breath stuttered. The grin died on my face.
The noise of the crowd blurred into a dull, roaring hum as a strange ringing sound filled my ears.
She was jumping up and down, pom-poms shaking, completely oblivious. And all I could see was the bold number on her back—his number—flashing every time she moved.
My vision went red.
I wasn’t even aware I’d stopped moving until Jace’s hand hit my shoulder. “Hey, man. You good?”
No. Of course I wasn’t good.
“She’s wearing his jersey,” I growled.
Jace blinked, confused. “Who?”
“Ophelia.”
I sprinted straight for her, cleats pounding the sideline, the roar of the crowd turning into a distant wave. She saw me coming and froze mid-jump.
I didn’t slow.
I reached her in four strides, grabbed the tiger head with both hands, and ripped it off. Her hair spilled out in a wild, sweaty tangle, her face flushed, lips parted in shock.
Before she could speak, I crushed my mouth to hers.
