“Exactly.”
My pulse picks up.
I reach for my laptop, flip it open, and pull up the bracket.
Stanford women’s volleyball.
Playoff schedule.
Advancement.
There it is.
Bye week.
I stare at the screen.
Kane walks out of the bathroom in nothing but shorts, steam following him, takes one look at my face and says, “Why do you look like a man planning tax fraud?”
I wave him off.
Leo sees the bracket reflected in my expression and smiles.
“Well?”
I keep looking.
Our schedule.
Their schedule.
Travel windows.
One free night.
It’s reckless.
Complicated.
Possible.
Exactly the kind of thing I would have talked myself out of a month ago.
Now all I can think is that if I’m serious about Stella, then maybe serious doesn’t always mean safe.
Maybe sometimes it means showing up in a way she’ll never forget.
I look back at the screen.
“Send the plane.”
Jade’s whole face lights up.
Leo just nods once like he knew I’d get there.
Then I remember something and sit back, already running through details in my head.
“Jade.”
