Page 125 of Home of the Brave

“Or ‘Don’t Go Breaking My Heart’?”

“I couldn’t if I tried,” I immediately sang back as if my body had slipped into autopilot.

“I think we have a winner!” he grinned and tossed the book back.

“Who’s first?” Madi asked. She was holding a tablet and looking out at us.

“We are!” Amelia shouted.

“‘Benny and the Jets’,” Madi whispered as she typed. “Unless you’re going to shock us all with a new one?”

Derek shook his head. “That’s for later. Got to keep traditions alive.”

“Do we?” Wyatt deadpanned.

“Next?” Madi asked.

Kendall added hers, then Josh announced our song, and the rest of them alternated between claiming spots.

Amelia and Derek were great. They even had very simple choreography that really added to the overall performance.

There was no judgment or laughter when Kendall sang an entire Celine Dion song off-key. Just cheers and clapping.

I was nervous to get in front of them, but as soon as the music started, Josh started shimmying, and I was too busy holding back laughter to worry about making a fool of myself.

It was the most fun I’d had in months. If not longer.

These people were so loving and supportive of one another. A family by choice, not by blood. I was honored to be included, even if only for a short time.

Josh leaned back, putting his arm around me and pulling me in before he kissed my temple.

It was effortless. Natural.

It was belonging.

It was all I wanted.

28

JOSH

“One more day,” Schultz muttered next to me as we stepped into the press hall for the final time. At least we were the winners and didn’t have to be reminded of our loss and make a comment a hundred times over.

I glanced at the East players and cringed; poor guys.

“Do you want to go with us to Arlington tomorrow?” Schultz asked, but I was too focused on trying to find Victoria in the masses. I couldn’t see her or Cambrie.

I took a few steps to see the other side of the room, but they were absent.

“What’s wrong?” Schultz nudged me.

“I can’t find Victoria."

He looked around and his smile dropped. “Huh.”

My gut told me something was wrong. I hadn’t heard from her this morning, but I hadn’t expected to.

I kept searching until I saw a face I recognized. Joe Banks. What was he doing here? Miles was with him, so I told Schultz I’d be right back and hurried over to him while there was a short break.