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“How was our flight? Really?” My amusement deepens. “When you said you’d arranged everything, I didn’t expect you to send a private jet. Do you have a private jet?” Though I have no idea why, I lower my voice, as if it’s some big secret.

Beckett’s lips quirk into a grin and he pulls me to a stop, sealing my lips in another kiss—a kiss that ends as fast as it began, but is still just as meaningful.

“Careful, I might get used to this unguarded version of you.”

“Good. Because I’m finding it hard to hold back. I hope you like Beckett version 2.0.”

“I do. But I also happen to love the man you truly are. In here.” I place my hand over his heart, and I swear I feel it jump beneath my palm. “You know you don’t ever have to change for me, right?”

“Likewise. But I should clarify, the jet’s not mine. Our team owner, Sal, gave me a contact for the charter flight company he used to use.”

“Oh, good.”

“Good?”

“Yes. You’re already way out of my league financially, and the distance seems so much bigger if you can afford your own jet.”

“I can afford it.”

“What?” I balk, choking on thin air.

“I’m kidding.” He chuckles and the beautiful sound rolls through me as his words ease my mind. “But Lily, there is no part of me that’s out of your league. Trust me when I say, I’m the one winning in this equation. Money doesn’t even factor into it.”

My heart races as I grab behind his neck and drag him down into me, claiming his lips for the third time today. I’m sure you’d call this the honeymoon phase in a new relationship, but I can’t imagine the feeling ever fading.

“Alright, you two,” Henley calls out, pretending to hide her eyes as she turns to face us. “You’ve got a lifetime for that. We have to go.”

Beckett chuckles as he steals another kiss, then clasps my hand and guides me toward the hangar.

She’s right. We do. And I’m planning to take full advantage of that time.

The Storm win the Super Bowl by two points, and Henley screams so loud I’m certain my hearing will never be the same. “They did it! The Storm did it again. Beckett finally has his ring.”

My chest swells as some of the tension leaves my body, and I clench my fist over my heart, sucking in a deep breath, a relieved smile playing on my lips. No one deserves recognition more than Beckett does, and the elation I feel is all-consuming.

Henley rushes over to her mom while my gaze stays firmly locked on the field, watching as Beckett’s teammates all pile on top of him.

When he finally gets to his feet, he rips his helmet off and his eyes find mine, the most glorious smile spreading across his face. As per our agreement, I give him a subtle nod, but he shakes his head, gesturing for me to go down there.

Even though Beckett made a statement about our relationship, we thought it’d be best to keep our relationship quiet for the rest of the season. To keep the focus on the game. Which you’d think would be easy to do since we live in different states and haven’t seen each other once since he left. And maybe it would have been, if Beckett hadn’t been photographed changing his clothes outside of my house New Year’s Eve, which I’ve come to discover wasn’t a one-off. He admitted to also changing his shirt outside my house the morning after he first stayed over.

Because of that and his statement about me and Ava, for the first time in years, Beckett was hit with a tirade of personal questions. Questions he handled like the pro he is, redirecting the conversation back to his team, managing to keep the focus on the game. Us staying apart helped him control that narrative. There was less for them to talk about.

Now is not a great time for us to be seen together again, as I don’t want to do anything to take away from his team’s celebration. With that hesitation, I wave him off until he points to Henley as she appears beside me.

“Go on.” She nudges my shoulder when I don’t move. “Mom and I have Ava. You’re needed down on the field.”

“That’s crazy. I can’t.” I don’t want to take away from his moment.

“Are you really going to leave him hanging? This is huge for him. And I don’t mean the Super Bowl win.”

My stomach swirls with nerves and protectiveness. “I’m not sure it’s a good idea. We had an agreement. He’s high from the win. He’s not thinking clearly.”

Beckett and I may have talked in depth about his past and his hesitation toward pursuing a relationship, but I never expected that to mean he was going to change his cautious and guarded personality. This is new. It’s Beckett’s version of a fuck it moment. Something I only know about because Henley loves describing them after every book she reads.

“Beckett said that if you hesitate, which he thought you would, I’m to say ‘all in’ and walk away. So ‘all in.’” She lifts her shoulder in a shrug as she walks over to Ava, and I turn back to Beckett, my eyes wide as my heart slams in my chest.

All in. Our way of saying “I love you.”