‘COME ON!’ Jordan’s full-volume shout saves me from any more rumination about what the hell I’m doing, startling us apart. Colt just shoots me such an easy, sheepish grin. Is he deep in the same thought I am, with all his simple smiles and effortless gestures?

Jordan rushes over and grabs my arm, her ponytail in disarray from a dive into the student section. ‘RIVALRY TROPHY!’

We’re pulled away from the sidelines in a sea of teammates, and in all the chaos, even as we take the field to raise the rivalry trophy, a tall gold piece of hardware adorned with a statue of a cowboy atop a rearing horse, Colt holds tight to my hand. Maybe this time he’s the one holding on, but I can’t say I want to let go, either.

Chapter Thirty

Top Ched

Colt

Once the team washes up after trophy presentation and photos, it’s straight back to formal wear for us as we hit the Riders’ victory banquet. Multiple plates of all-you-can-eat buffet later, we head home full, content and exhausted, May and I back to the house together.

I pull the truck onto the driveway, and May stifles a yawn. ‘I’m going to go change and get to bed, Colt.’

‘Yeah – wait.’ I almost forgot. And with the end of the regular season, the Riders off to playoffs, I don’t think there’s any better time for this. I swallow hard. Nerves? I’m definitely nervous. ‘Can you follow me really quickly? There’s just something I wanted to show you.’

‘Oh?’ She moves to grab her duffel, but I hold out a hand and take it for her. She doesn’t look nearly as tired as she did a moment ago.

I lead the way around the side of the house, unlocking the fence to the backyard. We have one of those yards that stretches on and on, until you hit a dip where a little pond sits. Closest to the house is my mom’s garden, farther out the stretch that we always used for family Thanksgiving football games. I flick on the floodlights attached to the back patio, and they light up the brand-new lacrosse field.

Lacrosse field is a loose term for it. It’s far from perfect, but I tried my best. Mowed it all, bought nets, sprayed the white lines on the grass, midline, face-off circle, the X, all the things.

‘Holy … shit.’ May’s jaw goes slightly slack. ‘What is this?’

Still in pantsuit and heels, she jogs straight onto the field, right to the circle. ‘Did you make this?’ she calls, arms raised. ‘Colt! This is beautiful!’