‘I know you’re not playing in those jeans!’ I start to scold her, but she holds up a hand, the olive complexion of her face starting to go red.

‘Tell me whose parents are at this women’s lacrosse match?’ Jordan scrunches her eyebrows in confusion as she drops her duffel beside her sneakered feet, pointing a stubborn arm at the exit. ‘Look at that. That has to be the Harrisons. Serial lacrosse fans. You think they called all their friends or something? Never gave a shit about women’s, but here we are.’

‘I think it has an awful lot to do with the conversation we had earlier,’ I mutter, and widen my eyes at Jordan by way of a cue. She mouths an oh as her gaze shifts towards Colt, and another silent oh comes out.

My best friend tugs me aside, voice lowered to a whisper. ‘So. I take it we aren’t coming clean to the entire team right now, American Treasuress? You know we’ve never had a crowd like this in our lives. This is crazy, May. We couldn’t even dream of this.’

I glare at the stands, and when I peer at Colt, who’s now migrated towards the tunnel exit and is waving at the audience with his dumb, glowing smile, I make sure to add a little extra sting. ‘Peanut gallery’s full. That’s all we could ask for right now.’

‘Did you talk to him?’

‘Hmm.’ I clench my jaw. ‘It may not be happening this instant, but we’re shutting this down. He knows it.’

Chapter Nine

The Deal

Colt

The looks of wonder on the team’s faces are all I need to know that they’ve never played in front of this kind of crowd.

Coach Dillon and I make our way over to the sidelines as they jog out onto the field with their sticks and goggles. The shouts of the audience we’ve drawn is unmistakable – it’s obvious what they’re here for, but a crowd is a crowd. May gazes up at the bleachers, at the nearly full student section, already getting rowdy in their game overalls, orange towels in hand, and then turns to shoot daggers from her eyes at me, framed by the hot pink of her goggles. The Dutch braid done for her by Brianna whips around over her shoulder, and if I were someone less acquainted with May Velasco, I’d probably be scared for my life. Instead, I manage a cheeky grin and a shrug. As much as May sees the video as a PR nightmare, one I’ll have to tell my team to erase sooner rather than later, it’s certainly secured the Riders a hell of an opening game, and it’s given Captain May a very, very amped-up team. We’d better enjoy it while it lasts.