The play clock is ticking down when he finally claps both hands together and the ball shoots between the center’s legs and right into Quinton’s strong grip. One lineman misses his block and a Cleveland defender slips through the line protecting Quinton. My breath catches in my throat and my stomach clenches as I brace for him to get hit. But at the last second, he fakes to the right before dodging to the left and sprinting out of the defender’s grip. He runs toward the sideline, keeping his gaze down the field before spotting an open receiver in the end zone and snapping his arm back, firing the ball over the helmets heading straight for him.

It’s not the longest pass, so we aren’t kept in suspense as the ball whizzes to Beck, who doesn’t even have to jump to catch it. Quinton, who never doubted that it would be caught, is already running toward Beck, jumping up and meeting him midair as they slam their shoulders into one another. If anyone in the crowd has a problem with Quinton’s protest, they’ve put it to the side for now as they jump and scream, shaking the stadium floors.

The offense clears off the field as the special teams runs back on and Butler, the kicker, lines up behind the ball before kicking it directly between the goal posts.

The crowd cheers a little more—the poor kicker has all of the pressure but none of the glory—before finally settling into their seats. Their expectations for the game are set.

“Oh! Guacamole!” Greer pulls my attention off the game as she leans over and nabs one of my chips. She loads it with dip and shoves it in her mouth before I can say that I don’t think any of it is organic.

“Just don’t,” Brynn says before I can warn Greer. “Trust me.”

“I told you guys,” Greer says after she’s finished chewing on a most def not GMO-free chip. “Didn’t I tell you?”

“Tell us what?” Vonnie is using the same tone she used with her kids when they were asking her what felt like twenty questions in the car.

“I gave Darren a list of positive affirmations to pass out to the guys last night so they could start reading them before bed and up until the game.” She looks super fucking proud of herself as she grabs one more chip. “They’re totally going to win today.”

Vonnie just looks at her for a second before shaking her head and turning her attention to the game.

“This is why you are one of my favorite Lady Mustangs,” Brynn says with no sarcasm in her voice. “You upped my vodka game at HERS and you do wild shit like that. We need more Greers in the world.”