Page 49 of The Catch

Nerves pop in my gut like my stomach is a bubbling pot. I've never considered myself to have a gang. Jo and I are friends who work together. Coworkers who are friends. We don't really spend much time together outside of that. I have my brother and Saint, of course but, looking back, I think I made the mistake of focusing too much on Aidan in recent years. The handful of exes before him.

It's weird to realize that I was so narrowly focused on making romance work, to prove I'm different from my parents, that I forgot about me as a person. I lost myself. The idea of friends faded into a distant background.

Texting with Evie over the past few weeks has expanded my mind. My heart. If I'm right, Evie and I are slowly becoming friends. Friendship with her is a set of timid sprouts, branching out to create a full, dense crown on the tree of my life. Connecting with the group at large could only add depth and warmth to my dream of a happily ever after, and make my life richer.

It's another gift that comes from the unexpected breakup, and the life Saint has invited me into. The friendships I'm making are showing me who I am in wholly new ways.

It's yet another reason to hope he doesn't get traded. My friendship with him has deepened, too.

A pang seizes my heart at the idea he might have to leave. Crush aside, a piece of me would break with him gone.

I shake my head. I can't afford to think about that. Better to leave it for when I can't sleep in the middle of the night.

I clear my throat and smile. "I've met Nat and Pen before, at the post-season party last year."

Nat and Pen return my grin, and the gesture reaches their eyes. Nat with her gorgeous lavender hair is the first one to hug me. Pen follows right after. The light of the window glints on her nose ring.

"Yeah, I remember you." Nat sits again.

"Me, too," Pen adds. "Happy to see you here! And wearing a jersey, I see?"

I sit next to Pen, and Evie next to me.

"It was part of the deal," I say.

"Look what I brought." Evie gets a thermos, a mate gourd, and a container full of yerba from a small cubby under the window. "I bought a few bombillas and mates, just in case you don't want to share."

I keep my smile in place. "I'm good with doing it the right way."

"Excellent!" Evie adds some yerba to the mate. "I've been imagining this moment since I learned your family is from Uruguay."

"Look, the guys are coming out," Nat says.

I lean forward and watch the show. Playing at home means the Strike get the diva treatment. A smoke screen reveals one athlete after the other, encouraged onto the turf by five cheerleaders on each side. Each of the players has a personality as they enter the field. Logan runs and waves in a sober manner, while Bear charges forward in an imposing way. Dom and Saint dance, of course.

As much as I'd like to pretend I can admire both equally, I'll admit the truth in the quiet of my mind. I only have eyes for my roommate.

After the coin toss, it's clear The Strike will start on defense. In football, offense and defense are different parts of the team. They take turns depending on how the game progresses. All our favorite players, the ones we're here for, play on offense. They'll stay on the sidelines for the first drive. We sit back and focus on each other for a while.

I sip from the mate. "Do any of you love the sport?"

Pen's lips turn down at the corners. "I think we're all here mostly to support the guys."

"I think it's fun." Nat shrugs. "I like it. And I love getting together here, chatting, watching them win."

"Which reminds me…" Evie grabs her phone. "Did you hear about the latest bet?"

Pen chuckles. "What are they up to this time?"

"It's Bear, Saint, and Logan. It's an edit. They let me record them while working out, and I mixed it with their outfits coming into the game today. The one to get the most likes wins. Want to see?"

We huddle together and stare at her phone screen. Logan's video is first, with a series of overlapping images that first show his arrival to the stadium earlier today, wearing a tailored, casual blue suit, and his usual frown. It's mixed with images of him wearing only shorts, and doing the classic crossfit battle rope workout… in slow mo. His arms and shoulders pop, while still showing off his abs and well-defined torso.

"In my eyes, he's got to win," Evie says.

"Who would have guessed you would feel that way, huh?" Nat laughs.

"I cannot be blamed," she responds.