Page 101 of The Score

"Evie said she'll be here soon," Nat says. "Then she'll give us a tour."

"My team is bringing a simple meal for us." Ames smiles. "We'll get to watch everyone train like it's a picnic. It will be nice!"

Evie arrives just a few minutes later and greets us all. We follow her through the lobby toward a hallway. Evie explains it's a section of flex office space for coaches and medical staff, before leading us to the gym past them. We don't stay there long. Evie simply points out where the locker rooms, swimming pool and rehab area are, while my parents ahhh and ohhh at what they see.

"How often do you come here?" Ames asks me. "I bring food to my clients on the team often enough, and I've seen parts of it a few times, but this is the first time I get such a great look at the place."

"Not that often," I reply. "And never with such a cool tour guide."

Evie smiles, having heard me, but doesn't stop hosting my parents.

I gaze at the weight machines lining the space, wondering what all the different contraptions do for the team. There must be a hundred different work out stations, all overlooking the field. Motivation, perhaps.

The large glass panes that serve as the front wall fold like an accordion. They're currently compacted to the edges of the gym and opening the indoor space, connecting it to the outside, where the team plays and practices. I search for Leon, but I can't see him, and sigh.

It's okay. I know what these machines do for him. His shoulders, his arms, his strength… I don't have to be looking at him to conjure his image in my head.

How is it possible that I've always known how he looks, but it's only now that I react this way to him?

"Okay, let's go." Evie makes a calling gesture with her hand. "We'll see the rest afterwards. We're going to get quite the view of the team!"

She leads us onto a paved section right outside the gym. We stroll along the short end of the field, and around the corner to a cozy grassy area. We sit on picnic chairs set up overlooking the manicured turf, hugged by Lake Washington behind us, and large trees that provide a cool shaded area. As epic as the view of the lake would be, this one is pretty good too. A field full of handsome athletes showing off their skills has a way to draw one's attention.

One in particular calls for my eyes. From this angle, I find him right away. He's laughing at something Saint said, and it loosens some of the tension I've been carrying inside.

I smile. Yes, we'll be okay.

Or that's my thought, before he turns to stare at me. Like he senses my presence, or my eyes on him. I'm locked on him now, and his sight doesn't waver from me. Butterflies fill my stomach— that's the adrenaline getting pumped into my veins all over again. Both because my husband is so damn handsome, and because I'm worried about what my best friend is thinking.

He's far, standing somewhere in the middle of the field, but I know him well. He gives me a nod. I give him one back.

Are you okay?

Yes.

Are we okay?

We will be.

I don't need to read the micro gestures on his face to understand the messages we sent each other through the ether. We've known each other for nearly twenty years. If we've developed telepathy, it's a sign of how close we actually are.

A coach calls his name and Bear returns to his job. Two people join our group, carrying a couple of large coolers. Ames says hi to them, and helps them distribute food and drinks for all of us. We thank her and her team profusely. After a while, my parents end up chatting a mile a minute with Nat and Ames, while Evie and I sit side by side.

"Thank you for spoiling us like this, Evie." I smile.

The sandwiches we're eating deserve a better, less mundane name than that. They're spectacular. Artisanal salami and prosciutto in a gold, perfect bun, with some sort of crumbly, white, soft cheese. Alongside arugula, tomato, and a wonderful aioli, the combination fills my mouth with flavor.

"Oh, my pleasure." Evie fakes a toast, and I clink my can of pop with hers. "I love all the perks that come with my job, including the fact I can do things like this."

"What about the perk of having met your fiancé at work?"

She chuckles. "That one for sure, too. Though, to be fair, I didn't meet him at work."

"What?!" I turn to her and chew through another bite of food. "Didn't you meet when he became the Strike's new QB?"

She dabs her mouth with a paper napkin. I raise an eyebrow.

Her eyes shine with mischief. "Technically I met him years prior. In passing."