“I don’t know, Ronnie. My rules were clear, and she broke them,” Mr. Osterman says.

  “She’s way too talented for you to just give up on her. She covers the team but she can’t report on him. We make that clear and the rest should be fine if she remains objective. I have no doubt she will.”

  There’s silence on the other end.

  “C’mon, you know she’s better than Grant Thorn,” Ronnie says.

  “Why the change of mind?” he asks.

  Ronnie looks at me and sighs. “She’s starting out, and I feel bad?”

  “And Miles Cavanaugh is sitting across from you right now, I gather?”

  Ronnie laughs. “And he’s quite the bargainer. So what do you say?”

  “Jesus… okay.”

  “I’m the one who gets to tell her,” I say, interrupting them.

  “In other words, he wants to be her white knight,” Ronnie says.

  “Fine. But I need an answer by Monday because Grant is covering this week.”

  “I’ll get you one. Thank you.”

  Ronnie hangs up with Mr. Osterman.

  I stand and shake Ronnie’s hand. When I go to pull away, he doesn’t let go. “This is your one. Every player gets one free pass. This is yours. Don’t ever bribe me or threaten me again with your playing performance or we’ll have a serious problem.”

  “I won’t. I promise.”

  He smiles and releases my hand.

  As I walk out of the room, Damon hops off whoever’s desk he’s on. “So?”

  “I got her job back. Now I just need her to give me a second chance.”

  “Wow, you must’ve been something in there,” Damon says.

  We take the elevator down and are about to leave the building when someone calls my name.

  Tre Brummer waves and breaks the distance between us. His clothes are drenched in sweat, and he’s wiping more sweat from his face. He’s got a protein shake in his hand. “Hey, Miles.”

  “Tre.”

  He’s so young. Was I that young when I joined the pros? I don’t remember having that scared expression on my face.

  “Can I talk to you for a second?”

  Damon pats me on the back. “I’ll get the Uber.”

  He leaves us alone, and Tre keeps his eyes on the ground, then looks at me. “I just wanted to say sorry. I know you’re probably pissed about the position shift, and I’m really working hard to get where they want me.”

  I smile at the kid. What seemed like life and death two days ago isn’t so important now. And that’s why Bryce means more than any of this shit.

  “Don’t sweat it, man. This is the pros. Things change a lot.” I look out toward where Damon went. “I gotta go, but how about next practice, I show you some things that helped me when I started?”

  “I’d love that.” He looks around. “I feel a little out of my…”

  “Scared as hell?”

  He blows out a breath. “Yeah.”

  I laugh. “You’re not alone.” I put my hand out between us. “I’ve got you.”

  We do a slapping of hands and shake.

  “Thanks. I thought for sure you were going to hate me.”

  “Ah… take it from me, Brummer, football isn’t everything.” I smile and turn around, rushing out of the stadium.

  Damon’s got the Uber already, the door open. “Set for the airport?”

  “Yeah.”

  I slide in and he slides in next to me.

  “Are you coming to Idaho with me?” I ask.

  “No, but I got a friend who can help us out.”

  I scrunch my eyebrows.

  “Get you on a plane,” Damon adds.

  “Go,” I say to the Uber driver, and he speeds away.

  Chapter 30

  Bryce

  I sit in Miles’s apartment, waiting for him to return home. It’s a little crazy how I had to get in. Cooper had Damon’s key, and he had a key to Miles’s place from when it was Creed’s.

  Now that I’m here, in Miles’s space, I’m thinking maybe a call would’ve been better. I don’t have any idea whether he’ll be happy to see me. Maybe he’ll be upset that I’m here alone in his private space.

  There’s the sound of a key in the door, and I hold my breath.

  “I told you just to go to the airport. I don’t need a bag.” Miles is talking to someone.

  “This is your first time meeting her mom. You can’t show up like that. Put on some jeans and a nice button-down. I can’t believe I have to dress you for the parents.”

  Damon.

  “I don’t think they’d care, and I don’t think Bryce would either.”

  I cover my heart with my hand. He was going to go to Idaho for me. Hopefully that’s a good sign.

  “You can’t take back a bad first impression.”

  “Who are you, and where is the real Damon?” Miles’s voice draws closer, and I remain frozen, waiting to see him.

  “I’m helping you, believe me.”

  “Have you seen my charger?” He finally appears in the family room and stops, blinking when he spots me. “Bryce?”

  “And that’s my cue.” Damon winks at me and runs the other way. The door shuts a second later.

  “Hey,” I say. What I really want to do is run to him, jump in his arms, and beg him to take me back.

  “I thought you were in Idaho?” He doesn’t move closer, and I don’t stand.

  “I got back, like, an hour ago.”

  “Oh.”

  “I want to apologize,” I say, wishing I would’ve rehearsed this on the plane. “It was wrong of me to accuse you. I know you wouldn’t do that.”

  “Never,” he says emphatically. “I would never.” He shakes his head as if his words aren’t enough.

  “I just…” I sigh. This is harder to get out than I thought.

  He rounds the sofa. “I understand. Your dad and the picture was incriminating. I was already mad that day because they were switching my position and I felt like a fucking failure. Not only in my career but with us. That I failed you if you thought I could ever do that. And I just didn’t want to accept that.” He sits on the chair across from me.

  “You didn’t fail me.” Tears well in my eyes. “You were right, I was never all in. I think only part of my heart was open, but I can’t stop crying now, so…” Tears spill down my face.

  I fall to my knees and crawl over to him, then slide my hands up his legs. When he opens them, I crawl inside the space between his thighs.

  “But I am now. I’m ready. A hundred and ten percent open to see where this goes.”

  “Your job,” he says.

  “I don’t care. I quit. I can find another one. But there’s only one you.”

  He bends and takes my face in his hands. “I got your job back. It’s all yours.”

  “How? Why?” I shake my head. “I don’t want it. If it means that I can’t be with you, I don’t want it. I just want you.”

  “You have me,” he says. “I’m still all yours. You can’t report on me, but that’s okay.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “You can report on the Grizzlies, just not this one. But it’s your dream job. Take it back, Bryce. Please.”

  I place my hands over his on my cheeks. “No. I don’t want it. That day they suspended me, I realized I wanted you way more than any job. You’re my dream. Just you.”

  “You can have both now.”

  I smile. This man is too sweet. “They never liked the way I reported anyway. And I kind of like writing articles about you. Maybe I’ll become your permanent PR person.” He gives me a skeptical look, and I laugh. “I promise I’d be nice. So… do you forgive me?”

  He nods. “I’ll always forgive you. Well, within reason, but always.”

  “I was so stupid.”

  His thumbs wipe the tears from my eyes. “Stop it. It’s over. Let’s forget it and move forward.” He stares into my eyes.

  “Where do we go from here?” I practically whisper.

  “How about I kiss you?”

  “Please.” I smile and nod.

  He bends down and kisses my lips. He’s gentle and sweet, and when he draws back, his eyes study me for a moment. “So, this was our first fight.”

  “It wasn’t our first,” I say, and he chuckles.

  “Well, was it surprisingly horrible for you?”

  “Very. But I’m really hoping the make-up sex is surprisingly hot.”

  He slides off the chair, and I inch backward, losing my balance and falling to my back.

  “Oh, I’m gonna surprise you.” He falls on me, and I wind my arms around his neck.

  “I love you,” I say.

  His lips thin, and he stares at me as if he’s mad.

  “What?”

  “I was going to say it first.” He frowns.

  I giggle. “I know, and I wanted to be first.”

  Miles rolls his eyes. “Of course, I should’ve known.”

  “But you can say it now?”

  He shakes his head.

  “Come on. Say it.”

  “Nope.” He grins.

  “Miles.” My hands rest on his cheeks now. “Say it.”

  “You can’t make me,” he says, and I wiggle to get out from under him. “Where are you going?”

  “If you’re not gonna—”

  He catches me and lies back on top of me. He looks into my eyes, and I take in his beautiful blues. He doesn’t have to say a word, it’s all there, but that doesn’t stop him. “I love you, Bryce Burns.”

  “I know.”

  He shakes his head again and I pull it down to mine, sealing it with a kiss.

  Epilogue

  Miles

  The Big Game

  Bryce opens the hotel curtains first thing in the morning. “Today is the day!”

  I hate how she’s so chipper in the morning, but at the same time, morning sex is awesome with her since she’s not half asleep.

  “I can’t believe we’re here,” I say.

  She jumps on the bed. “And you’re going to make MVP today.”

  I grab her waist and pull her down onto me. “Trying to put good things out into the universe again?”

  She laughs. “No. My man is going to play the game of his life today and come home with the award.”

  “It doesn’t matter. The fact that I get to wake up to you is what my dreams are made of.”

  She rolls her eyes and pushes off my chest. “You say the sweetest things, but you want that title. That trophy.”

  It would be nice, but these past months with Bryce have just confirmed she’s the right choice, hands down. She’s my number one in my life.

  I go to the bathroom, and I hear her typing on her laptop. She’s probably been up for hours before me.

  “Still working on that thing?” I ask.

  She decided to write her own piece on the Chicago Grizzlies and publish it in the new magazine she’s working at, which is Sportsverse’s biggest competitor.

  The woman who took a picture on my bed came forward right after Bryce and I got back together—after she found out that Bryce had lost her job. She told us that Shelly had paid her to do it and given her the key to my place. I thought about pressing charges, but she seemed genuinely sorry for her actions, so I didn’t.

  How did Shelly have a key to my apartment? From when it was Creed’s. Turns out Shelly and Creed were seeing each other in secret and the baby is his. When he said it wasn’t and refused a relationship with the child as well as any responsibility, she wanted revenge. Yeah, I guess she could’ve just sued him or something but she was afraid to lose her job, so she opted to hide the pregnancy, hoping she could convince Creed to step up.

  After Grant Thorn told Shelly how he saw us together at the planetarium, she saw it as an opportunity to sell her story and make a lot of money. All while screwing us over.

  “Just adding the finishing touches. Just so you know, in the last part, I’m writing how you’re winning the MVP and the Grizzlies win the Bowl.” She types away, smiling.

  “I appreciate the faith.”

  She sets down her computer and crosses the room in her small silk pajama set. “Because tonight I need to be with you, celebrating your big win.” She rises on her tiptoes and kisses me. “Love you.”

  “The whole crew here?” I ask.

  “Yeah, I’ll see them in the box.”

  “All right. I’m taking a shower.”

  Bryce goes back to her article, and I turn on the shower. As the spray washes down on me, I can’t help but feel so damn lucky to have her. We’re going to move in together. She actually agreed to move into The Den, and we hope that having a woman there will change the reputation of the place. We really need Damon to change to help with that effort.

  A couple hours later, we head over to the game and Bryce kisses me goodbye, going to the box while I head to the locker room. The nerves are real. I’m fucking scared.

  Pavin returned to strong safety only three weeks ago, and I got my free safety position back. I felt bad for Tre, but he’ll get his chance. He made incredible plays in those three weeks. So many I was a little scared, but only because I want to play to support the life I want with Bryce, not for my ego.

  Cooper sits down next to me on the bench.

  “You good?” I ask.

  He nods. “It’s a lot of pressure. All eyes on us.”

  “And we’re going to win. Bryce put it out in the universe this morning.”

  He laughs. “I’m not sure which Bryce I prefer, the old one or this new Zen one, but she’s really changed. She’s so optimistic.”

  “Yeah, she is.”

  “Congratulations, man, you guys seem really happy.”

  “We are.”

  “Wedding bells?” His eyebrows rise.

  I look around to see if anyone is paying us any attention, then I look back at Cooper. “Her parents are getting married in a few months. I’m going to let her get through that first and then maybe. I gotta watch how fast I go with her. You know how she is.”

  He doesn’t say anything, but he doesn’t have the chance to because Damon jumps in front of us. “Let’s go!”

  Coach Iverson comes out of the office and gives us an inspirational speech about our season and how it all comes down to one game, but this doesn’t define us. He’s proud of our hard work this season. It’s what got us here. “You boys have all the tools to go out there and play the toughest sixty minutes of your lives and come home as champions.”

  By the end, we’re all psyched and run out of the locker room, down the tunnel, and onto the field as the announcers say our names in the big stadium.

  I barely remember the majority of the game. We were down, then up. I deflected two passes and grabbed another one to return it forty yards. I swear I heard Bryce over everyone in the stadium, cheering on that play. I’m not sure about the MVP though. Cooper had a great game, fast out of the pocket and Damon had rushing yards plus he caught and ran in for two touchdown passes.

  For the final play of the game, I get in front of the wide receiver, jumping, reaching, and catching the ball to stop our opponents from tying the game. That might have been the best moment of my career.

  When the clock runs out, orange and blue confetti floats down from above and all our families rush onto the field. There are hugs and people congratulating us, and Coach Iverson takes me in his arms and says things a father would.

  Chase made Twyla stay in the booth with Brady and Violet and Theo because they’re both pregnant and they’ll get jostled down on the field, but my parents come down with Lee and Shayna. I hear Bryce coming when she screams my name and runs toward me. I pick her up and swing her around.

  “I told you!” she screams over all the noise. “It’s yours, I knew it.”

  I lower her to the ground and kiss her. “Thank you for being my number one fan.”

  She smiles, then takes my head in her hands and rises on her tiptoes.

  Then I’m rushed over to the stage, but I grab Bryce’s hand because she’s going to be there with me if I win this award.

  First, Ollie Pradham calls Ronnie, Coach Iverson, and our owner, Dan Towers, to the stage. All us players linger in the background and wait. Cooper and Damon are right there with me. Damon has his phone out, taking pictures of all the action until he stops abruptly, and his eyes widen on his phone.

  “What?” I mouth to him, but he waves me off.

  After a large bout of cheers, Ollie talks again. “And our Most Valuable Player! This individual hasn’t only had an incredible season, but he had one helluva game tonight. I think I speak for us all when I say it was amazing watching him perform this season, in not one but two different positions. He’s a true inspiration and an incredible athlete. The MVP award goes to…” The crowd goes crazy. “Miles Cavanaugh!”

  Bryce jumps into my arms, kissing my entire face. “Congratulations!”

  My body feels a little numb as I walk up and accept the award from Ronnie. Dan Towers passed it to him—probably because Ronnie is the one who traded for me. Ollie hands me the microphone.

  “This is for Chicago. Thank you for trusting me to come back this year and prove my worth to you. Some of you were skeptical, I know, but let me introduce you to the woman who has always pushed me the hardest. She’s the love of my life, and this isn’t just for me but for her too. Baby”—I look at Bryce with the award high in my hand—“you put it out into the universe, and it came true. I love you for believing in me. My life would be nothing without you.”

  She wraps her arms around me, and I bend down to kiss her. The stadium roars to life.

  We step down from the platform, and the other Grizzlies congratulate me, but Damon isn’t there. I find him later, sitting in an empty chair by the tunnel. When I walk over, he looks at me, his face not reflecting the joy of someone who just won the championship.

  “What’s going on?” I ask.

  He stands and whispers in my ear, “Remember that girl from the rooftop the day you moved in?”

 

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