Wyatt

"Can you fit this bag in your truck with all of that equipment, babe?" Colby asks, taking in the contents of my truck's bed. It's filled to the brim with various equipment and gear for the team, a consequence of the school being too cheap to rent a Greyhound bus to get us to the State Championship game.

"I've got this," I say, jamming Colby's duffle into a crevice I've located next to the wheel well. To be fair, she's already got two more bags stuffed into the cab of my truck. I've been more than generous with space for all of her beautification supplies.

It's been a long three weeks, but somehow we've made it. All of our hard work in practices paid off, carrying us through a triple threat playoff bracket with relative ease. We're packing up for Dallas, our destination: Cowboy's Stadium.

I can hardly believe my good fortune. To be able to play my final high school football game in the same place as all of the legends I've watched my whole life is a dream come true. I think we have a pretty good shot at a win, too.

Throughout our playoff games, Nash was plowing through everything the defenses had to offer, our own defense was like a brick wall, and Cole was like a man on a mission. I swear, the guy couldn't miss.

He's changed, too.

For the past few weeks, I've been picking Cole up from his new digs and taking him to school. His circumstances are beyond comprehension to me, and I'd be lying if I didn't admit that the way he's handled everything is admirable. Yep, I said it.

My former nemesis. Ha. How far we've come.

Our dynamic has changed at school, too, with Cole opting to join Nash, Ari and me, instead of returning to all of his fair-weather compatriots. They dumped him so quickly it must've given him whiplash.

Needless to say, Ari and Nash were taken aback, but being the great friends that they are, they didn't ask questions. They simply welcomed their teammate with a handshake and a nod.

Things seem to be looking up for Wynn and Cole as well, I think. They seem to be on the verge of making up anyway, as he catches a ride home with Wynn each afternoon. I'd call it progress.

"We've gotta go, Mom," I shout. She steps outside, hugging Colby and me in turn.

"Be careful on your drive, and call me when you get there," she says, patting my cheek like I'm a five year old. "I'll see you for the game on Saturday! I should be bringing Luke," she adds, waving goodbye as I help Colby into my truck.

That's good. Luke needs a chance to get out. The three Byers siblings have been with Tanzie round the clock since they brought her home from the hospital to include, shockingly enough, a semi-sober Alex. Thankfully, Tanzie has been stable, alleviating some of the burden when the kids have to be away at school.

I know that being gone for the next couple of nights doesn't sit too well with B, but she knows, just like I do, that her mama would want her to be there.

We wagon train from the school, where we've met up with the coaching staff, cheer squad and football team. A two-hour drive later, and we're rolling by the majesty that is Cowboy's stadium. I can feel the idiotic grin spread across my face as I take in the glass façade and magnificent curves.

"You're drooling," Colby says, taking my hand with an indulgent smile. "Maybe someday you'll play there for real."

I bring the back of her hand to my lips. Only B would believe that to be possible, but that's one of the things I love most about her. She has the heart and soul of a dreamer. Little does she know, she's one of my dreams come to life.

...

I tug at the noose around my neck, loosening the knot just enough to feel like I can breathe again. We're gathered in the Sheraton Hotel in downtown Arlington at the pregame banquet. Both teams are required to attend and expected to glad hand, all in the name of good sportsmanship.

Sure.

The ballroom is filled to the brim with overexcited, drunk parents, nervous players and coaching staff, and amped up cheer squads. The level of tension is bordering on ridiculous, but it isn't born of malice, only anxiety over the next day's title game.

"How're you doing?" Colby says, placing her hand on my forearm. "You look... edgy."

"That's a nice way of putting it," I say with a short laugh, wrapping an arm around her waist. Colby looks fantastic, clad in a short green dress that shows off her toned tanned legs, and damn if I don't want her hella bad right now.

We're in Dallas, for all intents and purposes alone, and we have to be present for this sort of shit.

It's a crying shame.

I pull her closer, tipping her face upward. Her body melts into mine as our mouths meet. "Let's just leave," I growl.

"Mmm," she sighs, tugging at my lower lip. "Let's."

Pardon?

"Did you just agree?" I prod. I'm surprised that she would so readily consent to ditching this gathering, but I'm not gonna argue.

"Come," she demands quietly, her eyes filled with all sorts of promises.

Aw, hell yeah.

She draws me along behind her by the hand, and we move strategically through the banquet hall, avoiding pockets of our friends, and hiding behind the opposing team's linemen. Those dudes are huge. I won't worry about that now, though I'll be contending with their size tomorrow.

We're less than ten feet from the exit when we run headlong into Nash and Mari.

"We weren't leaving," Nash says earnestly, ripping his hand from Mari's grasp and tucking both hands into his pockets unassumingly.

"Seriously?" Mari says, folding her arms and tapping her foot. "Papi, you can't lie for crap."

He smirks sheepishly as Colby and I snicker at his failed cover-up.

"Well, we are leaving," I say, utilizing the opening that Nash conveniently dropped in my lap. "Cover for us?"

"Dammit," he mutters, shaking his head. "I can't say no to you brother, I'll do it. You best move before Coach Castillo finishes gabbing with Coach Knox over there, though." He indicates the two team leaders in the corner of the hall. Fortunately, Coach's back is to us.

"Don't forget to meet us!" Mari stage whispers. "We're going to Club Fray tonight!"

"We'll be there," Colby squeaks, dragging me through the doorway. "See y'all in a bit!"

We make our way down the dimly lit corridor as quickly as we can without garnering attention. When we turn the corner at the end, I hook Colby by the waist, catching her off guard.

"You're in trouble," I say, grinning as I press her into the wall behind her.

"I should hope so," she utters, a suggestive smile playing on her face as she drapes her arms around my neck. She pulls me close, our lips colliding urgently. I pay no mind to the fact that we're near the lobby and only a few dozen yards outside the banquet hall. Right now, it's only the two of us.

"Get off of me," an angry voice barks, causing B and me to spring apart. "You can't tell me what to do anymore."

"Is that..." Colby begins.

"It sounds like—"

A hefty thud reverberates through the wall. Before I can stop her, Colby's moving toward the source. I sprint ahead of her, refusing to allow her to involve herself in whatever's happening behind the men's bathroom door.

"You're too good for that bitch," says another furious voice.

"Open it," Colby urges, concern marking her tone.

I yank the door open, revealing a fuming Harris Galloway, with his son Cole pinned against the wall by his collar.

"What's going on here," I demand, glancing between the two of them. They're essentially the same size, and look startlingly similar. Colby shimmies between my frame and that of the door, inserting herself into the circumstances, despite my efforts to keep her disengaged.

Harris immediately wipes his face of all enmity, a false and practiced smile overtaking his features. "Well, hey there, Wyatt!" he greets warmly. "I'm afraid you caught my son and me in the middle of our pregame hype session. It's been a tradition in our home for over a decade." He removes his hands from Cole's collar, clapping his son on the shoulder like an old friend.

I raise an eyebrow, and Cole shakes his head infinitesimally.

"Colby!" Harris continues, his voice syrupy sweet. "I don't think you're supposed to be in here, sweetheart." His serpentine smile falters, the scarcely contained rage storming behind his eyes.

I reach for Colby, attempting to tuck her stubborn form behind me, but to no avail.

"Sorry to interrupt, Mr. Galloway," Colby chirps happily. "I was looking for Cole! I need him in the banquet hall. Come with?" She extends a hand toward Cole, who takes it warily.

Cole and Colby move hand in hand toward the doorway, Colby giving me a meaningful glance as she passes.

I plaster a convincing smile on my face. "Had to find the captain of the football team," I say by way of explanation for our timely interruption.

"Oh, sure," Harris nods, his plastic grin begging for my fist. He moves toward me, shaking my hand and gesturing toward the door, indicating that we should leave. "You've had quite the season, young man! You've got a bright future ahead," he continues jovially.

He's such a phony asshole. I can't take it anymore.

"You know who else has a bright future? Your son," I spit, meeting his eyes in challenge. "You may want to think twice before roughing him up before the biggest damn game of his life, sir." My shoulder bounces off of his as I shove past him, setting him off balance.

He sputters as I walk away, undoubtedly unaccustomed to dealing with someone as boorish as myself.

But he deserves a helluva lot worse than that.

I make my return to the ballroom, easily picking out Colby, who's standing alongside Cole.

Colby throws herself into my arms. "Are you okay?"

"Of course I'm okay, darlin'," I assert, smiling. She releases me from her iron grip, but still clings to me as though she doesn't believe it to be so. I tuck my arm securely around her, my eyes meeting Cole's. "Why's your daddy here?"

He scoffs. "Keeping up appearances, of course. Look, I'm sorry about...that."

"It ain't your fault," I say. "Don't let him make you think so."

He sighs. "Easier said than done, unfortunately." He tosses us a glum smile, before his gaze lands on something behind B and me. "Wynn's here, would you excuse me?"

"Sure," I say, but he's already gone. I turn, only to find Cole taking Wynona in his arms and engaging in a kiss that's too mature for my innocent eyes.

"Dayum. I better step up my game," I say, running my fingers through the length of B's blonde hair.

"Your game is fine," she says, giggling. "I suppose I can close the case on your new bond with Cole now," she adds.

"He's in a tough spot," I concede, shaking my head. "Who'd have thought I'd find myself on team Cole?"

Colby wraps herself around me. "When can I get me some team Wyatt?"

I sigh. At this rate, it feels like the answer is never.