Page 97 of Home Game

“What can I say?” I asked him. “Emmett won me over.”

Emmett leaned in and pressed his lips to mine, right here in the middle of the dance floor.

And I felt a sense of pride like none other I’d ever felt.

Everyone cheered, and it was a completely different experience than any cheers I’d ever had in a football game.

This was just a simple, sweet night in a brewery, but here with Emmett and the Fixer Brothers crew, I felt like I really belonged, just for being me. Not because I was great at catching a football. Just because these people cared about who I was.

“Fuck yes, my friend!” Kace shouted from the other side of the dance floor. He and Nathan danced over to us and reached out to give me a fist bump.

We kissed again, and as we pulled back, smiling our damn asses off, I looked over to see Landry walking over.

“Holy shit, what did I miss?” he asked, smiling.

“Lucky! You made it,” Emmett said. “Just having a fun dance with my boyfriend. That’s all.”

Landry put both hands up to high five us both at the same time. “I love to hear it. I’m happy for you.”

“What about you, Landry?” Chase asked. “Do I need to get out my Cupid arrow for you? Set you up with someone cute tonight?”

Landry smiled. “I’ll be okay on my own tonight, though I appreciate the offer. And it looks like I can finally stop trying to play Cupid for my best friend here.”

“No more blind dates for me,” Emmett said.

“Damn right,” I chimed in.

It was our turn to do karaoke next, and as we sang “Bad Reputation,” we turned the brewery into a party within about three minutes flat. We jumped around and danced as we sang, and even for me it was a good little cardio workout.

“Emmett,” I said, breathing heavy afterward as we stepped away to a round of riotous applause. “I didn’t know you had it in you. You’re not just a singer, you’re abelter. Or a crooner.”

“I’ll croon a song for you anytime,” he said in a velvety voice. “Join me on the back deck for a breather? I’m overheating like hell in these clothes.”

I laughed. “Naturally. Let’s go.”

He grabbed my hand and we told the others we’d be back soon. The chilly air hit us as we stepped onto the back deck, but the ambient warmth from the heaters on the patio kept it refreshing instead of frigid.

We leaned over the deck railing under the twinkle lights, looking out at the grassy back area of the bar, surrounded by pine trees. The air smelled like pine and mulch in the bestpossible way, all with the faint scent of fresh beer and cider coming from inside.

I leaned the side of my body against Emmett’s.

“You did it,” I told Emmett. “You made me like fall.”

“I thought you were going to say that I made you likemen,” he said with a grin.

“That too,” I clarified. “Definitely that too.”

We laughed, leaning in to kiss each other.

For so much of my life, I’d been in a fight.

Whether it was a mental fight, a physical one, or the invisible battle I’d had with myself for my whole life,clawingmy way toward any sense of belonging I could feel.

I realized now that with Emmett, I’d fought so hard and instead of one of us being victorious, we’d both just won.

Like I’d finally done something right in my life other than football.

I swallowed past a slight tight feeling in my throat, reaching out and feeling for Emmett’s hand. I laced my fingers through his, squeezing it tight.

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