Page 69 of Off the Clock

“And the rumor mill can’t do much anyway.” Sean shrugged pragmatically. “You’re both so obviously happy.”

“You think so?”

“Look at Tony over there in his element.” Sean turned to point behind us where Tony was talking with Elliot’s dad and some other parents closer to the Stern’s large farmhouse. “He’s having a great time talking about the game and his team, but he also keeps looking at you. You guys are the real deal.”

“Hope so.”

That uncertain feeling lingered long after Sean wandered away. I stood there in my team hoodie, feeling very much like the nerd with a crush on the quarterback, when Tony walked up behind me. “Finally free.”

“Finally.” I turned to smile at him. “You’re the man of the hour.”

Tony waved a hand dismissively. “That’s Scotty. Your brother has real talent. We’ll have rows of scouts in the stands by the end of the season.”

“Here’s hoping a lot of the kids get scholarship offers, but you’re the one everyone wanted to congratulate, which is kind of cool.”

“It is.” He slung an easy arm around my shoulders, apparently not caring who else might be around. “Maybe this coaching thing will work out.”

“It will. You’ve got a lot of people in your corner. Coach Willard, most of the parent club, your family, Sean, Eric, Jonas, and all the rest of your friends.”

“You’ve got them too. You’re one of us now.” Tony gave me a mock-stern glare before smiling again. “They’re not simply rooting for me. They’re rooting forus. And you personally, and what you’re doing with Scotty. You have a lot of fans.”

“Fans, huh?” My skin heated from the praise, and my brain went so mushy I couldn’t even turn the compliment into a joke.

“Yeah, and I’m your biggest fan.” Tony leaned into brush a fast kiss on my temple.

“Whoa. Think PDA is smart, Coach?”

“No one’s looking, and if they were, all they’d see is us happy over here.” Tony squeezed me closer. “Not like I’m dragging you off to the woods to make out.”

“You could,” I said a little too hopefully.

“I could.” Tony’s tone was thoughtful. “But this right here is pretty perfect.”

“It is.” I breathed his nearness in, trying to absorb how special it was to stand here like this with him. We had such a good thing going, and I had no clue what I’d done to deserve him. Gratitude for this moment washed over me. “Thank you.”

“You don’t have to thank me, Caleb.” Tony gave a fond chuckle, firelight making his dark eyes glow.

“I’m not sure how else to tell you I’m so thankful to have you in my life,” I whispered.

“All you have to do is love me.”

I sucked in a breath. “Say what?”

Surely, I’d misheard him, but he kissed the top of my head. “I love you. I’m not sure how, why, or when, but I do. It crept up on me until now it’s all I can think about sometimes.”

“Me too.” I exhaled so hard that it was a wonder the bonfire stayed lit. Tony nudged me, clearly seeking more than a ditto. “I love you too. I do.”

“Then that’s all we have to do. Love each other.”

“I think we can do that.” I shivered against him. Loving him was the most ridiculously easy thing in the world. Everything else—family, school, jobs, friends—could get complicated, but not us. We stood near the bonfire’s glow, a whole town’s worth of chaos swirling around us, but this thing we were building was the one constant, as reliable and sturdy as the mountain itself.

Epilogue

Tony

“All in. Let’s win this thing.”

“Mount Hope on three.”

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