Page 14 of The Shake Off

“Yeah. Just wait until we get inside,” Kit grinned. “I read The Mets and The Yankees have doubled their marketing budgets just to keep up with him. Someone needs to tell them they’ll never win.”

Peering out of the window again, I realized the crowds of people lining the outside – the ones I’d thought had arrived on foot – were actually Lions fans waiting to spot guests as they arrived. Posters, banners, and flags were being waved. Homemade cards, little kids holding out baseballs and bats to be signed by any of the passing players, and… I squinted for a better look… a large contingent of girls waiting for The Fab Four - Ace, Parker, Tanner, and Lux - all screaming their names.

Murray raised an eyebrow. “Looks like you’ve got some competition there, Pay. Your boy, Ace, sure is popular.”

“Hey,” I returned his grin with a wink, “they’re welcome to him. I’ve thrown him back into the ocean.”

“How generous of you.”

“What can I say? That’s just who I am.”

Murray lowered the window as we arrived at the security gates, handed over three embossed gold and black invitations he’d been holding, and a second later, we were waved through.

My mouth dropped. “Jeez.”

Kit had been correct; the place looked spectacular. I’d only ever been here on game days, and then the grounds looked great, but today it was something else. We slowly made our way down toward Lions Boulevard which looped the stadium, all the cars in front of us bumper to bumper as everyone was looking out of their windows. The usual Lion shaped hedges and flower beds lining the pathways had been sprayed gold, and glinted in the sunlight. The lampposts were shining with a fresh coat of glossy black paint, at the top of which flew a different flag displaying one member of the team – Jupiter Reeves, Stone Fields, Boomer Jones, Sawyer James, Tanner, Parker, Lux… And there, last in line, was Ace.

Even printed on a flag his face was ridiculously good looking, and that included the stupid pornstache. It was as though God himself had tested his jaw line with a spirit-level for straightness, and his cheeks bones had been freshly chiseled. His light brown hair curled under the rim of his ball cap, and for a second, I remembered how soft it had been to run my fingers through.

He really was a fine,finespecimen.

I chuckled to myself; it was clear the marketing team had been under instructions to get his eye color correct, and the bright blue seemed to follow me as we passed by. I could almost feel them boring into me.

I didn’t dare turn around in case I found him staring.

Kit nudged me, her lips brushing my ear. “Sure you don’t want another night?”

“Quite sure, thank you.”

Finally, the car pulled to a stop in front of the stadium entrance, and the doors were opened. Murray hopped out of the far side, and ran around to Kit on the other to take her hand, and I followed.

“I’m going to find the boys. Can I trust you two to stay out of trouble?”

He smacked a kiss to Kit’s cheek and took off to meet his friends before we could object.

Kit turned to me. “I guess that makes it you and me. Let’s go and find the bar.”

“And food, I’m starving.”

She looped her arm in mine. “Lead the way.”

I glanced around where the car had dropped us off; I wasn’t exactly sure where‘the way’was. Even though I’d been joking, it was possible Penn had invited half of New York; we didn’t arrive late, and there were already hundreds and hundreds of people wandering around the stadium grounds.

From where Kit and I were still standing, I could see several Official Lions tour guides taking small groups of people around the grounds, giving them all a run down on the Lions’ history, and allowing them access to areas of the park usually blocked off to visitors. Set back from Lions Boulevard on the wide stretches of grass, were food trucks serving anything from burgers and fried chicken to lobster rolls and pizza slices, side by side with pop-up bars of Lions IPA and glasses of champagne, plus wait staff passing around trays of drinks.

Kids were lined up for face painters, Lions balloons were being handed out by clowns, and bubbles floated in the air.

It was like the circus had come to town.

“Hey,” Kit pointed over to one of the drinks stands, “There’s Beulah and Lowe.”

They hadn’t been far away, yet it still took a couple of minutes to reach them due to the crowds we had to weave in and out of.

“Hey, girls,” Lowe greeted, waving her hand in the air as she spotted us. “You made it.”

“Yeah, just,” I laughed as I hugged her hello. “This place looks awesome. Has your team done it?”

“My team and events. Looks good, right?” she grinned, then let out a wide yawn. “Sorry, Penn’s been here since six a.m. making sure everything was right, and I wasn’t allowed to stay in bed.”

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