Page 27 of Game Changer

“It’s cute you’re celebrating this early. Don’t worry; we’ll send you home crying by the fourth.”

Lauren side-eyes her. “Please don’t get us into a fight before halftime.”

Maggie groans. “Why do we always have to start slow?”

Izzy, unbothered, dips a chip in cheese. “At least we have snacks.”

The next drive is ours, and Hudson Hart makes the first touchdown. The five of us are on our feet, screaming because, of course, we are! A few home fans in front of us and grumble, but we don’t care.

“Our O-line is finally defrosted!”

Riley blows a kiss to the field. “That’s right, baby! Keep it coming!”

At the half, it’s tied fourteen to fourteen.

Huddled in line for drinks, happy to be in out of the cold, Riley asks, “Okay, best football movie ever—go.”

“Remember the Titans,” Lauren says, looking at her like she’s crazy. “ No contest.”

Maggie shakes her head. “The Blind Sidemade me cry twice. The first time while watching the movie, the second time was when I found out that those behind it need to go straight to jail, and not collect two hundred dollars on the way.”

We all nod our agreement. “Facts.”

“I liked the one with Adam Sandler … what’s it called?” Izzy asks.

I smile. “The Longest Yard.”

“Yeah, that one. So funny.” She grins.

I shrug. “All answers are respectable, but?—”

Together, Riley and I say. “—Any Given Sundayis hands down the best.”

The game is again tied with two minutes left. The home crowd is so freaking loud, booing our team as they drive down the field. Boone has the ball tucked in tight, and I am on the edge of my seat, I cover my eyes when he gets taken down.

Lauren is locked in. “Clock management!”

Riley yells, “Trucker, what the hell? Call the damn timeout! What are wedoing?”

“Oh my God, I cannot even watch. I just can’t.” I cover my eyes, my fingers spread far enough so that I am not missing a second of this game.

And when #21, my old fantasy man, snatches the ball out of midair, in the end zone, well … two defenders bring him down hard, and I swear the wind is knocked out of me.

Get up, Boone, I think.You gotta get up. Lily’s watching you. She needs her daddy to get up.Lindsey’s watching you. Get up and show her how strong you are, dammit.

Hart is peeling bodies off the pile on top of him in the end zone, and I’m still holding my breath. Why isn’t he getting up? But then, in typical Beau Boone fashion, he springs up, ball tight to his chest, smile as big as the day. He holds it up in the air and points to the screen, and I can see him mouth, “That one’s for you, little flower.”

And that, my friends is the sound of a million ovaries exploding across the world, even broken-ass ones like mine.

Sweet tea and baby Jesus, that man is fine, fine, fine.

Our section explodes. Riley is high-fiving strangers. Lauren is fist-pumping. Izzy and Maggie are both recording for their socials.

The home fans are silent. The mouthy asshats in front of us? Gone.

Riley smirks. “Told you we’d send you home crying.”

As the final whistle blows and the Knights have secured the win, we throw our arms around each other, screaming, “Playoffs, baby!”

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