Page 94 of Fear of Falling

“Thought you got lost,” he said as he and Wyatt did the man handshake thing.

“Aw were you worried about me?” Wyatt shot back with a grin, his brother shaking his head, before he turned to me. “Josie, this is my older brother, Landon.”

As Landon’s gaze fell upon me, I felt extremely intimidated. There was something about him that made me feel like he was assessing me.

“Nice to meet you, Josie.” He stuck his hand out for me to shake. There was a hard look on his face, and I got the impression that he was a bit apprehensive about me.

The feeling’s mutual.

I couldn’t fully blame him. He’s Wyatt’s older brother. The guy who practically raised Wyatt and only wanted what was best for him. That included keeping an eye on women who may not have the purest intentions.

“Nice to meet you, too.”

“Come have a seat, the game is about to start,” Evelyn said, severing the slightly awkward moment between Landon and me. She gestured for me to sit next to her and Wyatt sat on my other side.

“How was Mateo this morning?” Wyatt asked, leaning around me to look at his mom.

“His usual ball of energy,” Wyatt’s mom said with a wave of her hand. “He was out the door an hour before he had to meet with the team.”

Hearing the name, I felt even more like an idiot. I really should have put two and two together sooner. All my attention had been on Wyatt that I hadn’t even thought about his younger brothers name.

“Bet he didn’t sleep much.”

“He pulled a Wyatt,” Landon butted in.

“Pulled a Wyatt?” I looked at Landon, curious as to what he meant.

“When Wyatt was younger, he used to pace up and down the halls the night before a game. Would even take out his hockey stick and practice shots, mumbling plays until midnight.” Landon explained.

“Wore a path in the carpet,” Evelyn nodded in agreement. “The last time I checked in on him, Mateo had a football in hand, pacing,” she added.

I found it adorable that Wyatt’s little brother did the same thing before a game. “Has he always wanted to play football?” I asked.

“He’s played almost every sport there is. If I thought these two were full-on as boys,” Evelyn gestured to Wyatt and Landon. “Mateo’s double that. The kid’s always on the go.”

“Not into hockey as much?” I asked.

“He likes it,” Wyatt answered. “But football is his favorite. As soon as he held a football something just clicked.”

I loved that they all supported Mateo and his sport. Just like they did with Wyatt.

A moment later a loud voice came over the speakers, echoing through the stands and a wave of anticipation swept through the crowd.

The teams were getting ready to come out onto the field.

The excitement rose around us as the announcer called out the opposing team. Family and students from their school cheered as the football team ran out onto the field. I was impressed to see there were just as many supporters present for the other team as there were for the home team.

I smiled to myself as I realized this would be my first time seeing Wyatt on the other side of a game. I was curious to see what he was like as a fan.

With Mateo’s team,The Greyhounds,set to come out I grabbed my camera and turned it on. As the crowd stood to greet the team, I started snapping pictures of the players running onto the field.

The same team I took pictures of just a few weeks ago—the same day I met Wyatt.

Cheers echoed around me as I snapped picture after picture. When the team got closer to us, I searched forBooneon the back of a jersey.

Finding Mateo jogging towards us, I zoomed in, taking a picture. Beside me, Wyatt and Landon let out ear piercing whistles. We were close enough to the team that I saw Mateo’shelmet head snap up towards our section. I didn’t have to see his face to know he was smiling.

The sight of Wyatt’s family cheering Mateo on made my chest a little tight. I’d always wanted a family to cheer me on at my track-meets, to be the loudest ones there, even if it was embarrassing. My dad came to a few in high school—he did the best he could, between work and then being sick. In Uni he made it to one meet before I tore my ACL, and it was all over.

---