Page 113 of Play Maker

By the time midnight rolls around, Maggie is dramatically reliving the moment she wrestled a fake bear duringWilderness Warriors, Riley’s snoring softly on the couch surrounded by seven pillows and half a protein cookie, unable to choke the rest down, and Sydney and Izzy are doing what Iz calls “vibe check tarot” using old UNO cards.

“You pulled a Draw Four,” Syd tells me. “That means tomorrow’s gonna be wild.”

“I pulled a Reverse,” Izzy adds. “That means some bitch is gonna show up in white.”

I sigh, tuck my legs beneath me, and look around the room, exhausted.

These women, they’re chaos. They’re loud. Opinionated. Invasive. Absolutely unfiltered.

They are also mine.

“I love you guys,” I say, my voice a little wobbly.

Maggie throws an arm around me and puts me in check. “Ugh, don’t get emotional. If you start, I’ll start, and then we’ll all be puffy in the photos.”

Sydney raises her protein cookie like a toast. “To Lo, our girl boss bride. May your marriage be hotter than Kolby’s arms and longer than Maggie’s list of red flags.”

“To Lo!” they all echo, Riley lifts a hand.

I close my eyes, surrounded by pillows, an empty cookie box, and my girls.

Tomorrow is for vows. Tonight? Tonight’s for sisterhood and the kind of chaos I hope never goes way.

* * *

The old dinner bell that Kolby found and he and Grandpa brought back to life echoes through the afternoon air.

“Ready?” Dad asks, his hand warm over mine.

I nod, and then we step out of the house and into the golden afternoon light.

Of course, I spot him first. Kolby Grimes. My future, my everything, standing beside Mom and Grandpa Dan … and adonkey.A real one. With a blue ribbon tied around its neck and the most judgmental eyes I’ve ever seen on a four-legged animal.

I blink. “What the hell?—”

“His name’sBlue.The only other ass that I’ll share your heart with.”

“Think I could borrow him to carry my emotional baggage!” Skinner yells … maybe even slurs?

Jackson follows up with, “Or just someone slower than him on the O-line.”

Boone pops off with, “Is that your ring bearer?”

Riley laughs loud enough for everyone to hear. “God help us if it starts braying during the vows.”

CJ shouts, “If the donkey runs, that means she still has a chance to say no!”

Even Trucker Cohen can’t stop himself from commenting. “At leastoneof them is housebroken.”

I laugh so hard I have to pause halfway down the aisle.

Grandpa Dan just shakes his head. And Kolby? He just smiles, hands folded in front of him, looking at me like I’m every damn thing he’s ever wanted—same.

Dad kisses the side of my head. “He’s one of the good ones, Lauren.”

Kolby takes my hand and mouths, “Stunning,”and I reply, “No, you.”

Pastor Josh starts immediately. “First, let me say what a joy it is to welcome you here today—to this land, to this moment, to the beginning of something sacred. We are gathered not just to witness vows, but to wrap them in community, in memory, in meaning.

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