Page 137 of Breaking Rules

“You okay?” Carter asks in a quiet voice.

“I’m fine.” I give him a half smile. Somehow, this guy has become my best friend.

After everything with Miller went down, Carter has been by my side. He and Garcia are the only people on the team who know the real reason behind Jake’s rehab stint, and they hate him just as much as I do.

“That’s good to know.” He nods.

I nod back, my insides warming. I cherish all the relationships I have on this team, but with Carter? It’s the kind of friendship I’ve longed to have for years.

“Should we go?” Garcia asks. “We have a Super Bowl to win.”

“Hell yeah, we do!”

The three of us head to the locker room. It’s time for the big game.

* * *

Our center,TJ Harris, stands in front of me. I flex my hands. A powerful energy courses through my body. The roar of the stadium is deafening, but in this moment I can hear everything. Every breath. Every shift of weight from the defense.

TJ snaps the ball and I catch it, drop back three steps. The line collapses around me; everyone is moving. One of Atlanta’s linebackers breaks through, coming way too fucking fast.

I spin left, barely missing the outstretched arms reaching for my jersey. The clock is running out. I scan the field, the tingling in my fingers intensifying. And finally I see him—our wide receiver. Isaiah Gibson is cutting toward the end zone. Ten yards, five…

Fuck, it’s now or never.

I stop, set my feet firmly, inhale harshly, and throw. The ball slices the air like a knife. Everything around me slows down; the stadium goes silent. I watch as Isaiah leaps up and fucking catches the ball.

Expelling the breath I’ve been holding, I see the ref throw his hands in the air.

Touchdown.

That means…we win. We fucking win! We earned it. The whole team was in sync. Final score: 31 to 20.

I’m buzzing with adrenaline and excitement.Fuck. My very first Super Bowl.

Tonight, all those journalists who said I’m nothing but a pretty face are eating crow.

“We fucking won!” Carter barrels into me, knocking me over and yelling in my ear like a banshee. “Walker, we won!”

I laugh and push at him, but he doesn’t budge. A moment later, I’m in the middle of a mob of red and white, the whole team chanting.

When I’m finally on my feet, Coach is soaking wet from head to toe, shaking his head but grinning. More and more people have joined us on the field, but I’m only looking for her. I desperately want to take her in my arms and kiss her lips for all these people to see. I want to show the world she means everything to me.

“Alex!” My sister runs toward me, our parents and Ryan on her heels, smiling from ear to ear. She leaps into my arms, hugging me tightly and blabbering about how proud of me she is.

“Oh my God, Alex! I was biting my nails the entire game!”

“Why?” I laugh, my head lolling back. “Did you doubt me?”

“No. These stupid pregnancy hormones make me extra anxious, especially about you.” I put her on her feet, and she instantly palms my face, tears streaming down her cheeks. “You’ve been through so much shit the last few weeks, so I’m just…I’m so, so happy you won. You won the Super Bowl!”

“Audrey,” I murmur. “You’re a mess.”

“I know,” she sobs as she steps away, still smiling.

Ryan claps me on the back. “You were incredible.” He moves away and wraps his arm around Audrey’s waist.

My dad is next, pulling me in for a tight hug. “You were great. Probably need to work on your spiral a bit, but?—”

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