Page 117 of The Drop

"Come on!" He backs into me until I'm laughing, and I jump on his back to enjoy him shouting the house down to many cheers.

I end up meeting the entire team's families this way and talking about The Drop with many of the moms, who offer some old items of the boys' for the final hockey drop before the Frozen Four, as Coach approaches me.

"Brooke, there you are. I just got a call about the last Drop. He's going to cancel it. The distraction will be too much for the team when they need to focus. This is exactly what I didn't want Grant to deal with, and it's not fair to him or the team.

"I understand, I can postpone or cancel..." I try to lessen the blow by suggesting it myself.

"Woah, woah, no," Coach frowns down at me grumpily. "I don't want to cancel it. I know a guy who wants it filmed as part of the Frozen Four coverage."

"What?" I stutter, wide-eyed.

"They want to film the last shoot and are thinking of an auction of the last lot of clothes." He nods, checking his phone distractedly, like what he's just told me isn't the biggest deal.

"No way," I say, letting out a stunned laugh.

"Yup, the charity will receive their cheque at the final auction," he confirms. "You should be proud of yourself. This team has bonded over the shoots, and I know they all think of you as an unofficial team member."

"Oh my God, Coach, please stop. I might cry," I croak out, and I am already tearing up.

"Well, before you do, make sure you're on the ice for the team photos tomorrow afternoon, please," he finishes, clapping me on the shoulder. "You've earned a spot."

"Okay, I'm going to go cry in the bathroom now." I wave my hands in front of my eyes, trying to dry up the tears.

"Well, at least it's not because I yelled at you," he jokes. "Bear and Price like to pretend they don't head in there after I yell at them, but I know they do." He chuckles to himself as he walks off, and I just stare after him, too stunned to speak.

"Did I just imagine that entire conversation?" Cami says, coming up to stand next to me.

"I'm going to say yes because I don't want you to think I go cry in the shitter when Coach yells at me," Adam quips, and I burst into laughter with Cami following me.

"I'm so proud of you, B." Cami hugs me. "I know we are celebrating the boys, but you're a boss."

"Thank you for helping me with it. It wouldn't be such a success without all you did and cheering me on." I smile as we pull back, and now she's got tears in her eyes.

"Oh, you know it's just what lifelong best friends are for." She pretends to shrug it off and wipes under her eyes as Adam pats her on the shoulder and she slaps him off with the quickness of a ninja, “Quit it, Adam”

He rolls his eyes at her and I smile at him for trying, but at that second, Grant walks in.

"Oh, God, hide me," I mumble as I slip behind Bear, who takes it as his life mission, immediately puffing himself out to be bigger.

"Let's go join the freshmen; no one will want to sit with them." Adam nods towards the tables.

"That's so offensive," Cami mutters as we shuffle over and join a pretty full table so Grant can't join us.

"Am I overreacting?" I whisper as Adam and Bear talk about the game with the freshman, "I mean, should I be going over there and saying, 'Hey, Mr and Mrs Anders, I'm kind of dating your son and also the reason he won't get back together with your dream daughter-in-law.'"

"He called her their dream daughter-in-law." She gasps. "That's so rude."

"Okay, he didn't call her that, but you saw her."

"B, you're not overreacting. You're giving him space to figure it out." She comforts me, rubbing my arm.

Looking up, I catch his eye, and he holds my gaze for a second as he talks to a player's dad, and his mom and dad smile proudly next to him. I make a snap decision. "I'm going over," I say with confidence I don't have.

"Oh, my god, please don't say what you just said to me," Cami begs, pulling on my arm. "That will go wrong."

"Wasn't going to, but thanks for the support." I laugh and stand, smoothing down my dress and heading over to Grant and his parents; Grace and his sister have disappeared somewhere.

He sees me coming and moves around his parents, reaching his arm out and pulling me toward him into a side hug.

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