Page 66 of Strong Side
“I guess so, huh?” I smile. “Do you think about where you would like to go? I know you don’t have a whole lot of control over it, but still, any thoughts?”
“Not really. I mean, it would be great to play with one of my friends, but I’ll also go wherever they pay me and I can get some kind of guarantee that I’ll get some playing time.” He shrugs. “What about you? Do you think about where you want to be?”
“Me?” I twist in his lap and point to myself.
“Yeah. I mean, I want you to be happy wherever we go. Because make no mistake, I want you with me.” He pecks my lips.
“I haven’t really thought about it other than I’ll go where you go. I can teach anywhere. I’ll just need to get the state certifications.” I lift a shoulder.
Beck’s phone rings before Casey says anything else. The room quiets as Beck answers.
“Hello?” Beck smiles, which is kinda … rare. “This is he.” He reaches behind himself, and Charlie grabs his hand. “Yes, sir. Looking forward to it. Thank you, Mr. Poles.”
Charlie stands then, arm around Beck’s waist.
Beck’s dad is whispering to Charlie’s dad, both excited.
“Chicago,” Casey says in my ear.
I turn to look at him. “How do you know?”
“The general manager just called him.” He winks at me.
As soon as Beck hangs up, his sister, Brooke, asks, “Well?”
“Beckham, we need you to sit back down or stand, whatever you want to do, but we’re about to go live here.” The production assistant has a clipboard in hand and points to the couch.
Charlie pulls Beck to sit next to her on the couch. His dad is on the other side of him.
“And we’re live in five, four, three, two, one.”
The commissioner comes on the television and introduces a veteran player from the Chicago Bears to make the announcement. Beck is the fifth pick in the first round of the draft. We all jump up and cheer. Everyone hugging and congratulating him.
The rest of the day goes by in a blur. We stay at Beck’s dad’s until after Liam Pitz was called. He went late in the first round to the New Orleans Saints. We saw Archie and Emma were there with him and his family. Casey, Beck, Bo, and Charlie FaceTimed with them after.
In Casey’s truck, on the way back to campus that evening, I’m lost in thought, staring out the window. In just a year, everything has changed so much. And in another year, it will change again in a big way.
“You okay?” Casey reaches over and takes my hand.
I turn to face him. “I’m good. Just thinking about today.”
“Yeah, it was a lot. Sometimes, I feel like we just finished middle school. And now we’re making big-time decisions. Kind of wild, right?” He laughs.
“It really is. Like, things have changed so much this year. In the very best way, of course.” I lean over and kiss his cheek. “And then next year, it will change again.”
“You know, we’ve never really talked much about the future, other than us being together, but what do you want out of our life together? Do you want to have kids? When would you want to get married? Stuff like that.”
“Oh, yeah, I think about it all the time now.” I laugh. “I mean, that sounds kind of weird, and I have always wanted kids, but I think since we’ve been together, it’s been on my mind more, I would say.”
“Good. I think about it a lot too. Hell, I think we should just do it today.” He brings my hand up to kiss it.
“Today, huh?” I smile and squeeze his hand.
He nods. “Yep,” popping theP.
“Honestly, I would too. But I feel like we should get through next year first. Don’t you?” I ask.
“I guess if we must.” He sighs and rolls his eyes.
