Page 99 of Every Move You Make

“Oh,” I stammer. “Yeah. I’m just hungry is all.”

She narrows her eyes on me. “Yeah I bet you are.”

“Anyone want a beer?” I ask, quickly making my way to the kitchen. Everyone chimes in and Serwaa joins me by the fridge.

“You doing okay?” she whispers as we stand in front of the open door, the artificial light and chilly air a welcome distraction.

I grab four beers. “I’m fine.”

Serwaa looks over her shoulder to the living room and back at me. “Hey. I won’t say anything if you want something to happen with him. Okay? I’ll take it to my grave.”

“I know.”

“I understand why there’s a rule against coaches dating players, but… you two have known each other so long.”

“Serwaa, I kissed him,” I blurt.

“You did?” she hisses. “When?”

“Last week.”

“Wait, what about your trainer?”

“I kissed him, too. We all kissed. And a lot more happened.” Serwaa’s eyes widen. “We’re all trying to figure out how to make us work. Like, the three of us. But I still don’t know how we can. With the team, with the Olympics, with the brand deals,” I shrug. “I’ll be eaten alive.”

“And Dell and Isaiah are… what to each other?”

“Deliriously happy and in love. Also trying to figure this out with me.”

“Holy shit. I thought Dell was just helping you with flirting.”

“He was. It turned intowaymore.” I lean in closer. “Serwaa, he fucked me against a yoga ball in his gym while Isaiahwatched.”

Eyes dilating, my bestie bites her lip. “Fuck, that’s hot,” she whispers.

“I know.”

“So you and Isaiah haven’t…” she trails off.

“No. Nothing more than kissing and some naked shower hugs.”

“Is that a euphemism?”

I chuckle, “No. Literally.”

“This is huge, Birdie! He likes you! You’ve been worried for years that he didn’t.”

Way more than she knows.I probably don’t need to tell her about the obsessive way he’s been watching me. Would that be a huge red flag to most people? Yes. Butoh god,I love it.

I swallow and nod. “Oh, he likes me alright.”

Serwaa glances over her shoulder again where Isaiah is talking to Mo about something we can’t hear from in the kitchen. “He’s doing really good with the team right now. I can feel everyone opening up to him.”

“I know. I’m so happy you guys are seeing what I’ve always seen.”

She looks back at me. “I think you need to go for it, babe. Sneak around if you have to. If you want to make it public, I’ll be here fighting for you too. I’m with you.”

With you—those two words carry a heavy weight in rugby. It might be the most common phrase heard on a pitch. When you’re running the ball, you can know you’re not alone when you hear “with you” hollered by a teammate who’s close enough to ruck over you if need be, or is ready for you to offload the ball to them.

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