Page 66 of Ace of Spades

Brody gives her a warm smile.

His dimples playing around both corners of his mouth. I look at Sienna as she brushes a piece of hair behind her ear and looks down shyly.

She has Brody’s same dimples.

“Well, that’s nothing,” Brody says. “Just wait until you see the seats we got for you.”

“Wait. Are you not going to be joining us?” I ask him, brow raised.

“Not the whole time, unfortunately,” he says with a flick of his wrist. “I’ve gotta work. But I’ll be around.”

Sienna’s gaze flashes to me momentarily.

So it’ll be just us… again.

Julian whoops as he digs through his bag and pulls out a number fourteen jersey.

“Whaaat?! These are like four hundred dollars online.”

“That’s our boy Hicks. One of the fastest forwards on the team. Now that’s a trade I will always be proud of,” Brody says, hands slipped casually into his pocket. He pulls one out and looks at the time. “We actually have some time before the game. Y’all wanna meet the players?”

Julian and Sienna exchange looks.

Sienna says, “Oh, that’s okay,” at the same time Julian jumps up and down with a “Hell yeah!”

“I guess if it’s not too much,” Sienna says. She seems almost uncomfortable. Not the typical spitfire, she is around the garage.

Julian pulls his fist to his waist, “Yesss! I can’t wait to get this signed.”

Brody motions for us to follow him down the hall, and before long, we’re standing in the middle of a sea of dark blue and grey jerseys.

“Everyone,” Brody says. “These are my friends, Sienna and Julian.”

Julian goes around shaking every single player's hand. And Sienna stands next to me, unmoving. She lifts her hand in salutation.

“And y’all know my brother from another mother, Levi Steele.”

Grunts of acknowledgement all around, and I nod to them.

“You bringing in the cavalry, boss man?”

A guy with wavy brown hair and eyes the color of the ocean says playfully. He’s shirtless and fitter than I ever was at that age. He slips on a long-sleeved shirt just as I catch Sienna eyeing him.

“Oh, my God!” Julian makes his way over to the guy. “You’re Joshua Hicks!"

The guy smiles, and unfortunately for me, it’s dazzling.

He must be new around here. I’m sure I would’ve remembered seeing that smile. I switch my posture, trying not to show that I’m uncomfortable.

“Would you sign my jersey for me?” Without even waiting for a reply, he shoves the fresh jersey onto Joshua’s chest.

The player laughs.

“Sure, man. But only if you promise me one thing…” He says a little more seriously.

“Anything,” Julian says, resolute.

Joshua reaches behind him for a permanent marker on the shelf of his stall.

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