A cheer erupts, reverberating in the room around us and in the stadium outside the window where we sit. It’s the National Football Conference Championship and the highlight of the day this year; it’s Porter versus Porter in the last showdown before the Super Bowl and they’re playing in Charlotte. The winning team today goes on to the Super Bowl.
Beside me, Duncan taps my arm. “Can I get more food now?”
The family VIP box at the football games has become this boy’s playground. When Levi made the decision to retire at the end of this year, we’d sat down and mapped out a plan for us. He managed intermittent trips, coming home to Sweetkiss Creek as often as he could so he could be present for Duncan, and, ahem, for me since we have a wedding to plan, and in return Duncan and I did everything we could to get to his games every weekend so we could support him.
There were homework meltdowns in airports and a series of Monday mornings skipped at school, but watching Duncan’s eyes light up as he watched Levi play and got to travel the United States with us has been the best reward ever.
I check over my shoulder, making sure there’s still food for this little scavenger to dig into and he’s in luck. One of the room attendants was busy refilling the luncheon platter with fresh sandwiches.
“Of course, but,” I wag a finger in the air, “you have to eat all of your dinner tonight. Promise?”
I hold out my pinky, and he wraps his in mine. “Pinky swear,” he whispers before racing off to fill his belly.
“You guys are so good with him,” Bex says, her voice low as he walks off. “He’s grown so much over the last, what, six or seven months?”
I smile at the thought of my first meeting with Duncan. His appearance as a tiny thief in the back of my bookstore is almost erased from my memory. “It’s all Duncan. Levi, too. He wants to see Duncan thrive, so he’s worked hard. Therapy, bonding sessions…”
My voice trails off as I look across the room at Lorna, who sits in a chair beside Mary, both women laughing and cheering together.
“And Lorna, huh?” Bex puts an arm around my shoulders and gives me a giant squeeze, the way only your bestest girlfriends can. Because she knows the subtext of the entire story from being here on the sidelines through the whole thing. “That relationship has done the biggest one-eighty.”
Lorna’s eyes meet mine across the room and she waves, her smile big and happy as Duncan jogs over to sit with her and Mary as he noshes on a sandwich.
“Yeah,” I say with a grin I can’t hide, curling my lips upward. “I feel personally responsible for that one.”
Bex grabs my arm and we throw ourselves back intoour seats, cackling, as another cheer breaks the air. Around us, everyone in the room is up on their feet and screaming. Not to be outdone, but also confused because I wasn’t paying attention, we both shot up and pressed our faces back to the window, scanning the field. As I do, I realize what the extra loud cheering is all about.
“Look,” tapping on the window, I show Bex, “Austin is covering Levi and about to tackle him!”
We watch the two giant Porter boys clash together on the field, Austin taking his brother down and stopping the play.
Bex gasps, grabbing my arm. “Is that legal, can a tight end cover a wide receiver?”
My head spins as I look at Bex. “Wow, you’ve gotten the lingo down.”
“Well,” she says with a blush, “I like knowing things. I’ve taken the time to learn football since I’ve gotten to know you. Before, I never got it. It was a long stupid game, but had good snacks.”
Giggling, we sit back down as someone calls a time-out and Bex waves her hand at the field. “And that’s another reason why it’s not my favorite. Too many stops. I tell you, if you want to watch a game where there’s some insane strength and power, rugby is a great sport.”
“Well, Levi’s not allowed to play that, there’s no helmets. I need him around.” Settling back into my seat, I sip my drink and scan the room. This time my eyes land on the tiny Barbie-doll blonde in the back corner, Austin’s current influencer girlfriend, who is busy taking selfies and posting to social media.
I’ve been around Stacey a few times now, and she’s easily the most selfish woman I’ve come across in ages. Look, I’m always going to support other women, and since the incident with Duncan, I’ve learned not to judge a book by its cover (pun not intended), but sometimes a vapid thing is just a vapid thing.
I’ve witnessed her giving her number to other football players and flirting with the owners on more than one occasion. I’m pretty sure her intentions aren’t the greatest, but Levi’s put me in a cone of silence for the time being.
My face gives my inner thoughts away. “What’s the look for, puss face? It’s like you sucked a lemon.”
“Oh, just Stacey.” I pull my eyes off the girl, focusing back on the game. “I don’t like how she treats Austin.”
“Have you said anything?”
“Not allowed. Levi thinks we shouldn’t interfere with his brother’s love life. He’s tried to protect him in the past, but he’s gotten defensive. Even stopped talking to Levi for six months once when he was dating someone that Levi didn’t get along with.” Shaking my head, I cast a sideways glance at Bex. “With those boys, I’ve learned to let them figure it out.”
“They’re blood. I get it.” Bex shakes her head, eyes scanning the field and landing on Austin’s side. “Do you think he’ll come to his senses?”
Now, this sentence piques my interest. “I guess, I mean, I hope so. Why are you asking?”
Bex shrugs. “Dunno. I’ve gotten to know him more and I just want to see the best for him.”
