Page 64 of Pack End Game

"That drive was textbook."

"I knew you all would end up with a huge football fan."

Ronald, a running back, points his fork in my direction from across the table. "Six for six and calm in the pocket. That's exactly what I said." He nods as he regards me with a smile that suggests genuine admiration.

I smile like I didn't just almost black out from holding my breath in terror that I might get called out for being a fraud.

Spencer's thigh presses against mine under the table, and I can feel the question he can't ask right now buzzing under his skin.

Once I survive my first test, my confidence ascends to a dangerous level.

I compliment Anthony's yards after a catch. I mention Devon collapsing the pocket early in the second half. I congratulate the line on only allowing one sack. Eventually, I dissociate to the point that I'm only vaguely aware of my lips forming the words "red zone execution" while the entire table stares at me in absolute awe and appreciation.

Why was I so nervous about meeting the team?

So silly.

They totally love me.

Hours after arriving for the team party, my cheeks ache from smiling so much.

Spencer is so impressed by the way I dazzled his teammates that he assigns Freddie and Zak to the backseat, giving me the passenger seat in their car for the first time.

We barely finish buckling our seatbelts before Freddie leans forward and tugs my hair gently to get my attention. He waits until I turn in my seat to look at him before blurting out, "You were magnificent! And I think all the stuff you said was actually true this time." He hesitates, then looks at Zak for confirmation. "Wasn't it?"

"Absolutely." Zak nods, smiling proudly.

A lazy grin spreads across my aching cheeks. "I'm so glad to hear that because I honestly had no idea what I was saying half the time."

The silence that envelopes the car is profound.

Zak is the first to laugh.

Spencer's shoulders start shaking behind the wheel.

Freddie gasps and pokes my cheek with the tip of his finger. "You fraud!"

"This is hilarious," Spencer admits, not paying any attention to Freddie's outrage. "You sounded more educated than some of our rookies the first time they take the field."

I flip my hair haughtily over my shoulder, feeling pretty damn smug about how well I pulled off the ruse.

Zak starts to say something from the back seat, but I don't hear a word.

Outside the car window, I catch a glimpse of a building so magnificent that I'm almost convinced it has to be a mirage.

Bright floodlights illuminate the building enough in the dark that I can make out beautifully aged brick, huge windows, and a dozen empty flower beds desperate to be rescued. Some of the windows are boarded up. A FOR SALE sign out front makes my heart skip a beat.

"Stop the car."

Spencer slows the car. "What?"

"Stop the car."

Without missing a beat, he makes a smooth turn into the parking lot attached to the building I can't take my eyes off of.

"What's wrong?" Zak asks, his pitch higher out of concern.

I'm already unbuckling. "Nothing is wrong. Something is right."