Page 155 of Offside Rules

Baylor

By the time Ellie backs the van into the loading space, I’ve checked my phone three times since we turned onto the street.

Nothing.

Wolf is out of surgery. Penelope called this morning to tell me Slade spoke to his dad yesterday. The surgery took longer than expected, and there was more damage than they’d seen on his previous scan. They won’t know how well his shoulder will recover until he’s further along, but he’s resting.

Apparently, Kendall was right to get him transferred so quickly.

I’m trying to concentrate on the resting part. The rest makes me want to get on a plane.

"Ready?" Ellie asks, putting the van in park.

"For unloading or the entire evening?"

"Let’s start with unloading."

"Right, that’s a good idea. I’m nervous, can you tell?"

"You’re going to be great, and the desserts are amazing."

I tuck my phone into my pocket and climb out. We rented the catering van because Sprinkles couldn’t hold everything in one trip. Wolf got her running better, but he couldn’t make her bigger.

We open the back doors, and I check the boxes before releasing the straps. Everything is still where we put it. After the number of things I imagined going wrong on the drive here, I’m almost disappointed in myself for wasting the energy.

"Tell me which ones."

I turn to find Hunter coming toward us in a tuxedo, Peyton beside him in a gorgeous figure hugging dress that looks amazing on her. Luka, Natalia, Olsen, and Isla follow them across the loading area in similar fashion.

Just like Wolf said, the team would be here to show up for me and I couldn’t be more grateful to each of them. Each start grabbing boxes to take in. Ellie gets the cart unfolded, and within a few minutes, we’re heading inside with everything I spent yesterday and today worrying we wouldn’t finish.

The display takes forty minutes to put together. It would’ve taken much longer without everyone carrying things in, holding doors, and finding the extra table the venue promised me.

By the time the last cake pop is in place, I’ve stopped checking my phone long enough to remember that I know how to do this.

Each cupcake flavor has its own stand and a little card in front. The cake pops are arranged at either end, and the foundation logos catch the light without looking as though someone assaulted them with a glitter cannon.

Considering yesterday, that’s an accomplishment.

Ellie steps back beside me. "Look at that."

"Does the left side look higher?" I ask, reaching to straighten a card.

"The left side is higher. That’s how you arranged it."

"Right."

She catches my hand before I can move anything else. "It looks beautiful. Leave it alone."

I lower my hand and look at the whole display.

My business name is on the sign beside it. Beyond the tables, there are five hundred place settings, a stage, and a screen showing photographs of athletes the foundation has helped.

I did this.

With a lot of help and two flour incidents I would prefer everyone forget, but I did it.

"This looks wonderful."