Pace glances at his watch. “So, the girls are supposed to be here at four?”
“You know they will all be late,” Damon says. “Jennifer said to plan on pictures at around four thirty.”
“It’s crazy what girls do to get ready for these things,” Jax says. He’s a big guy of Samoan descent, who I am fortunate to have guarding my blind side when I’m on the field. “I woke up late, worked out, got a haircut, and talked to my uncle about my tattoo. I’m ready to get it now, but my mom says I have to wait until I turn eighteen in January.”
“Did you finally decide on a design?” Pace asks with a grin.
It’s a running joke that Jax will never get a tattoo because he can’t make a decision to save his life. Pace, on the other hand, already has three of them.
“Yep. This is the one,” Jax says.
He pulls out his phone and shows us a really cool Polynesian design. He’s been showing us the one for about two years now—of which none have been the same. I can see why his mom wants him to wait.
And that’s when it hits me. I like our One Eleven logo, but I have always felt it is a little too simple. That it is missing something. And now I know exactly what it needs—angel wings wrapped around the current logo. After Homecoming, I’ll have Haley draw something up. But for now, I need to focus on the present.
“So, wanted to update you guys,” I say. “You all know Lacey is sick, so I invited Dani to come with us. She has to be at the dance to crown this year’s king. But we’re going to do things a little differently than planned.”
I tell them the rest of it and get their agreement and understanding.
“And I’ve got a backpack with a vodka-filled water bottle,” Damon says.
“Just don’t get my sister drunk,” I tell him.
He rolls his eyes at me. “He’s been my best friend my entire life, and he still doubts me. Trust me, no one is going to do anything that might get us kicked off the team. In fact, if you prefer we have a few shots now and leave it here, I’m cool with that.”
“Honestly, that’s probably smart,” Luis, our team kicker, says. “The last thing any of us wants to have to deal with is a drunk date.”
“Word,” Reed, our cornerback, says in agreement.
“Let’s go wait in the basement. Watch a game or something,” Damon suggests with a grin.
I look at my backpack sitting by the door and know there’s something in it that could get me into trouble, but tonight, for once, I’m willing to take the risk.
I’m going through a mental checklist, making sure I’ve thought of everything before following the guys, when Dani practically floats down the staircase, taking my breath away.
She’s in a creamy-colored gown that has spaghetti straps, highlighting tan shoulders. Her long waves are tousled like she could have been outside, riding bikes in the breeze with me just a few seconds before. I stare in wonder, so many memories of growing up with her by my side flashing through my brain.
She notices me and goes, “Chase, you scared me. I didn’t see you sitting there. Where is everyone?”
“The guys are all here. Just went downstairs.”
“Why aren’t you with them?”
I shake my head and smile. “I was making sure I had everything ready for tonight. But I think I was meant to be here. To see you walk down those stairs. Just now. You look stunning.”
She continues walking in my direction. “Stand up,” she says. “What are you wearing?”
“Well, I changed things up a little.”
“Why? I liked your suit.”
“The navy suit and paisley tie matched Lacey’s pink dress,” I admit.
“Ah, good point. So, you decided to go with just a black T-shirt instead?” Her hand slides across my forearm and then up to my bicep. “I love you in black.”
“I hardly ever wear it.”
“I know. And it practically devastates my heart every time you do.”
“Really?”
“Yep. And I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve seen you in it. Once was when we were young and you wore black for Halloween.”
“I was a vampire.”
“And that summer, when we went to dinner, you wore all black—tee, shorts, and loafers. Then again on the golf course for your birthday. That’s it.”
“I guess I need to add more of it to my wardrobe, huh?”
“You do. Although, that day I brought you the cupcake, you were in nothing but a pair of white linen shorts. Those’ll do, too.”
I lean down and give her a kiss. “Just so you know,” I say, grabbing my suit jacket and pulling it on, “I’m still wearing a suit, but it’s black, and I thought maybe the tee would be okay. I wore a look like this in a shoot I did, so I thought—”
“You’d look incredibly hot?” she says with a grin.
“I was thinking, dressed appropriately, but that will do, too,” I say, repeating her earlier words.
A few more kisses later, the doorbell rings, and all hell breaks loose.
Okay, not actually hell, but we’ve got six couples and, due to remarriages, fifteen sets of parents, some of who brought their other kids.
Fortunately, Jennifer and my mom took charge by hiring a professional photographer, so only one person is taking pictures, but still, all the parents are standing behind her, trying to get early proof of this rite of passage.
We’re lined up in groups and individually in three locations—on the dock overlooking the lake, which someone installed a balloon arch on in our school colors; in the lawn in front of a tall bed of flowers; and standing up on the deck.
Thirty minutes later, the limo arrives, allowing us to finally get on our way.
As we’re walking to the limo, I stop my sister.
“You changed,” she says, finally having a chance to look at me.
“Yeah, I changed a lot about tonight, too. Pace can fill you in, but that’s not what I wanted to talk to you about.”
“Is there drama?” she asks, her face brightening at the thought.
“No. I just wanted to tell you how nice you look, Hay. My little sister is all grown-up. Your dress is pretty, and I don’t know how long it took to get your hair in those braids and then twisted back into the bun thing, but it’s beautiful. You’re beautiful.”
She launches herself into my arms. “Chase, you’re going to make me cry.”
“Don’t do that. We wouldn’t want the fake lashes falling half off. You’d look like you had a spider crawling up your face.”
She scrunches up her nose, punches my arm, and then laughs.
“You’re doing something special for Dani, aren’t you?”
“I didn’t want it just to be what I planned with Lacey, you know?”
“Yeah, and I think that’s a good thing. I love you.”
“I love you, too, sis. Have fun tonight. But, like, not too much fun.”
Back in time.
Devaney
We take a lot of pictures, and by the time we’re done, I feel like I never want to smile again.
But when the limo arrives and we all load up, Chase pulls me onto his lap and kisses me.