31. Elodie

ELODIE

I miss Hunter with every fiber of my being, but the only good thing about us not being able to see each other is that he’s become the inspiration behind my bakery.

All the food I’ve had with Hunter, all the flavor combinations we’ve enjoyed together, has become the focus of my menu. Everything from peanut butter and chocolate, to chai, brownies, gelato, pies, and muffins. As I pull from all the flavors we’ve enjoyed together, a real menu begins to take shape. One that’s an ode to Hunter and our love for each other.

I keep glancing at the time, waiting for his call. He just filed a restraining order against the people who were still following him, and I’m anxious to hear his latest update. It’s one of the last hurdles we must overcome before we can be together .

Finally, my phone rings and I snatch it up from the counter.

“How did it go?” I ask, my leg bouncing in anticipation.

“Well, for the first time, I don’t have someone harassing me when I step outside. I’ll never take for granted being able to get coffee without someone following me.”

“I’m so relieved.”

“Me, too,” he says, but he doesn’t sound as happy as I thought he would.

“What’s wrong?”

“I had an argument with my dad, and it ended with me asking him not to contact me anymore.”

“Oh my God,” I say. “Are you okay?” Hunter’s already going through so much, and this on top? It might be for the best, but I still hurt for Hunter. They were close, or at least I thought they were.

“I will be, but I don’t want to even think about him until the season ends. Then, I’ll process everything.”

“And I’ll be here to help you, whenever you’re ready.”

“I love you,” he says. “And I have some news for you.”

“More? You’ve had an eventful past day.”

“You have no idea.” He chuckles. “But I do have to tell you that Evren, Jake, and Quincy all suspected the truth about there being two of you. I tried to redirect them, but they weren’t deterred. But don’t worry, I made them all sign an NDA to protect you.”

“I bet Evren resisted that.” I grin, just imagining how that conversation went.

“You have no idea,” he grumbles. “Today, I had to threaten to quit the team before he would.”

“Why would you do that?” I ask, incredulous. “Football is your life.”

“Don’t you get it? You’re my life, my future. Not a game. It’s you, Elodie. It’s always been you.”

“But—”

“Don’t you dare argue with me about this,” he says sternly.

“But arguing with you is so fun,” I tease.

“Then by all means, argue away, especially once I tell you that yesterday I asked Evren if you could have a pop-up bakery in his stadium.”

My jaw drops. “You did what now?”

“To ensure your future.”

“I… Thank you. You’ve always looked out for me, and I can’t tell you how much that means to me. I also have a surprise for you. To ensure our future, I’m planning to move to Skyrise.”

“Are you now?” His smile is blinding.

“Yes, and into your house whether you want me or not.”

He laughs. “Have I ever given you any reason to doubt how much I want you?”

“Nope. Never.” I grin .

“When can you come?”

“As soon as it’s safe and after you win the Super Bowl.”

“Love your confidence in us to win,” he says, “but why after?”

“Because I want you to be able to focus on the game and not worry if I’m safe or not.”

“But the Super Bowl is in a couple weeks still.”

“So?” I ask. “I’d rather wait a couple weeks in order to get you for years.”

“Pfft, years? How about a lifetime?”

“That, too.”

“Fine,” he says. “I’ll accept your conditions on one condition of my own.”

“What?”

“Touch your pussy while I tell you about all the things I’m going to do to you once I finally get you in my bed again.”

I slide my hand into my leggings and say, “Deal.”

My heart hammers a frantic rhythm against my ribs,a far more intense opponent than the two teams battling it out on the field for the Super Bowl championship.Every play,every catch,every tackle steals my breath.I’m squeezed in a sea of green jerseys in the nosebleed section,a million miles from the manicured press box where most WAGs reside.But for Hunter,for this moment,I wouldn't trade this view for anything.

Hunter doesn’t even know I’m here. but I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to support him in my fake nose and all.

I snap a picture of the field and send it to my group chat with Stella, Aria, and Nina. They all respond by taking a selfie of where they are now. Nina and Aria together at Aria’s house, and Stella in a hotel room with the game on a computer in the background. I heart every one of them, happy that Aria and Nina are able to spend some time together again now that everything has returned to normal.

Me: I can’t wait to see you all in a couple weeks at the charity event.

Aria: Same. It’s been so long, I’ve almost forgotten what you look like.

S: Not sure if I should be offended by that comment or not.

Nina: Don’t worry, S. Perfection is impossible to forget.

S: Nina’s officially my favorite person in the world.

Me: Rude .

I grin and refocus on the field. Hunter’s been playing amazingly well today and has been a blur of green as he streaks down the field. Each time he snags the ball,a collective gasp ripples through the crowd,followed by a deafening roar that vibrates in my chest.I jump and scream with the best of them,my voice hoarse but my grin splitting my face wide open.

The final seconds tick down on the clock,an eternity stretched thin.The opposing team,desperate,launches a Hail Mary pass.My stomach lurches.But then,there he is,leaping for an interception.The ball spirals towards him,a golden promise.

Time seems to slow as the ball meets his hand. He sprints toward the end zone before he’s tackled.

The ref blows his whistle and it’s official. The Skyrise Sentinels just won the Super Bowl. The stadium erupts, and a wave of euphoria washes over me,tears stinging my eyes.I'm not just celebrating the win, butthe culmination of his challenging season.How he persevered and opened up to his teammates.

I snap a photo of the celebration on the field and send it to him.

Me: Congrats on the win! You were fantastic. I can’t wait until we can be together.