There’s a plea within them, but goddamn it, my baby has no idea what she’s asking for.
It’s subconscious, her heart and mind knowing I’m right here, dying to take away her pain, to comfort and support her through anything. Always.
Forever.
Her chest inflates, and my lips curve into a small, gentle smile.
“You were hurt, and it felt like the worst thing you could imagine.” Her lip quivers, but she doesn’t dare look away. “You cried a lot, hid away, and pretended things weren’t as bad as they were, but slowly…” I swallow. “Very slowly, the light slid back into your eyes.”
Her blinks grow slow, her tears slipping and rolling down to meet my skin. “Why do I get the feeling you helped with it?” she whispers.
I force my hand to fall and will my eyes to follow.
“Did you help with that?” She tries again.
I know she wants to remember on her own, but I already messed that up by sharing what I did. Now she’s asking for more.
For a tiny piece.
I promised I’d never deny her, so I won’t.
I clear my throat and answer the best way I know how.
“I hope so.”
Her smile is unhurried, and she faces the open waters, murmuring, “I think you did.”
I think I’m losing you…
Chapter 46
Arianna
* * *
White twinkling lights hang from the wall, sheer blue curtain woven around them to create a dreamy, winter wonderland type atmosphere. Large pillars span the corners of the walls and at the front, raised on a small stage is a table full of trophies and plaques.
The guys are dressed in sharp suits and the girls in glowing gowns, all but the coaching staff, who opted for their sideline attire.
The music is soft and the food a sampler-style cultural mix.
After the staff has the tables cleared from dinner, champagne flutes are passed around to those with wristbands, sparkling cider for the rest of us. The head coach takes the stage, taps on the mic and begins to welcome everyone to the ninetieth annual winter gala.
“It’s not uncommon to have a good team and a decent season. I’ve been here for twenty-two years and there hasn’t been a single year I couldn’t claim the same, but there is a difference in good and gold, and this year, boys, the Avix U Sharks football team was fucking gold.”
The room erupts with hoots and hollers, Brady’s loud bark heard above each and every one.
The man goes on about his team, giving praise to them as a unit, sharing some of their trials with those of us who were none the wiser, and then he pauses. The man grabs the edge of the small podium he stands in front of and nods his head, a smile forming on his lips.
“You know, as a coach, there’s only so much I can do and I do it as best as I possibly can, but I know many of my boys cuss me out in their heads on a daily basis. A coach is only a coach.” He nods. “The true hero of this season’s success lies in the heart of the captain.”
People whistle and my stomach swirls. I subconsciously lean forward.
“Now, unfortunately, Noah Riley isn’t here tonight, but if he were, I’d take my hat off to the man. He took a team, built on a third of rookies, and led us to the playoffs in a year we were expected to be at the bottom of our division. He pulled many of you under his wing, and you all might not know this, ‘cause he surely never said a word, but that young man shifted his entire schedule around to be there to train and mentor every one of you who asked. He made us a family.”
The backs of my eyes sting.
“For that reason, he’s, without a doubt, and unanimous in votes from all thirty-nine of you on this roster, this year’s MVP. I’d like to invite Trey Donavon to the stage to accept this award on Noah’s behalf.”
The room erupts with cheers, and Cameron, his date for the night, screams from her seat beside me.
Trey pushes his sleeves a little higher, and a few guys give catcalls, making him smirk in response.
“Hey now, I got a girl, and she’s the jealous type,” he teases, and I playfully swat at Cameron.
He clears his throat, lifts the small trophy and looks it over. “Noah’s been my best friend for three years now, and I know I’ll be able to say the same thing thirty years from now.”
“Hey,” Chase whispers, and I reluctantly glance his way. “Wanna go get a drink? My buddy’s manning the bar.”
I shake my head, facing the stage once more as Trey continues.
“There ain’t a man out there more hard working and deserving of all the good the world has to offer more than him. I, uh, I know Coach asked me to accept this award, but there’s someone else here I’d like to invite up to do it instead.” Trey looks to Cameron behind me, and a frown builds along my face as he tears the mic from its holder and leaps off the stage, headed right for her. But then he says, “Arianna Johnson,” into the mic, and my spine straightens. Trey smiles. “My butterfly’s bestie, you might be thinking I’m crazy right now, and I sort of am, so that’s fine.” He’s in front of me now, and I look to Cameron when he drops to his knee with a wink. “Accept this award for our boy, Noah?”