Cam
It was now-or-never time. The calm before the starter horn.
“Yeah. What’s up?”
“Switch seats with me.”
“What?” Now this day was just getting really weird. “Why?”
“Because. It should be you. You should lead the team. Be stroke.” Josh stepped aside, giving Cam space to move. “I’ll follow your lead. We’re a team, right?”
Yeah, but… He looked over at Coach, who didn’t look nearly as shocked as Cam felt. Then the team. They were with him. Up for following his lead. Ryder didn’t look thrilled. No surprise there. But Cam knew he’d do his best, no matter who was in that seat. Maybe more so because it wasn’t Josh.
“You sure?”
Josh nodded, already taking Cam’s old position.
He half expected an adrenaline rush to knock him sideways, but as he took his spot at the fore, Teagan just in front of him, he felt a calm settle in. A strong, solid sense of determination and purpose. The huge smile on her face helped, too.
“Lead us out, Cam,” she instructed.
“With pleasure.” He turned to the team. “All right, Easton! Hands on!” As one, they took a step to the right, taking hold of the hull at their assigned spots.
“Up to shoulders!” The boat felt light as air.
Not one of them carrying any more or less than the other.
Apart from Teagan, of course. Who was leading the parade.
“All right, Easton!” she ordered them. “Walk it forward!”
Win. Lose. It didn’t matter. For maybe the first time in his life, he knew he was exactly where he was meant to be. And he was going to be present for every single second of it.