Chapter 22
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
I’d been to one SU rugby game. But that had been before, and I’d been focused on supporting Adan.
This time, everything was different because I was here for Rowan.
I wore the sweatshirt he’d given me with his name and number on the back.
It felt like an advertisement announcing to the world that I was dating Rowan.
It made me uncomfortable being on display like that, but I also swelled with pride that he was mine.
I made my way up the stands to where I spotted Emily seated with two girls. When I reached her, she introduced me to Kara and Marlow. Both seemed to already know who I was. I remembered Rowan mentioned their names before.
I took my seat and felt immensely uncomfortable.
These three girls were like Rowan. He’d said multiple times we shouldn’t be together because we weren’t exactly alike.
His family probably wanted him to be with someone like the girls sitting beside me.
While he’d chosen me, we still had a lot of obstacles to overcome.
Not wanting to get ahead of myself because we were just dating, I shoved all those thoughts aside.
We weren’t that serious yet. Once we were, if we ever were, then I’d worry about that stuff.
I scanned the field and immediately spotted Rowan stretching near the sideline. My stomach tightened seeing him in his jersey. As he moved, his muscles flexed beneath the fabric, pulling it tightly across his shoulders. My mouth watered knowing what that body felt like on top of mine.
He turned and pointed at me, smiling. I gave him a little wave. I could feel Emily beside me, watching me. It had to be awkward since I was with her ex now. At least she’d moved on with Danny before Rowan and I got together.
“Do you know anything about rugby?” Emily asked.
“I’ve been to a game,” I answered, wiping my hands on my jeans, nervous. The last time, I’d been struck by how violent rugby was. I hoped Rowan didn’t get hurt.
The refs jogged onto the field, and each team took a side.
The whistle blew. Stonemore University had the ball first. Adan tossed it to Jacob, who tossed it to Rowan, who threw it back to Adan.
They were all running forward, hitting the other team.
It was hard to keep track of the ball. Now they all piled on top of one another.
Rowan was in there somewhere. The ball came out, someone got it, and it was thrown again. We scored. Five nothing.
I sat there watching Rowan, playing with the cuff of my sweatshirt, nervous energy coursing through me. Some guy rammed into Rowan, but he kept going forward, unfazed. It seemed SU had the ball most of the time.
At halftime, Kara and Marlow went to get something to eat. I remained in my seat next to Emily.
I was trying to think of something to say when she turned to me.
“I’m surprised you’re dating Rowan,” she said rather bluntly.
I had no idea how to respond to that. “And I’m surprised you’re dating Danny so soon after breaking up with Rowan.” I hope I hadn’t pissed her off, but her comment warranted a snarky reply.
“Danny and I are similar. We like the same things and come from the same town. We can have a future together.” Her eyes bore into mine, as if she wanted me to understand that Rowan and I had no future and couldn’t be together.
Her comment stung. “We’re just dating.”
“I hope that’s all it is.” She folded her arms.
I wanted to ask her what she was but couldn’t with so many people nearby. “I’m focused on school right now.” I’d been telling my parents the same thing. “I enjoy spending time with Rowan, but my priority is getting my degree.” A boyfriend wouldn’t distract me from my goal.
“Rowan can be impulsive when he wants something,” Emily said. “He doesn’t think things through. Then we’re all left cleaning up the mess he made.”
“He doesn’t strike me as the sort of guy who makes a lot of mistakes.” In fact, he seemed the opposite. When I was with him, he overthought and overanalyzed everything. It was one of the traits I liked about him.
Kara and Marlow returned with hot dogs and popcorn.
Emily turned her attention to them.
The second half started. The game flew by since there seemed to be constant motion. When it was over, Stonemore won twenty-five to twenty.
Rowan’s teammates surrounded him as they celebrated their win.
“We’ll see you later,” Emily said as she stood, Kara and Marlow right behind her. They headed down the stadium steps.
When I first arrived here, Emily was so kind and welcoming. Now she seemed distant. As if I weren’t good enough for Rowan.
Both teams headed into the athletic center, which housed the locker rooms.
People all around me got up and started filing out of the stadium, cheering as they did so.
Rowan had said we were going out with the team after, but he didn’t tell me where to meet him, so I just remained there, not wanting to get jostled amongst the rowdy crowd.
Plus, a small part of me was sad. Rowan and I shared a strong physical connection.
I enjoyed my time with him. The more time I spent around him, the more I cared for him.
But everyone kept reminding me that we were different.
Emily made it clear that we shouldn’t be together.
If those closest to us didn’t support our relationship, did we stand a chance?
Was it worth fighting for? I didn’t know.
Once the stadium had mostly cleared out, I got up and headed to the exit.
I went around the side to the athletic center’s main entrance and sat on a bench, scrolling on my phone while I waited for Rowan.
I tried not to think about our relationship and where it was headed.
I needed to learn to live in the here and now.
This was only college. I probably wouldn’t meet the man I was going to marry until I was older.
After about twenty minutes, Rowan exited with Jacob and Adan, the three of them laughing and shoving one another.
“Ready, Lake?” Rowan asked as he approached.
I stood and kissed his cheek. “Great game.”
He wrapped his arms around my waist, picking me up and swinging me around. “It was fucking awesome. Games like that are so much fun.” He had a gash on his right brow and a long scratch on his arm. He set me down.
“That’s what you consider fun?” Getting beat up and smashing into guys was not my idea of a good time, but Rowan seemed to revel in it.
“I hate when it’s a blow out. Close games where we actually have to fight our way to win are the best.”
“You and I have very different versions of fun,” I said.
“We’ll see about that,” he said, his voice low, almost a promise. It sent a shiver through me. He grabbed my hand. “Let’s go.”
The four of us went to the parking lot and got into Rowan’s truck. I had a ton of questions, like was it just the four of us going or would the rest of the team meet us there? However, I realized it didn’t matter. All that mattered was spending time and celebrating with Rowan.
During the ride, Jacob, Adan, and Rowan kept talking about different plays they’d made and what had happened during the game.
Neither Jacob nor Adan tried to include me in the conversation, which I thought was strange.
They’d always been friendly to me before.
I tried not to let it bother me and instead, just enjoyed being out with the guys.
Rowan pulled into the parking lot of a bar. Jacob and Adan got out.
I turned to Rowan. “I’m not twenty-one.” I was only twenty.
“Don’t worry,” he said as he climbed out. “Several guys on the team aren’t either. You just have to be eighteen to get in.” He came around to my side, taking my hand and closing the door for me.
We followed Jacob and Adan inside.
The second Rowan walked through the door, people shouted, “Ward!”
He pumped his fist in the air, and everyone cheered.
To the right, several pool tables filled the space.
Straight ahead, a square-shaped dance floor stood.
Behind the dance floor was a stage with a band playing cover songs.
To the left, several tables were set up.
A bar lined the entire left wall. Dim purple light flooded the space.
There were so many people here, there wasn’t a lot of room to move about.
The rugby team had managed to confiscate a handful of tables toward the back. We headed that way. As Rowan passed people, several slapped him on the back, congratulating him on the win.
He never let go of my hand as he led me through the crowd and to the rugby team. I spotted Danny there with Emily. The two girls she’d been with at the game were here as well.
“You all know Laney,” Rowan said, pulling me in front of him and placing his hands on my shoulders.
A few of the guys from the team, the ones who didn’t live with Rowan, said hi to me.
“What are we drinking?” Rowan asked.
“Here’s the beer,” a bartender said as she approached carrying several pitchers. She slid them onto the table. “Glasses coming in a sec.” She twisted and veered through the crowd, dodging bodies on her way back to the bar. She returned a few minutes later with a tray of glasses.
Danny started pouring, and Jacob handed them out.
“You want one, darlin?” Jacob asked me.
“Yes.” I took the proffered glass.
Once everyone had a drink in hand, people began chanting, “Ro…Ro…Ro!”
Rowan released me and climbed on top of the nearest chair.
“All right, all right.” He raised his hand.
The entire team faced him, eagerly listening to his every word.
“We fucking killed them tonight! That took every single one of you putting it all on the line out there, not giving up. Hit after hit, tackle after tackle. I’m so fucking proud of each and every one of you.
You showed up, fought for each other like brothers.
Because that’s what we are. Your loyalty, this team, us together, we’re the best fucking team in our conference! ” He lifted his beer and took a drink.
Everyone cheered.