Chapter 18 #3
Fifteen minutes later, we were seated in one of the smaller conference rooms with Y/N and their camera person.
It was a simple and intimate set up, much like the one I’d had a few weeks ago when Y/N interviewed me after my injury.
Like that time, the camera was turned off when we entered and got situated.
“Before we get started, I wanted to go over the kinds of questions I’m going to ask you, make sure you’re okay with it,” they informed us as they settled in their chair.
I motioned for her to go on. “We’re going to start with your first impressions of one another and how your relationship started.
I will then ask you about your decision to get married, the ceremony itself, and how you feel it will affect the team.
I will not ask you anything more personal than that. ”
“Can we not ask about the ceremony itself?” Rowan asked. Y/N raised an eyebrow, and Rowan grinned. “We were a little drunk.”
“We were a lot drunk,” I corrected. “We don’t remember a lot of the details, and we’d rather keep that… private?”
“Then we will say you were married in a small, intimate ceremony and leave it at that,” Y/N agreed with a small nod. “Okay, scoot a little closer. You’re married. It’s your first public interview. You can look like you like each other.”
I laughed and scooted my chair toward Rowan until our legs were touching. “Okay?” I asked.
Y/N looked back at their camera person who checked the screen of the camera. When they were given the thumbs up, Y/N turned their attention back to us. “Alright. Let’s get started in five, four.” They trailed off and finished counting down on their fingers.
The red camera light started to blink, informing us that we were now being recorded.
“Today I am in Tucson at the Scorpion training facility with newlywed team members, Milo Tobitt and Rowan Rangecroft.” Y/N angled their body so they were somehow speaking both to us and the camera.
It had to be a skill reporters practiced in college or something, because every reporter I’d ever spoken to could manage it.
I was always looking right at that red blinking light.
“I think I speak for all Scorpions fans when I say that post earlier today was a surprise to everyone. Married?”
“Yup!” I chirped with a broad grin. “Rowan—I mean Rangecroft and I got married after the Vegas game Sunday night.”
“Did anyone know you were dating?”
“Tobitt and I kept our relationship private. Only our closest friends and family were aware of it prior to our marriage,” Rowan answered.
He nudged my knee with his and gave me a soft smile, probably the softest any of our fans had ever seen from him.
“Our relationship has never been and never will be for public consumption.”
“And how long have you been together?” Y/N asked. “Did you know each other before Rowan was traded from the Fayetteville Foxes?”
“No, we met during my initial walk through of the facility. Coach Cal asked Milo to show me around. Later that day, we discovered we were neighbors, and it just went from there.”
“We’ve only been together for about, what?
Two months?” I looked at Rowan for confirmation, and he nodded.
“Yeah, about two months. I think we made it official after bye week.” Even if I hadn’t realized that was what we were doing until just a few weeks ago when I’d gotten injured.
I saw no reason to make that public knowledge.
Like the truth of our wedding ceremony. Not everything needed to be public knowledge.
“That seems fast,” Y/N commented, “but I suppose when you know, you know?”
“And we know,” Rowan told them with the same certainty as he’d told me he didn’t regret marrying me on Monday morning in that hotel room.
“How has the team reacted to this news?”
I smiled broadly. “Coach Cal was happy for us. All our teammates were.”
“What about the general public?”
“Don’t know,” I told her honestly. “I don’t read the comments on anything about me. That is a dangerous habit, and for the sake of my mental health, I’d rather not know. Anything people say about me on the internet, hidden behind their screen, is just not my business.”
“I agree with Milo on that one.”
Y/N laughed. They asked a few more questions about our relationship before moving onto questions about the season and our upcoming games. “Finally, I have to ask the question that’s on everyone’s mind: What names will be on your jerseys during Monday’s game in DC?”
“We’re keeping our last names,” Rowan told the reporter. “The jerseys for the team announcement were just for show. I’m extremely attached to the Rangecroft name, and Milo is attached to his.”
“Well, we look forward to seeing if the Scorpions can continue their winning streak against the Devils. Maybe we’ll see you in the playoffs this year.”
I hadn’t realized just how close we were to the precipice.
On Monday, we beat the DC Devils on their home field. On the bus ride back to the hotel, Coach Cal stood up and announced the news we were all waiting for: the Tucson Scorpions were going to the playoffs for the first time in five years.
It had been the best week of my life.