“My mother keeps a rose garden on the farm, so I got them to remind me of her when we’re apart.” Which I guess could sound weird for a twenty-one-year-old dude. “She’s been my rock over the years and, as a single mom, she sacrificed a lot to make sure I had everything I needed growing up. I think she felt like she had to make up for my dad walking out, like she had to fill both roles.”
Piper’s quiet for a long moment and doubt creeps in.
Should I have kept that part to myself? To hear Piper tell it, her mother didn’t have a maternal bone in her body and here I am bragging about the lengths my mother went to in order to make my life easier.
“That’s a really sweet way to honor her,” she says, stroking my chest absently. “She sounds like an amazing woman.”
“She is.” I leave it at that, though I want to suggest she can decide for herself someday. “The clock is to honor my grandfather and to remind me that our time on this earth is finite.”
She nods slowly. “It’s a reminder to make the most of every day.”
“Exactly.”
“What about the compass?”
“It reminds me of where I come from and where I’m going.” I drop a kiss on her temple. “I never want to lose sight of what’s important.”
“It’s beautiful.” She traces the shape of it with her finger. “I can’t believe you added the lilies.”
There’s a note of awe in her voice, proving I didn’t make myself clear earlier.
“I told you. I’m crazy about you. There’s no one else for me and there never will be.” I tip her chin up, meeting her gaze. “And however long you take to get to the same place, I’ll be right here by your side, waiting.”
28
PIPER
Wildcat Stadium is unhinged.
I’ve never seen so many people gathered in one place. The fact that many of them are drinking makes it doubly fascinating. Most people are wearing some combination of blue and white Wildcat gear and the number of foam Wildcat paws is staggering.
“Is it always like this?” I ask Jenna, taking my seat next to her on the metal bleacher.
“This is nothing.” She waves dismissively. “It’s even worse during white out games.”
“This is really your first football game?” Kylie/Rylee asks, leaning forward to peer around Jenna.
I need to figure out her actual name, but it’s too embarrassing to ask at this point.
“I’m not big into sports, but I wanted to show my support and see Brady play.”
“They’re official now,” Jenna explains, grinning so hard the temporary Wildcat tattoo on her cheek crinkles.
“Nice,” Alexis offers from the end of the row.
I don’t bother responding. If this is her attempt to make up for the shade she was throwing a few weeks ago, she’s going to have to try harder because I’m definitely not over it.
“You picked the perfect game,” Jenna says, oblivious to the tension. “Michigan is one of our biggest rivals, so it’ll be an intense game.”
We chat about classes as we wait for kickoff and it’s a nice dose of normalcy in what’s turning out to be a chaotic semester.
When the team finally comes running out of the tunnel, the crowd goes berserk, screaming and stomping as the Wildcat roar echoes through the stadium.
The announcer rattles off the starting lineup, but I’ve only got eyes for Brady.
He looks damn fine in uniform, the pads emphasizing his large stature and broad shoulders.
“Remind me again why I never got into sports?”
