I pulled my hair into a ponytail and out the back of my favorite orange Broncos ball cap then put on my Eli Hudson jersey and my favorite pair of light blue jeans. I swiped on far more mascara than necessary for a football game but enough to make my eyes pop from beneath the brim.
“Did you write down all of the details you know about this man so I can find you if you go missing?” My mother asked when I walked up the stairs.
“I sent them to your phone the first time we went on a date.”
She pulled out her flip phone and scrolled through the messages. “I must have deleted it.” She snapped the phone shut. “Send it again.”
“Megan has it. If I go missing, she can send it to you.”
“I just hope you don’t end up like that girl you found out at the reservoir.”
“Mom.” I gasped. “I am most certainly not going to end up missing my head. Garrett is a great guy.”
“When do I get to meet him?”
“Uh . . . maybe in a few more weeks. We’re not that serious yet.”
“I still think you should try again with Luke.”
“Luke has a girlfriend.”
“His mother says they’re on the outs.”
“You’re talking to his mother now?”
“We’ve reconnected since you and Luke worked on that case together.”
“Well, she apparently doesn’t know Luke went to the country club to meet Nikki’s parents.”
“Oh no, we talked about that this morning.”
I didn’t need to hear this. It was Luke’s business, not mine. I was dating Garrett now.
“Do you want to know what she said?”
Yes. “No, it’s okay.”
“Okay,” my mother said in a sure-you-don’t voice. “But it sounds like he was absolutely miserable there. Didn’t fit in at all.”
“I said I didn’t want to know.” But still, I couldn’t help the smile spreading across my face. “I have to go. Love you.”
“I love you too. Don’t get beheaded.”
The light rail was jam-packed with people on their way to the game. It was one of the biggest home games of the season against one of our biggest rivals—the Kansas City Chiefs.
The smell of body odor, beer, and weed permeated the air making me want to cover my nose with my jersey. Thankfully, the weather was perfect for a Broncos win.
When I arrived at the Mile High stop, I moved with the crowd to where I hoped the waterfall and horses were. Excitement palpitated through the air as I passed tailgate parties full of crazy fans. Horsehead hats, full body orange and blue paint, and even a naked man in a barrel with suspenders made up the crowd.
I looked down at my jeans and jersey and contemplated asking for my own face paint to liven up my outfit. Then decided against it for Garrett’s sake.
When I finally made it to the horse statues and waterfall, Garrett stood waiting for me with a huge smile on his face. He wore light jeans and a blue jersey, his hair gelled.
“Have you been waiting long?” I asked.
He opened up his arms, and I accepted the invitation for the hug, letting his towering form envelop me for a few seconds. He smelled like bubble gum and Axe body spray.
“Not long at all.” He stepped back and handed me my ticket. “You ready?”
It took everything in me not to squeal. A Broncos division game with a hot guy. Yeah, I was ready.
We walked through metal detectors before entering the stadium. Steel and concrete would typically be cold and hard, but as the backdrop of eager fans shuffling to the various concession stands, souvenir shops, and their seats overlooking the field, it was downright cozy.
“Are you hungry? Should we get something to eat before we go to our seats?”
My stomach grumbled on cue. “Sure.”
He grabbed my hand and navigated us through the crowd towards a concession vendor.
“I’ll take a jumbo dog and some nachos, please,” he said then looked down at me for my order.
“You don’t have to pay for me.” It was only right to offer to pay for myself—I reached into my small cross-body purse for some money, but he had none of it.
“I’ve got this.” His smile could have melted the polar ice caps. “Go ahead.”
“I’ll take nachos with jalapeños, please.”
The man behind the counter busied himself getting our food.
“Do you want a drink too?”
“Maybe just a Coke,” I replied.
“Make that two.” He handed over money to the cashier. “Let’s go find our seats,” he said when the food was up.
Our seats were on the fifty-yard line, three rows up from the field.
“Wow, these are great seats,” I said.
“The perks of being a nerd, I guess.”
The players warmed up on the field, and I could feel my eyes widening. It was surreal being this close to the team I cheered on every week.
“I’ve arranged for us to meet Eli Hudson after the game.”
My head whipped around to meet his gaze, and before I knew it, my lips were on his. After a moment of shock, his lips softened, and his fingers grazed my cheek.
I pulled away. “Sorry, I guess I got excited.”
“Don’t—you don’t have to apologize.” His face was bright red. “I’m glad I can make it up to you after my abysmal behavior on our first date.”
A piece of hair on his jersey caught my eye. I plucked it off. “I’ve always heard Huskies shed a lot.” I held the hair up for him to see.
“Babbitt is actually an Alaskan Malamute. Easy to mix up. But yes, he sheds a ton.”
What was it with me and mixing up animal species?
“It reminds me of my favorite joke.” A smile brightened his eyes. “How do you tell an alligator from a crocodile?”
“Do you want the technical answer or—”
“One you’ll see later and the other you’ll see after a while.” His laugh was contagious, and even though the joke was rather dumb, I found myself doubled over in laughter struggling to catch my breath.
The game
