clinging to that as some sort of sign that he has good feelings about the Matt situation. “Not at all. Just purely wondering about the stress level of our athletes, that’s all.”
“Mmm, is that so?” Even through the slightly grainy Wi-Fi connection, I can see the sarcasm in Noah’s eye roll. “Really throwing yourself into this whole sports team executive role, huh?”
“You know me. Ball is life.”
“When people say that, they’re usually talking about basketball, but okay.”
I laugh and hold my palm to my forehead. “Can you just tell me if you’ve talked to Matt?”
“There it is,” he says teasingly, drawing the words out and making me tense with anxiety.
“Speak, asshole.”
“All right, all right.” Noah gives an easy laugh and shakes his head. “Yeah, I talked to him. I had him come to my office, and I figured we could just talk about team stuff at first. I wanted to gauge his attitude about everything before just diving into a pool of super personal shit.”
“Makes sense.” Get to the point, please! “What happened?”
“I could tell he was a little confused that I didn’t instantly bring it up as soon as he walked through the door. Actually, I didn’t bring it up at all—”
“You’re freaking kidding me, Noah.” I grit my teeth and glare at him as hard as I can through the phone screen. “You didn’t even talk about it? So you just sat there with him and pretended like you don’t know anything?” I groan and tilt my head back, squeezing my eyes shut. “That’s even more horribly awkward and uncomfortable than talking about it. He knows you know.”
“Okay, DEFCON 2.” He chuckles. “Can you chill for a second? You’re gonna stress your baby out.”
I purse my lips. “I don’t think that’s how that works.”
“Well, whatever. Anyway, I didn’t bring it up because I didn’t have to. We talked about the Bowl for a few minutes, and he couldn’t take the weirdness and brought it up himself. Which I understood. But…going into it, I wasn’t even sure I wanted to come right out and talk about it. I mean, yes, it’s weird and uncomfortable and awkward for everyone involved, but I didn’t have any plans or agenda. I just wanted to talk to the guy and see what happened.”
I let my jaw fall slack and stare at Noah’s face. “And…what did he say?”
Noah lifts a shoulder and glances off to the side, narrowing his eyes in thought. “Let me just put it this way. Unless he’s totally and completely fooled me, I believe he’s really a good dude. I support both of you.”
My chest tightens. “Really?”
“Yeah.” He puffs out a breath. “I do. What I said on the plane was based on really nothing more than just assumptions about him and flat-out shock.” He laughs a little, and so do I. “He, uh…he’s not gonna hurt you. At least I don’t think he will.”
“Why do you say that? Can you tell me what he said?” Anxiety prickles down my spine. What on earth would he have said to Noah to make him change his mind so quickly?
“I didn’t record the conversation, El. Just know that I’m totally on your side through all of this. His, too. He really cares about you. Like…a lot.”
Anxiety turns to butterflies, and I try to bite back my smile. “He said that?”
“Oh my God, you’re a child.” Noah rolls his eyes again. “He’s into you, and it’s legit. I have both of your backs on all of this, whatever happens. I’m not saying you two should just run off into the sunset, madly in love forever and ever. I know it’s not really your style, and I know you can’t usually sit still for five minutes. But with the baby and all that, I could for sure see you two together.”
I swallow and process this, picking at a small scratch in the corner of my phone screen and imagining the possibility of Matt and I being together. Like, really, actually together. It doesn’t scare me or freak me out at all.
“I think I could, too,” I say quietly, barely above a whisper. The reality of those words crashes over me like a tidal wave.
“Well, you have me,” Noah says. “Now we just have to get the rest of the family on board with the whole ‘Ellie’s baby daddy is the quarterback of the NFL team we own’ thing.”
I laugh heartily, a blissful buzz of relief and happiness zipping through me. “Oh yeah. I don’t