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Sadie was looking at me.

“Don’t.”

Her eyebrows went up. “I didn’t say anything.”

“You were going to.”

“I was thinking something.”

“Keep it there.”

She smiled. “I respect boundaries.”

“No, you don’t.”

Sadie sighed, disappointed in herself. “No. But I respect the concept.”

The band hit the opening notes of the school song. Everybody stood.

I stood because apparently football had rituals and Briar enforced them.

Ruckus arrived three minutes into the first quarter wearing black work pants and his restaurant polo.

He smelled faintly of french fries.

“You left work.”

“I delegated.” He dropped beside Micah and stole a handful of popcorn from him.

Rook looked down at the logo on his shirt. “Family emergency?”

Ruckus gave him a solemn look. “The situation was deteriorating.”

On the field, Clayton completed a pass along the sideline for a first down.

The home section came up around us.

Ruckus pointed triumphantly. “You see?”

I laughed.

Riot was already standing. “Move the chains!”

“They are,” Marion told him without looking up from her drink.

“I know.”

“Then sit down.”

He did. For approximately ten seconds.

I knew football. It would have been impossible not to after growing up between two houses where the sport occupied half the available male brain space every fall.

I knew enough to follow it without wanting to discuss it for six hours afterward.

Clayton was good. Really good. Loose and grinning between plays, then sharp the second the ball was snapped.

Chief was different.