Brooke half expected things to be awkward the next morning, but they weren’t. They weren’t awkward at the office, and they weren’t awkward at practice. Riley made a quiet comment about hoping they could get together again, but otherwise she acted as if nothing between them had changed. It made it easy to make plans with her for dinner on a night they didn’t have derby, to invite her home after. And to do it again a week later.
The derby season wound down, or in this case, wound up. Just like last year, the Big Easy Bruisers found themselves in contention for the state title. And just like last year, they were going up against the Cajun Queens.
The lead-up to the bout brought a fair amount of ribbing about Riley’s defection and her loyalties. What would have made Brooke angry or anxious or otherwise stressed out a few months prior no longer bothered her. Not that she didn’t want to win. But she’d settled into her team in a way she never had before, like she no longer had something to prove.
The night of the bout arrived. The team carpooled to Lafayette, prepared to take on the Queens on their home turf. Since Riley’s sister and her kids were going, too, Riley rode with them, and Brooke drove herself, Meg, and Cassie.
During warm-ups, Riley skated over to chat with her former teammates. Brooke’s first reaction was a flash of panic, fueled by a flashback to the year before. What if Riley’s loyalties remained with the Queens all along? What if she was plotting with them right this second to throw the bout and give the Queens back-to-back titles?
“Why do you look so nervous?” Hits came to a T-stop in front of where Brooke was stretching.
“I’m not nervous.” She wasn’t sure why she lied. She never managed to be convincing.
Hits gave the incredulous look that said just what she’d been thinking.
“It’s a big bout even without the promise of vindication. I’d be worried if I wasn’t nervous.” While not the cause of the churning in her stomach, at least it was true.
Hits laughed. “Always the serious one. Just relax and enjoy it.”
Brooke frowned. She always had been serious. Most of the time, it served her well. Yes, making friends took longer than she wished. Yes, it had made things infinitely harder with Riley. She looked over at Riley, who had her arm draped over one of their opponents’ shoulders. She laughed as if there wasn’t a thing in the world at stake. And instead of bristling, of feeling insecure and impatient, she smiled. “You’re right.”
In that moment, everything clicked into place. Things didn’t feel hard or messy. They just felt good.
Riley returned to the Bruisers bench, and they finished warming up. Tracy gave her pep talk, and they were off.
The first half passed in a blur. The Queens were as fierce as she remembered, perhaps even more so. But the Bruisers were on fire. When they skated into the locker room for halftime, they were up by close to forty points.
“You, my dear, are on fire.” Riley pressed a kiss to her temple.
“Same to you.” She gave Riley a friendly hip bump.
“Okay, okay.” Cali made a show of coming between them. “Let’s save the kissy kissy for after the bout.”
Just a few months ago, that kind of comment would have mortified her. Now, she gave Cali an elbow to the ribs. “You’re just jealous.”
“You bet your ass I am.”
At the start of the second half, Brooke couldn’t remember a time she felt happier or more alive. And not that she didn’t always love being in the rink, but something about really letting loose made it even better.
She might not need to win, but it didn’t make the victory any less sweet.
* * *
By the time Riley pulled into Brooke’s driveway, it was after midnight. At this point, they’d spent over a dozen nights like this, although rarely did they start so late. Gone was the initial apprehension, the wondering if Brooke actually liked her. The anticipation, however, remained. The thrill of seeing Brooke, of kissing her and touching her and falling asleep with her, was just as powerful as that first night. But with it came a comfort, and the hope that there might be a lifetime of such nights. They hadn’t had that conversation, but Brooke had commented about being together at New Year’s, of starting the next season as those other kind of derby wives.
Brooke opened the door before she had the chance to knock. “I waited for you to shower.”
Riley smiled. It had become a bit of a thing, showering together, especially after practice or a bout. There was something appealing about getting clean before getting an entirely different kind of dirty. “I’m glad.”
They undressed each other, the process sensual but not frantic. Riley, having learned her lesson, turned on the water and adjusted the temperature. In truth, they’d come to a very friendly compromise on the matter. Like so many others.
It was still hard to believe they’d come so far.
“I love you, you know.”
Brooke, who’d been rinsing shampoo from her hair, wiped her eyes and blinked them open. “What?”
She’d not meant to say it, at least not like this. But she couldn’t bring herself to take it back. “I said I love you. But I get that the timing is weird. I’m sorry about that.”
Brooke searched her face but didn’t answer right away. Riley did her best not to panic. It didn’t help when Brooke started to shake her head. But eventually—eventually—she said, “Don’t apologize.”
Riley nodded. Not exactly the response she wanted, but not terrible.
“I love you, too, for the record.”
It was Riley’s turn to shake her head. “Don’t feel like you have to say it back.”
“I don’t. I was just waiting for the right time.” She offered a playful shrug.
Riley threaded her arms around Brooke and pulled their bodies close. She kissed Brooke long and slow, letting the water stream over them. When she finally pulled back, she tipped her head ever so slightly. “Let’s just remember who said it first.”