Garrison was injured in a football game earlier in the season. It was a nasty hit, though they all look pretty brutal to me. I cringe every time Felix gets sacked, which thankfully isn’t that often.
“He thinks I can rehab it without surgery, but I have to wear this fucking boot for another week. I’m losing my mind.”
Teddy stays silent, but nods. “Sorry, man.”
“That stupid fucker Ricci is going down next year. He should have been ejected for that dirty hit.” He gets to his feet and grumbles, “I need a shot or twelve.”
“Is he okay?” I ask when he’s gone.
“Yeah. His foot will heal, but he’s gonna be pissed for a while.”
“What did he mean about it being a dirty hit? They all look awful to me.”
“It came late, after the play. Garrison was already out of bounds when Ricci took him down. It’s tough for refs to call.” Teddy continues, “Things out there happen so fast. Guys have ahard time stopping but sometimes it’s just dirty.” Teddy releases a breath and holds out the controller to me.
“I’ve never played this game,” I say, but take it and sit up to place both of my drinks on the table.
“We can play whatever you want.” He navigates back to the menu to show me the options.
“Have you ever been injured playing football? Aside from the thumb dislocation last year.”
“Good memory.” The smile he aims at me makes me dizzy. “Not like Garrison. No broken bones or injuries that have kept me sidelined, but I’ve had plenty of bumps and bruises. What about you?”
“Me?” I shake my head. “I was never into any sports, except swimming, and one summer I played softball with Stella.” I shudder at the memory.
“I bet you looked pretty cute in a baseball cap.” He takes the hat off his head and places it on mine, then leans back to get a better look at me. “Yep. I knew it.”
“We wore visors.” Frenetic energy courses through me. Being near Teddy, especially when I’m talking to him, has this weird effect on me, where I want to lean into the moment while simultaneously wishing I was invisible.
His smile widens. I leave on the hat. It’s too big, falling over my eyes, but I don’t care.
I place a hand to my cheek. “It’s kind of hot in here.”
He tilts his head to the door. “Want to step outside for a minute?”
I think the heat coursing through me is more from him being so close than the temperature in the cabin, but I nod. We abandon our spots on the couch and head for the front door. Teddy holds it open for me and I blush harder as I walk in front of him.
It hasn’t snowed any more, but the front porch is still partially covered. We stand at the railing, looking out toward the tree line to the right of the cabin.
Teddy groans and rolls his neck.
“You can take three-hundred-pound dudes pummeling into you, but you fall to the ground on your own and turn into a big ole’ baby,” I tease.
“Yeah, yeah.” He hits the brim of his hat, still on my head, and fights a smile. “I tried to keep up with your brother. That was a mistake. My ass is black and blue.”
I laugh softly. “Seriously?”
“Seriously.” He turns, so his back is against the railing, and looks over at me. “It’s so peaceful out here. Feels like we’re inside a Christmas movie.”
“Yeah, I guess it does a little.” I tip my head up to look at the stars. The cold is seeping in through my thin sweater and I hug myself for added warmth. “But we’d be the least festive house in the movie.”
A rough chuckle leaves his lips and hangs in a cloud of cool air.
“We’re totally festive. Felix is even wearing his Santa hat again.” He gives his head a shake. “I made fun of him for it, but the girls flock to him in that thing.”
“I’ll tell you a secret about my brother.” I lean closer. “Girls flocking to him might be a nice side effect, but he’s wearing that hat because he loves Christmas. It’s a Walters’ family tradition. Felix and Dad wear Santa hats the entire week leading up to Christmas. My mom buys them in bulk.”
“That’s right. I remember that from last year. Why aren’t you festive tonight? Did you run out of holiday sweaters?”