“Okay, I’m not totally sure how I feel about this. But your dad said Buck offered to let us stay in his guest house,” my mom started, and I broke in, not letting her finish.

“Yes. Yes, yes, yes. Let’s do that,” I was overly enthusiastic, causing my mom to laugh nervously.

“Yeah, I figured that’s what you’d say. Funny, your father was just as excited,” my mom said, her tone noting a bit of sarcasm.

“That’s just a long time for a grown man to live with his in-laws,” I heard my father say in the background.

“Yeah, yeah. Okay, well, it seems like plans are changing. Why don’t you come to the house just like you planned, and then we’ll figure it out from there before we head to Buck’s,” my mom said, giving in, and giving me the greatest Christmas gift ever in the process.

“Okay, I’ll see you in an hour,” I said, hanging up, and then explaining everything to Sarah.

Reed

Nolan’s home was in pieces, and when my dad told me about it, I wanted to run to her and be with her when she found out. I knew the loss would hit her hard when it sank in, but I had to admit, the thought of her being in my house, within reach, for the entire winter break had me filled with the excitement of a kid waiting for Santa to come.

My dad had left as soon as the TV interviews were done, and when he called a few minutes later to let me know the Lennoxes would be staying with us, I jumped in the Jeep and wasn’t far behind. Practices were light for the next few days, but would get more and more serious the closer we got to the bowl game. It was always weird being on campus when everyone was gone, like a ghost town. We were given a couple of days off over Christmas to spend time with our families, and then it would be pretty strict, and the focus on football got serious. I’d still get to head home a few times to see Nolan, though, and that’s all that mattered. I thought maybe she could stay in my room when I was gone, and the thought of her being there, sleeping in my bed, made me crazy, and I drove a whole hell of a lot faster.

My dad and I headed over to the Lennoxes late Sunday afternoon. I knew Nolan would be home soon, and I wanted to see how bad everything was before she got there, so I could try to ease her shock.

Her room was completely gutted, nothing left. Her clothes were charred shreds of their former selves, and her books and papers and charms that hung on her walls were blackened with soot and smoke stains. Nolan’s mom said she seemed to deal with the news over the phone, but I knew when she saw what was left, how everything was destroyed, it would break her heart.

I reached down, and recognized a scrap of one of her T-shirts. It was a MicNic’s shirt, probably her oldest. I remembered it from high school, she’d put holes in it she wore it so much. When I looked up to take inventory of all of her bare hangers, and realized all she’d lost, an idea struck me. I called Sienna to bring her in on my scheme, and we made plans to scour Coolidge’s Goodwill stores over the weekend. I was going to do my best to replace what she’d lost—at least when I could.

Before long, Nolan was pulling into the driveway. Pops and I had loaded up his truck with the rest of her family’s things, so hopefully she wouldn’t have to be in her house long. My heart leapt at seeing her, and I noticed a smile on her face, too. It was a good start, and I’d just have to work my ass off to keep it there.

“Hey,” I said, walking over to her car door and pulling it open while she stepped out.

“Hey,” she said shyly. “So, I guess my room exploded.” She had her sense of humor, another good sign.

“Yeah, it’s pretty bad. I’m not sure you should see it,” I said, reaching for her hand and locking my fingers with hers. She stared down at them, her breath stopping as she bit her bottom lip, and then tilted her chin back up to look at me.

“I’ll be fine,” she said, convincingly.

I led her around the back of her house, her parents and my dad following. Her dad was explaining what the fire inspectors had told him about the dryer causing the fire. Nolan just surveyed everything, taking it in. She poked her head through the exposed wall and floor, looking at the remains of her room. She reached up to blot her eyes, the scene affecting her more than she thought it would. I was worried about this. I just squeezed her hand tighter and pulled her in for a hug. She snuggled her face into my chest and turned to look up at me.

“I’m fine, I promise. It’s just…a little hard to see, if that makes sense. I know it’s just stuff,” she said, her face a little more dejected now.

“Yeah, it’s just stuff. The important things are all okay,” I said, squeezing her again and kissing the top of her head. She grabbed onto the front of my shirt with her fists, resting her forehead under my chin for a moment while she kicked her feet and stared at the ground.