The late afternoon sun hung over Hayes University’s football field, turning the turf a deep gold under the stadium lights that had just started flickering on.

Practice had technically ended.

But Hudson Carter didn’t leave.

He was still on the field, ball tucked under one arm, laughing at something Jace Donovan had shouted from the sideline while Liam Parker gathered cones and Ethan Cole argued with the equipment manager about something pointless.

Noah Brooks was already halfway to the locker room, calling out last reminders like he was the only one still thinking about discipline.

“Carter!” Jace called, tossing a towel over his shoulder. “You coming or are you planning to sleep on the fifty-yard line again?”

Hudson smirked without looking at him. “Tempting.”

That was when the gates by the track creaked open.

A different kind of silence followed.

Not loud. Not dramatic.

Just… noticeable.

Florence Hayes stepped through.

Ballet bag over her shoulder. Hair pulled back. Soft presence that somehow stood out more than anything else on the field. Like she didn’t belong here—but also like she’d always been part of it.

Hudson slowed.

Not fully. Not obviously.

Just enough.

Jace noticed first. Of course he did.

“Oh—” Jace grinned, nudging Ethan. “That’s Coach Hayes’ daughter, right?”

Ethan glanced over, unimpressed. “Yeah.”

Liam stopped walking too, like even he wasn’t sure if they were supposed to look or not.

Hudson’s grip on the football tightened slightly.

He’d seen her around before. Of course he had.

But not like this.

Not walking across his field in that quiet way like she wasn’t affected by any of it.

Noah’s voice cut in from a few yards away, low and warning. “Don’t start anything.”

Hudson scoffed under his breath.

Start something?

He didn’t move at first—just watched her like she was a problem he hadn’t been assigned yet.

Then, finally, he jogged a few steps closer, stopping just off the track, tossing the football once in his hand.

His voice carried easily, calm and a little too confident.

“Hayes.”

A pause.

His eyes flicked over her briefly—then back to her face.

“You lost?”