Chapter 74: Superbowl III
Chapter 72
By 5:30 PM, everyone had gathered back at the hotel. The lobby buzzed with energy, our group slowly reuniting after their own afternoon adventures. People were dressed in jerseys, team scarves, or whatever merch they had picked up since arriving in Tampa.
I looked around and started the roll call. Terrance and Parker wore matching Ravens gear and were still talking about the pre-game breakdown they had watched. Grandpa and Dad were already arguing over who had the better quarterback. Regina and Cher were hyped up—probably more for the attention than the game—but even they seemed genuinely excited. Pepper stood nearby, checking her watch like the executive she was, but I caught her smiling.
Charlie was the only one missing.
Just as I was about to call him, he walked through the hotel entrance—sunglasses on, shirt half-buttoned, and a beautiful blonde clinging to his arm.
"You're late," I said, raising an eyebrow.
"Fashionably late," he replied with a grin.
The blonde gave a polite smile and waved to everyone. No one questioned it. It was Charlie, after all.
"Everyone ready?" I asked, looking around the circle. They answered with cheers, fist pumps, and one very enthusiastic nacho-themed foam finger from Spencer.
Pepper had rented a private shuttle for the ride to the stadium. As we piled in, the mood was full-on celebration. Sam and Spencer kept trying to out-chant each other with team slogans. Carly and Freddie sat close, sharing laughs.
Thirty minutes before kickoff, we arrived at Raymond James Stadium. The energy outside was electric—waves of fans in team colors, music blasting, the smell of food and fireworks already in the air. Security moved us through quickly thanks to our VIP credentials.
Once inside, we followed a private corridor that led us straight to our suite. The moment we stepped in, jaws dropped. Floor-to-ceiling windows gave us a perfect view of the field. Plush seating and a table filled with food—sliders, wings, sushi, nachos, desserts—it had everything.