“You never told me why you came here tonight.” His eyes drift to my body, taking in my baggy tee and leggings. I know I look like a wreck, but he doesn’t seem to mind. “You look like you’re ready for bed.”
My chin dips, and I shrug, feeling self-conscious. “You usually text me after the games and then nothing. I kept waiting… I thought you were mad at me.”
His head drops back again, and he looks out at the city. “No… Not mad.”
The baby girl is completely asleep, and her little fingers tense and relax on his arm. Somewhere a clock ticks. It’s so quiet.
“We never talked about that game. It was very good. Possibly your best.”
“You were on Chet Arnold’s show.” He visibly swallows. “Talent, but no discipline?”
“I could revisit that. It feels like the situation is changing.”
“It feels like a lifetime ago.”
“Yeah.” With all that’s happened, I’ve pretty much completely forgotten how I felt storming over here tonight.
It seems like I was mad about something, but who even cares in view of all this?
“It was the best game of my career.” He looks down at the tiny hand on his arm. “Now I’m freaking out that it could be over. I’m just getting started, and now this. How will I handle this?”
“You will.” My voice is level, confident.
“Maybe.” He shakes his head. “I don’t want to walk away from my career. I want to keep going. I want all the things, the years, but if she’s mine, how can I?”
“You can.” Defensiveness rises in my chest. “You have to. You have too much potential—too much to walk away.”
“I don’t know. I look at what Dad went through, Austin… Family comes first.”
“You’ve got money. Hire the help you need to take care of her, and get back out there. No one benefits from you walking away and then resenting your decision for the rest of your life.”
He’s quiet again, and I know he has to see what I’m saying is right. It is right.
“After my grandparents died, my dad had to take care of his brothers and sister.” He slides his fingers over the baby’s. “He still went to Texas, and they made it work. My aunt Dylan still collects strays, and Mav is just like her. If anyone’s in need, they’re always ready to help.”
“They sound like good people.” I think of my own family.
Mom lost her mother at a young age. I was only three when my grandfather died, and it was hard on her. It wasalso the same year my dad came back, and we got a big, new family, who took us in with open arms.
“What do they say?” I look up at him.
“They’re excited to meet her in a few weeks.” Frustration enters his tone, but I can’t help a laugh puffing through my lips.
“They’re not sending in the cavalry?”
“Everyone has an excuse—work, school, pregnancy, you name it.” He shakes his head. “I know they’re loving this.”
“They believe you can handle it. From what you’ve said, they’re all rooting for you and wishing you well.”
“I don’t know.” He exhales heavily. “I keep waiting for the hidden cameras to jump out and tell me it’s all a big joke, a reality-TV prank or something.”
I look around, thinking he’s not wrong. “It would make a great reality show. It’s definitely going to be the TMI headline tomorrow, if it’s not already.”
His entire mood changes on a dime. Putting a large hand on Cricket’s head, he sits forward, eyes locking on mine.
“That can’t happen. We’ve managed to keep all this off the radar, but if they get a hold of the story, it’ll be a three-ring circus.”
“I completely agree.” I nod. “It’s the last thing you want, but how will you keep it hidden? I’m surprised I wasn’t followed here tonight. Maybe I was?”