“As if I’d say anything against that,” I chuckle. “What my pregnant wife wants, my pregnant wife gets.”
“It’s wise of you to feel that way, QB.” She stops suddenly, looking at me. “I only have a few more months where I get to call you that.”
Standing, I stride to her and pull her into my arms. “You can call me QB anytime you want.”
After winning the Super Bowl, and the MVP, last season, I made the decision to retire at the end of this year. I’m not getting any younger. I love the sport, and I’ll miss it dearly, but it’s time for me to hang up my cleats.
After more than a few run-ins with fans at her clinic, Audrey made the decision to sell it to another veterinarian. She didn’t leave the veterinary world, however. She now does veterinary work for a handful of shelters and rescues around the Denver metropolitan area, and she’s taken on the role of CEO of my foundation. When she was announced as CEO, people finally realized it was my organization. I’d gone well over a decade incognito, and had managed to donate millions to Denver humane societies and shelters during that time.
We managed to pull Chelsea into the foundation as well. She’s still Audrey’s right-hand woman, and also takes on quite a bit of the donation portion of what we do.
I notice Audrey biting her lip, which is always a clue that she has something she’s struggling to say. “What’s on your mind, Doc?”
“It’s just …” she trails off, sighing. “I picked that Mexican restaurant we like for your surprise party. But now I can’t stop thinking about the queso. Oh, and the fajitas. God, those sound so good. And Brooks loves their homemade tortillas.”
I’m already putting on my shoes. “Call it in. I’ll go pick it up.”
Audrey beams at me. “You’re the best baby daddy in the whole world.”
I kiss her softly, rub Brooks’ head, then stride out the door.
Thirty minutes later, I’m surrounded by my teammates. “How the hell did you pull this off?”
Maddox slaps my back. “Aud had her list, and we told her to pick by four o’clock today. So we all just hung out in a Target parking lot until she told us what she wanted to eat.”
“Not where she wanted to go?” I ask, amused.
Maddox shrugs. “I’m not dumb. She’s a billion months pregnant, and the two of you are already pretty particular about food. I knew it would end up where she wanted to eat tonight. Ask her yourself.”
He points behind me, and I find Audrey slowly walking in, with Brooks by her side. “So not a surprise party, but kind of one?”
She smiles sheepishly. “It’s fun to surprise you every now and again. But seriously, I did order food on the way over here. Move, or I’m eating you. And not in a good way, QB.”
Our favorite server waves to my wife, then immediately puts a heaping bowl of queso in front of her. I feel someone slap my back again, and I turn to find Chelsea. “You’re here too?”
“Aud called. Said there was food. I was thinking I’d steal Brooks for the night anyway. He hasn’t had a sleepover at Aunt Chelsea’s in a couple of weeks. We need our bonding time.” Her eyes don’t meet mine, but her gaze is trained on where Audrey sits with Brooks.
“She’s in labor, isn’t she?” I ask, stepping toward her, but Chelsea stops me.
“Listen. She’s timing the contractions, and her water hasn’t broken yet. Her bag is in the car. She knows they won’t let her eat once she gets to the hospital, so please, let her eat. She made mepromise not to tell you, but apparently, you’ve got some kind of mind reading bullshit going on, because I didn’t say a word.”
“You wouldn’t look me in the eye, Chels. That’s how I knew.” I walk nonchalantly toward my wife and son, hoping to hell I can act like I don’t know our lives are about to change.
“You rarely look me in the eye, QB! I guess turnabout is fair play!” Chelsea shouts, making me shake my head in disbelief. They’re as different as night and day, but it makes me so happy to know Audrey has Chelsea in her corner.
Pulling out a chair at the table, Brooks clambers into my lap. Audrey looks at me with an adorable pout. “I tried to fit in a booth. These chairs are uncomfortable. It should be illegal for chairs to have odd wooden rods just haphazardly strewn throughout the back. No one can find this enjoyable.”
“Mmhmm,” I murmur, turning my hat around before scooping a pile of queso into my mouth.
“Jamie,” Audrey snaps.
“What?”
Her eyes are murderous. “You will not force me out of here until I’m done eating. Do you understand me?”
“What are you talking about?” I mumble around a tortilla chip.
“Oh, don’t give me that. I know you know. You are the worst liar. Promise me you’ll let me eat.”
