ME:
OMG stop calling him that. We’re friends.
LIVVY:
Been there. Told that lie.
ME:
It’s not like that. I’m pregnantby another man.
SYDNEY:
Theo is crazy about you and your baby. You may not think it’s like that, but it is.
BAILEY:
I concur.
Anyway, be here at seven. I got a new red light therapy mask, and I’m dying to try it out. I did plenty of research, and it’s completely safe for our mama-to-be, so you’ll all be glowing by the time you leave.
ME:
That sounds heavenly. See you then!
I set the phone back down, with an extra pep in my step while I return to the work I started earlier. Boner eventually joins me, the two of us having our own little dance party as I let him finish off the leftover chicken from the refrigerator.
By the time I’m finished, I’m in dire need of a nap. Even though I slept like a baby after last night’s festivities, I still get fatigued easily, so if I don’t at least lie down, I’ll end up falling asleep on Bailey’s spa table. I’ve been looking forward to my first girls’ night since I was invited, and I don’t want to miss a second of it.
I head up the stairs with my cuddle buddy hot on my heels, turning toward Theo’s room without so much as a second thought. The mattress he got for me is so comfortable, but it doesn’t smell like him, and I know I’ll sleep better wrapped in his soft, clean scent.
Passing through the doorway, I make a beeline for the bed, lying down just as Boner hops up beside me. Igiggle as he spins around several times, nuzzles my belly, then snuggles into it. It’s sort of his thing—always needing to be as close to the baby as possible, like they’re already the best of friends.
I turn my head into the pillow, my entire body relaxing as I begin to drift off. For the first time in my adult life, there isn’t an unshakable weight pressing down on my chest. There’s air in my lungs and a beautiful life growing inside me. I’m cared for, supported, and no longer scared of what tomorrow may bring.
The future may be uncertain, but with my new support system, I finally feel like I belong.
FIFTEEN
THEO
“Let’s turn it up!”I yell to the offense as they take their places at the line of scrimmage. “We’re still in this!”
We’re trailing Dallas by nine points with forty seconds left on the clock. While we’re technically stillin it, we need a really big play right here to even have a chance. We’re starting at our own thirty-eight-yard line, leaving more than half the field between us and the end zone. After we score, we’ll need to recover the onside kick and get back into field goal range. To top it off, we only have one time out left.
Things are looking bleak, even for me. But I refuse to give up on my team.
Maddox scans the defense, pointing out the Mike linebacker so that our running back, Wesley Rhodes, knows who he’ll be responsible for. This drive will consist of all passing plays, so Wes will essentially be an extra blocker, hopefully buying our quarterback enough time to find an open receiver.
“Red, seven! Red, seven! Hut!” Maddox shouts through his mouthguard, and the ball is snapped into his waiting hands. He rolls back, his eyes bouncing back and forth between Emmett and Jett, who are both reliable targets. Em manages to blow past two defenders, slanting toward the sideline just as the ball is fired in his direction. My pulse speeds up, my entire body going still when I see that the pass is a touch high. But Emmett does what he’s known for, jumping up and catching it with ease before hauling ass out of bounds.
The entire stadium erupts, and I release the breath I was holding, cheering loudly as they quickly return to the huddle. The last play ate up about thirty-five yards and gave us a fresh set of downs, but there’s still work to do.
Unfortunately, the next play doesn’t go as planned. The defense blitzes, giving Maddox no choice but to throw the ball away so he doesn’t take the sack. With the clock stopped and thirty seconds to go, the offense regroups, plotting their next move. But it all gets turned upside down the moment the center makes the snap.
As he always does, Maddox drops back several steps, creating enough room to let the play develop. But it’s not enough to escape the Sharpshooters’ star pass rusher, Jeremiah Mooney. He lowers his shoulder, using his massive legs to push our defensive lineman back in a hurry. By the time Maddox realizes what’s going on—that it’s a bull rush—it’s too late. He tucks the ball into his chest, bracing for impact as he’s taken down to the ground, both men piling on top of him.
The next down is an even bigger disaster whenDallas blitzes, two of their biggest linemen planting Maddox on his ass before he can throw the ball away. I can hear his frustrated growl all the way on the sideline, my expression twisting with sympathy as I watch him stand and yank a clump of grass from his facemask.
