“You’re not scaring me away. You make me feel safe. You make me feel seen. I just want them to like me.”
Resting my forehead against hers, I breathe in this moment with her. We haven’t defined this. We haven’t talked about what’s next. Ivory lives in L.A., and I’m contracted to a team in Tampa for the foreseeable future. The bubble we have been living in is going to burst soon. I don’t want to lose her when it does.
“They are going to love you.”
“Can I ask you why you want me to meet them now?”
“It feels right. Like we’re taking the next step together. Am I the only one that feels that?”
“No, you’re not the only one.” She pecks a kiss to my lips, blushing when she pulls away.
“Is it too soon to want to shout from the rooftops that you’re mine?” A vice grips my heart. Nerves from what her answer will be.
“Only if you’re mine.”
“I’ve been yours, Ivory.” My mouth crashes to hers. Our tongues tangle together. Our lips clash and our teeth bump. This kiss is heady. It’s full of passion, of hope, of promises, of more. Everything feels likemore.
A ringing sound from the laptop breaks our kiss.
“Are you sure you’re okay?” My hands don’t leave her face, waiting to silence the ringer or answer the call until Ivory gives me a nod and a smile. Ivory climbs off my lap adjusting her rumpled shirt and erasing the evidence of our kiss from her face. When she’s settled, I answer the call and squeeze her thigh gently to let her know we are in this together.
“Hey, Ma. Pops!”
“There’s my baby boy.” A wide smile is on Ma’s face at seeing me. I know the moment she sees Ivory because her smile notches up and her eyes dance. “Oh, Ivory. It’s so nice to meet you!” Ivory blushes.
“It’s nice to meet you too, Mrs. Fields.”
“Please, it’s Marsha. This is Tony.” Ma throws in her signature hand motions. The woman cannot talk without her hands.
“Son. Ivory, nice to see you.” Pops is a man of few words but offers a smile.
“I’ve heard so much about you. How are you feeling, Tony? You’re not giving Marsha gray hairs are you?” Ivory jumps right in like she’s known my parents forever.
“My ole ticker is just fine. This woman of mine needs to stop worrying so much and she wouldn’t get her sparkles.” Pops pulls Ma into a hug, kissing her on the head. Her eyes close soaking in the affection. Ivory’s eyes glisten with unshed tears at the sight. I lean into her shoulder so she knows I feel it too, gently stroking my thumb over her thigh outside the view of the camera. My parents have always modeled love and affection. It’s part of why I touch Ivory so much.
“Sparkles?” Ivory questions when it registers what Pops said.
“That’s what he calls my gray hair. He says they’re just little sparkles.”
“Oh my gosh, that’s so cute,” Ivory gushes, and I swear she just fell in love with Pops before she did me.
The feeling is mutual because Ivory captivates them immediately. The conversation swirls around me as my parents and Ivory chat like long lost friends. I can’t help but sit in awe as the woman I’m in love with gets my parents to fall in love with her too.
I can picture our future looking a lot like this. Ivory and I making a life together after this is all over. I can’t say that I’ve ever seriously thought about settling down before this trip. I haven’t considered life after baseball much at all. I just do my best to stay healthy and play as long as I possibly can.
Life has always been baseball to me. And now, there is Ivory.
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
Ivory
May 25
We still haven’t heard when the next available repatriation flight is, so we stick to our plan and drive to San Ignacio. Belize is slowly coming back to life after being shut down for the early days of the pandemic. Everyone is still taking precautions but it’s nice to see the locals reopening as we head to the westernmost part of Belize and into the mountainous jungle.
“All set,” Preston says, pulling back onto the gravel road after checking in at the San Ignacio Resort office.
“If I didn’t know any better, I would say you are taking me somewhere secluded to off me.”
