I smile despite myself. “I feel… a lot of things.” I gently shift her so I can see her, my eyes tracing the curve of her hip, the faint shadows on her skin. My stomach twists when I spot the bruises.
“I’m sorry,” I murmur. “I don’t know what came over me. I didn’t mean to hurt you.”
She turns toward me, her gaze steady and warm. “It was the perfect kind of hurt,” she says, still sleepy. “The kind that says you need me as much as I need you. We’re going to get through this.”
The certainty in her voice steals my breath. The look in her eyes steals my heart once more. She’s so positive and upbeat even when she shouldn’t be.
“We will,” I say, confirming her hopes. “But there’s something I need to ask you.”
Her eyes flicker with curiosity. “What?”
My hands travel a thousand miles up and down her arm before I ask, “Do you want me to be this baby’s father?”
The room goes so quiet I can hear my own heartbeat, and I don’t know whether she heard me. But then I guess the shock wears off, and Noelle looks at me like I just gave her something precious instead of terrifying.
“Yes. I thought that was understood. You asked me to getBrooks to sign away his rights, and then you asked me to move in.”
My mouth curves into a smile. “I have one piece of advice for you, Butterfly. Dudes need exact information. Don’t ever assume we know what’s in your head… we think with the wrong one all too often.”
She inches closer on the tangled sheets. “I want you to be the baby’s father legally. Is that clear enough? I don’t want you being able to walk out without a second thought. My baby deserves a fa… father,” she chokes, her emotions swelling in her. “You don’t have to marry me, but we have to have paperwork to protectourbaby.”
Something inside me breaks open.
We lie there for a long moment, just looking at each other, the future hovering between us like something fragile, yet bright and loving.
“Our baby. No more saying ‘Noelle’s baby.’ Clear?”
This time it’s me biting back a rush of tears. I never thought I would have a child once diabetes took hold. Over and over, I told myself I was fine being a bachelor until Noelle kissed me. Those little feelings I had for her before were brief since she was totally off-limits.
“I’m out of town the rest of the week,” she says softly. “They’re sending me to Oklahoma City to cover their game.”
“Scout them for us,” I tease. “Let me know all their weaknesses.”
She snorts. “I can’t. That’s against the rules. I’ll report on injuries, expectations… and maybe locker room gossip.”
I grin. “I’m kidding. I’ve already dissected every angle of their game. We play them next Thursday.”
“Of course you have,” she laughs. “You’re basically an O’Ryan.”
“No, you’re basically a Stricker.”
We fall back asleep and end up having to race her to the airport to catch her flight. I kiss her goodbye longer than necessary, memorizing the feel of her in my arms. Then I head to the stadium.
What I think will be a meeting with J.D. turns out to be Sutton, Greyson, and J.D. waiting for me in the conference room.
“We owe you an apology,” Sutton says. “We’re not getting tested. We might need to be here for our kids one day. Or each other. But Dad wants to.”
My chest tightens. “I’m still not taking one of your kidneys.”
Greyson exhales. “We knew you would say that, but?—”
“You all lost your mother in a hospital,” I say quietly. “I won’t let Noelle lose her father the same way. Not when Witt is just starting to come out of his shell. You all need your dad.”
Noelle’s words echo in my head—how Witt is finally peeking back into the world.
J.D. nods slowly. “We’ll talk about it after practice.”
When they leave, I sit alone for a moment, feeling something I haven’t felt in a long time.
