That’s the truth, after all. “Go to the hospital with Emery and don’t worry about me.”
When I hang up, Frankie and I just stare at each other.
“Getting closer to people finding out. How are you doing?”
She makes jazz hands at me. “Hanging in there.”
“That’s my girl.” I kiss her again before I call my agent.
That call is even shorter. I know my rights, I’ll make my absence from the team as short as possible.
And then I take a deep breath. “Tom, what I’m about to tell you is an absolute secret, but I don’t want you to be blindsided. My parents don’t even know yet. Two months ago, I married Frank Wilson’s daughter. They are estranged, and for personal reasons, we would prefer that he not find out until the end of the season.”
There’s a long silence.
Then… “Got it.”
I pause a beat. He doesn’t add anything else, for which I’m grateful. “I expect to return for the game in New Jersey.”
“You let me know if he’s a dick to you.”
“He’s always a dick to me,” I say lightly.
When I hang up, Frankie wraps her arms around my shoulders, pressing her warm body against mine.
“I’m sorry,” she whispers.
“Nothing to do with you,” I promise her. “If and when he makes that an issue, it’ll just be piled on top of the terrible coaching he’s done over the last year. I’m not worried about him at all. In fact…” I take a deep breath and shift her back so she can see my face. “I want to wear my ring. On my hand, where it belongs.”
“Okay.” She nods vigorously, surprising me. “Yes. And I want to wear mine, too.”
My heart might just explode out of my chest. “Yeah?”
I get down on one knee and pull it from my pocket.
She laughs. “No you didn’t have it in your pocket this whole time.”
“I sure did. I’m a patient man, Francesca Wilson.” I take her hand in mine and rest her ring at the tip of her finger. “I love you.”
She presses her hand against mine, holding on as I slide her ring onto her finger. “I love you, too. And I was thinking…” She takes my ring and turns our hands so she can put it on me. “Since I haven’t graduated yet, this might be the time to change my name. How does Francesca Granger sound to you?”
“Like I’m the luckiest man in the world.” I swing her around, then dip her into a searing kiss.
The supposed threat of her father being a jackass to me—or her—doesn’t fucking matter anymore.
There was a time when I thought the shitty coaching we were dealt was part of the curse. A burden I had to deal with. But I’m not cursed anymore. Only blessed. A wife and a baby on the way. A future brighter than I ever could have imagined.
And whatever comes next, I know exactly how to protect my family.
CHAPTER 52
FRANKIE
My dad doesn’t call again. My mom doesn’t respond to my texts. But it doesn’t matter because Logan wraps me in his arms and holds me all day.
We talk about daycares and nannies and the pros and cons of meddling grandparents, then take a long afternoon nap that actually feels restorative.
Taking him to the airport this time feels almost routine.
