The waiting made him anxious. Uncertainty often burned more than bad news. At least once you knew what you faced, you could deal with it.
“Kennedy said you’ll be working out with some of the Wolves this summer,” Gemma continued. “I hope you know what you’re in for. Volkov isseriouslyunhinged when it comes to training.”
Nathan had asked Deandra to connect him with anyone from the Wolves who’d be training in the summer—their offseason—when he’d rehab his shoulder. She knew, like I did, that Nathan would work relentlessly after shoulder surgery, singularly focused on building strength. He’d do whatever was necessary to return to baseball. Apparently, Alexei was the Wolf who put in the most time at the gym, and he would push Nathan the hardest.
“Unhinged is his speed,” I said at the same time Nathan told her, “I’m not worried.”
Gemma shrugged. “You should meet him before you decide. How about dinner at my place next Friday? The guys are in town and don’t have a game. Con, can y’all make it?”
Connie slipped her phone from her pocket, jabbed a few keys, and stared intently at the screen. “After six, we can.”
Gemma clapped her hands. “Great, it’s a date.” She bumped my shoulder. “Have I told you recently how happy I am y’all stayed?”
I smiled at her. “Not today.”
“Well, I am.”
“Me too, Gem.”
Nathan’s left hand reached for mine, squeezing once. “I’ve never been happier.”
“Surgery and all?”
“I’ve had you waiting on me night and day.” The love simmering in those turquoise eyes still made my chest tight. It always would. “Being with you and Molly is everything I never thought I’d have. Our family, our life, they’re perfect. Even if I never get to throw another pitch professionally, I’ve got my favorite catcher right here. Nothing else can live up to that.”
I took a deep, steadying breath before I made a spectacle of myself at the hockey rink, and Molly would never let me come to another practice.
I met Nathan’s gaze as I answered. “I wouldn’t change anything—not one damn thing—because it got us here. Teammates for life.”
Nathan kissed my cheek. “Teammates for life, Bren.”
NATHAN
Four months later
My mom carried the birthday cake with eight burning candles to the porch from the kitchen while singing the happy birthday song.
Brenna wrapped a towel around Molly’s shoulders as she made her way from the pool to the porch, her eyes wide as saucers. Brenna planned this months in advance to ensure everyone could be here. My mom took two weeks off work to fly here from England to visit us for the first time since we’d moved back to Middlebury.
Leo was able to be here because we chose all-star weekend. He made the major league team, the Nashville Blitz, this season and moved out of Houston, vacating the apartment we’d lived in for years. I couldn’t have been happier for him. Playing on the Blitz meant his dream had come true, and it brought him closer to North Carolina.
“Nathan,” Gemma called, waving me over. “Picture time!”
Molly sat in front of the cake, barely holding herself back from blowing out the candles. I threw an arm around Brenna’s shoulders, a smile stretching across my face that had nothing to do with the picture. Gemma took a few regular photos before ordering us to be silly, which had everyone except my mom sticking tongues out at each other.
Brenna took the lead on cutting the cake and handing plates to Gemma to deliver to Molly’s friends from school, hockey, and the neighborhood.
“I’m so proud of you, Nathan.” My mom joined me a few steps away from the chaos. She’d been wary about returning to Middlebury, had talked with me about making the trip here for weeks before agreeing to it. Her hesitation primarily came from the prospect of seeing Kathy Quinn again. Even though Kathy had been invited, she was still sailing the world with her boyfriend. She regularly checked in with Molly, though it was far less often than she’d agreed to.
I scanned the party proudly. “This party was all Brenna.”
Well, Brenna and her new group of friends—Gemma, Kennedy, and, to my absolute shock, Deandra.
Brenna used to tense up or bolt anytime Deandra came around, but they were forced into proximity by Gemma. Bren slowly started to warm to her, making little mentions of things she’d said. It was even her idea to invite Deandra to this party. And now that Brenna would be working with the Palmer City Wolves’ athletic trainers for an internship this fall, I only expected them to grow closer.
My mom smiled, revealing laugh lines. It was a relief to see them on her face, to see she wasn’t uncomfortable being here. “I always loved Brenna, you know that.”
“It means a lot to me that you accept us, that you came. Especially for Molly’s birthday. I know it wasn’t easy.”
