She gives me an affectionate look. “You know what I think?” she laments.
“That my dick should wake you up every day like this?” I attempt to divert us.
She playfully spanks my ass, with her foot wrapped around my middle. “No. Although, I feel like we will be going through a lot of sheets. But really…” Her tone centers us again into normal conversation. “I woke in the middle of the night, and I couldn’t stop thinking about the fact that some parents give a gift to someone else. You and I are connected in that way. We both got a gift in the end. I was a gift too, as I was born because someone helped my mom out, which means I got to experience this life, and you got a gift because your brother gave you Hadley and you’re able to be the great dad that you are.”
I tilt my head resting against her breast to peer up to see her beautiful face. “Who knew we would have so much in common then.”
“We didn’t. We definitely didn’t know until now, but here we are. We can guide each other, you as the gift receiver and me with the experience of being a gift. You’re not alone.” April’s lips quirk into a fixed permanent angelic smile.
“You’re ready to keep going, you and me?”
“Absolutely.” She captures my mouth for a soft quick kiss. “The tattoo is the date you got her, not her birthday. I’ve figured it out.”
“It is. Day and month.”
She traces my anchor with her fingers. “It means it’s also the day you lost a brother.”
“But I became a father.” She plants a kiss against the numbers. “Destiny,” I whisper.
A silence hangs in the air. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to get dressed and get pancakes on the griddle. Protein version for you, secret-hidden-vegetable pancakes for Hadley, and the Pickles-friendly version.”
Reluctantly, I peel myself off her and slip out of her heat, feeling a loss. “I still remember you standing in the middle of the kitchen with pancake mix and confusion when Hadley ran in.”
April flashes me a fond look. “It was crepe mix and apparently one of the luckiest days of my life, but I had no idea.” She quickly kisses me once more. “I'll be down in five minutes, just need a quick shower.”
“Like fuck you are. No shower. Two minutes.”
“What?” She takes the sheet with her.
“I said no shower.” I roll onto my back.
Her eyes grow piqued. “Are you already telling me what to do, and I want to argue?”
“Sounds like us.”
She giggles and walks in the direction of the bathroom. “Maybe I’ll listen. Maybe.” She slants a shoulder up toward her ears. “But since I love you, I may be inclined to follow instructions,” she calls out.
And I’m not ever going to get tired of hearing that I’m leading the way or that she loves me.
EPILOGUE
APRIL: NEXT BASEBALL SEASON
Tugging Hadley along by the hand, I spot our two reserved seats in a prime location for Spencer’s baseball game. I’ve been a few times now, as a player's girlfriend, but this is a first—bringing Hadley. She’s never been to Spencer’s games because he thought she was too young and didn’t want people outside of Lake Spark to know about Hadley. But when she took interest in tee-ball for exactly eleven minutes a few weeks ago, he decided that she can come to his game and see him in action.
Sitting down, I hand Hadley her hot dog, but she seems too interested in the big screen.
“Do you see your dad?” I point to Spencer warming up with throws to a teammate. He takes no notice of us, as he is deep into focus mode.
Dating an athlete is no joke. He was legit serious about the sex schedule. He can’t be too relaxed for a game. And his schedule is at times a challenge, especially when he travels, but I moved into his house a few months after he laid everything out.
Since it’s baseball season, Hadley spends most of it with her grandparents, but I’m putting in the effort to see her a few times a week since I got a job as a nutritionist for the school district one county over. Spencer knows his end days of baseball are fast approaching due to his age, which means Hadley can stay with him for every season soon.
“How long is this?” Hadley asks before taking a bite of her hot dog.
“Hmm. Well, it can be kind of… long.” Not going to lie, football and hockey have bonus points for shorter games. “But I know where we can sneak into the fancy boxes and get cake.”
“I want caramel corn.”
