Nico groans. “What the hell are you guys doing here?”
“Did you really think we wouldn’t come up here to meet the woman who brought you to your knees?” Lance asks.
He looks like Captain America on steroids. I didn’t know it was possible for another man to be hotter than Chris Evans.
“Thank you for making him less of a grumpy dick,” Reed teases.
“Fuck off,” Nico grumbles. He points around the group. “Savannah, meet Lance, Reed, Blake, and Heath.” He scowls as he says Heath.
Grace makes eye contact with me and smiles. I bite back a grin. Guess Nico didn’t forget about my comment either.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you guys. I’m a huge fan.”
Blake reaches out a hand for me to shake but presses a kiss to my knuckles instead and winks. “Pleasure to meet you too, Doc.”
“Don’t call her that,” Nico grouses, slapping Blake’s hand away.
The guys roar with laughter.
“Oh, man, I’m going to love this.” Cam chuckles as he kisses Talia’s cheek.
“Me too. Happy looks good on you, big bro.” Talia smiles at Nico, who returns the look.
I can see that their sibling bond is strong. A wave of jealousy washes over me, and the ache in my chest swells. I still haven’t spoken to Charlotte about everything, but she texted to let me know Thomas was fine and that she was still processing. I miss her so damn much.
As if Nico can sense my change in mood, he soothingly rubs his hand up my spine. He kisses my temple and whispers into my ear, “I’ll fix it,gattina. Don’t worry.”
“Alright, enough of this gooey sh— Stuff,” Reed shouts, stopping my mind from wondering how Nico thinks he can help. “Let’s hit up The Clubhouse. Burgers and beers are on me.”
Reed, Lance, and Blake say their goodbyes and exit the family room, which is almost empty now.
“What’s the Clubhouse?” I ask.
“It’s a bar and grill that caters to us players. It’s been open for as long as the Evaders have been here. They kick out the public so we can go there and chill after home games. Want to go?”
“I’m in if you’re in.”
His gray eyes heat as he leans in, presses a kiss to my lips, and says, “Oh. I’m in,gattina. All the fucking way in.”
The words “I love you” dance on the tip of my tongue, but I hold them back.
I’ll save them for when the time’s right. Tonight is about celebrating my man’s homerun and getting to know another piece of the amazing man he is.
forty-one
Nico
Mydriverpullsupto the players’ entrance at Evaders Stadium and climbs out of the SUV. I climb out of the back seat, and my driver hands me my suitcase before I enter the building and head to the conference room. The team is headed out for a week of away games, but not before team business.
Being on the road, away from Savannah, is not something I’m looking forward to. My stubborn woman still hasn’t agreed to move in with me. She thinks I’m joking, but I’m not. I was serious when I asked.
I love falling asleep with her in my arms every night and waking up to her angelic face in the morning. Every moment she’s not at the hospital and I’m not playing ball, we are together. And I wouldn’t want it any other way.
Because when I look at Savannah, I see forever. So, I can be patient. For her.
The old me would have taken her no to moving in as rejection and cut tail, but that guy doesn’t exist anymore. Savannah haschanged my outlook on relationships. I understand her reluctance about moving forward with our relationship, and it has nothing to do with how she feels about me.
It has everything to do with Savannah and her sister. They still haven’t made up, and I know that hurts Savannah. I wish there was something I could do. I hate that this is hurting my girl.
