We walk down the sidewalk, and Hayes says nothing about me not conversing with the fan. He knows that’s not me.
“Now that you have a family, is this where you see yourself wanting to stay?” I ask him.
I’m on a two-year contract with Chicago, and if I don’t get my velocity up, I’m going to be traded before the end of that contract. I can’t really talk to Callie about it at this point, but I refuse to live in a separate city from my kid. I know better than anyone the divide it causes. Makes for not knowing them, just like with my mom. Long-distance parenting ends up being a voice on the other end of the phone that eventually you don’t want to hear.
He glances over with an expression as if to say, what’s going on in that head of yours. “It would be hard to relocate the kids. I mean, Lake might murder me in my sleep. Then there’s Leighton’s job. I guess I’d have to talk to Leighton about it, but if it happens, we’ll have to make a tough decision. Maybe it’ll be time for me to hang up my glove.”
I stop on the sidewalk. “You’d just quit baseball? For her?”
He laughs and shakes his head. “Sure, she trumps it all. I’ve had a long career, not always fulfilling, and it would suck retiring never having received a Gold Glove, but that’s not up to me.”
My mind wanders again to wondering what I want my life to look like. Now that Callie is pregnant with my baby, it changes things. I’m sure she feels as though I did a one-eighty when I told her I want to be part of the kid’s life. It doesn’t fit with my reputation, but I always promised myself if I ever had a kid, they would come before me. I guess that’s what happens when you learn at an early age that parents don’t necessarily have to stick around.
“Shit, I had no idea you were that invested,” I say.
His forehead wrinkles. “Reap, I asked her to marry me.”
I nod and walk. “Yeah, I know, but you only have so many years to play, and you fought so hard last year to get back on top.” I shrug, knowing I’m not helping myself in the department of winning him over when he inevitably finds out I knocked up his sister.
“I can’t wait until you’re in my position so I can call you out on all the crazy shit that goes through that head of yours.” He slides around me so he’s close to the brick building. “Here. This is it.”
It’s definitely a bridal store. Mannequins dressed in white gowns are in the display window, and flower petals lay scattered along the bottom.
“I really have to go in?” I sound like a sullen child.
Hayes laughs, holding out his tray of drinks. “Afraid so.”
I take the other tray and sigh, walking through the door that has Bridal by Kyleigh etched on the glass. A bell rings to alert everyone I’ve arrived. Awesome.
The heads of all the women seated on the couches in front of a huge mirror turn in my direction, and that’s when I see Callie standing in the center of them, dressed in a fucking wedding dress. My arms lose strength for a second, and the trays tip out of my grip, but I recover before they fall to the floor.
“Oh jeez, look at him. He’s gonna break out in hives.” A brunette standing off to the side rushes over, laughing.
My eyes are locked on Callie, and hers are on mine through the mirror. Why the hell is she in a wedding dress? I don’t like the image that comes to mind of another man around my kid. Or around her. And that second part is the problem—because a fast, brutal flash of mine to protect sears straight through me.
“We were just trying to convince Leighton how pretty a ball gown style with pockets is,” the brunette I don’t know says.
As if hearing the woman, Callie pulls her hands out of the pockets. She looks like a princess, though I’m definitely not her white knight. Regardless, I want to stomp over there and throw her over my shoulder.
Shit, where did that just come from? I shake my head.
“I’m Kyleigh, by the way. Rowan Landry’s wife.”
I’ve met Rowan and a few of the other guys from the Falcons a few times, but I’ve never met their wives. All I really know is they all have families and live on the same street. That’s some close shit for teammates.
“Foster Davis.”
She laughs and takes one of the trays from me. “I know.”
I follow her to the table at the side of the group. She calls off orders and women raise their hands, all eyes on me.
“This is an absolute no.” Leighton comes out of the hallway in a dress with a huge bow on her right hip. She sees all the women staring at me and ducks around a corner.
“He’s outside,” I tell her.
“Oh good.” She comes back out, walking toward me. “You can come closer. Marriage isn’t contagious.” Kyleigh sets the last drink on the table near Leighton. “Thank you for this. I know Hayes probably sprang it on you.”
I tuck my hands in the pockets of my jeans. “No problem.” My gaze keeps straying to Callie, who is oddly quiet.
