Being in Portland was more than a surprise visit. I’d spent the early afternoon doing something that felt terrifying and right all at once. It was a step toward a future rather than just continuing to live in the moment. Hearing Dylan say that and seeing the way they both looked at me, as if I truly belonged here, made me feel more confident in the choices I was starting to make.
I wasn’t ready to spill everything just yet. Not here. Not before the game.
But soon.
For now, I moved closer to the netting and found a gap between the sections.
Without overthinking it, I reached through the small space and pulled Jase closer. He moved willingly, and I kissed him with as much passion as public decency allowed. In the distance,I heard a couple of catcalls, but nothing could distract me at that moment.
We pulled apart, and Dylan had taken a step closer, a hopeful yet hesitant look on his face. I didn’t give him a chance to question anything. I reached up, cupped the side of his face, and pressed my lips to his. His fingers slid into my hair as he deepened the kiss.
This time, there were audible gasps from those nearby, but I refused to think about their reactions. All that mattered was this moment between my boyfriends and me.
“For luck,” I told them, stepping back.
“Damn,” Dylan breathed. “That was one way to go public.”
Jase nodded. “Yep. I don’t think there’s any question anymore about whether we’re together or not.”
“Nope,” I agreed. “And I don’t regret a single second of it.”
They glanced at each other and smiled before a voice barked from the field, reminding them they had a game to play.
Jase reached through the net for my hand. “We’ll meet up after the game.”
“I’ll be waiting,” I promised.
“Then you’re all ours.” Dylan winked, and they hurried onto the field.
It wasn’t until they were standing with their teammates again that I noticed the cameras pointed in my direction. Someone nearby whispered my name. Another voice mentioned my father. I ignored it all and found my seat, flanked by Agents Pederson and Nguyen.
After batting practice and the National Anthem, the stadium announcer called out the starting lineup. Jase and Dylan each received huge ovations from the crowd.
Watching them there—together on the same team, with their dad on the coaching staff—felt like proof that everything was finally lining up the way it should.
The game got underway, and the Pirates’ leadoff batter didn’t hesitate. He launched the first pitch straight toward center field. Dylan tracked the ball the instant it left the bat. I followed his movement, and my breath caught as he ran it down and made the catch on the warning track.
I jumped up and cheered with everyone else.
The next two batters struck out, and the top of the first was over without anyone scoring.
When it was the Seawolves’ turn to bat, I glanced at the scoreboard to double-check the batting order. Jase was hitting second, and Dylan was batting sixth.
Knox Singleton was up first, but I barely watched his at-bat, my gaze locked on Jase in the on-deck circle.
It wasn’t until I heard the crowd cheer that I realized Singleton had reached base.
When the pitcher had the ball again, Jase stepped up to the plate and settled into the batter’s box. The first two pitches were balls, but the third came in fast, and he swung at it.
The ball sailed over the second baseman’s head, and Jase sprinted to first while Singleton came home, putting the first run on the board. By the end of the inning, Jase had scored on a double by Crew Stratton, and the Seawolves led 2-0.
I leaned back in my seat. I’d never been into sports before meeting my guys, but now I couldn’t get enough of the game.
The Pirates pulled it together over the next couple of innings, scoring two runs of their own. After that, it became a back-and-forth battle that had the whole stadium on the edge of their seats.
In the top of the fourth, a ground ball was hit toward Jase at shortstop. He moved quickly, and I barely had time to register what was happening before he dove to his left, snagged the ball, and popped back to his feet in one smooth motion. He threw to first, beating the runner by a step.
“That was hot,” I muttered under my breath, which made Agent Pederson chuckle.
