“I think I got the better deal,” I whisper.
We grin at each other and sit there, just staring like fools, and damn it, I wish I could crawl through the screen and kiss him.
His gaze dips for a second. “It would be kind of cool one day…” His eyes flick back up to mine. “Not any time soon,” he clarifies with emphasis. “But I grew up in clubhouses. Imagine if we manage to both stay with the Jetties…raising a son here together. I don’t know…”
Well, fuck. My eyes flood, and Jed’s face wavers in and out. A family? My heart constricts. Yes, yes, and more yes. I let out a sniff and stuttered breath. “He would be, like, the most talented baseball player ever with our genes.”
Jed chuckles. “Don’t think science can make that work quite yet, babe.”
I humph.Yet.He underestimates my determination.
A throat clears, and my gaze shoots to the doorway and lands on Mom. “Sorry to interrupt, but I heard you talking and thought you might be hungry. And…I may or may not have overheard something about a son. Just so you know, if that ever happens, I am quitting my job immediately and moving in so I can be a full-time grandparent.”
My attention falls back on the screen, and I raise my eyebrows. “Looks like we’ve already got childcare figured out.”
Jed grins. “Sounds like a damn good plan for our future. All right. Go eat something and hang out with your mom.I’m heading out in a bit to meet Shelby for lunch before I head to the clubhouse.”
“I’ll text you.”
“You better.”
“Video call tonight after our games?”
“It’s a date.”
I like the sound of that. I press a kiss to my fingers and touch my screen. “Love you, JJ.”
He mimics me and presses his kiss to the screen. “Love you too, Shane.”
The distance will be tough, but it means I get this. This man. This man’s love.
I’m the luckiest man in the world.
EPILOGUE: JED
SEPTEMBER
I can’t believe the first day of the playoffs is tomorrow. We made it. Barely, but we squeezed our way in as a wildcard and managed the higher seed spot. I hope that hometown advantage rings true.
You’ll laugh at me, but wanna know what’s even better than making the playoffs? The fact that Shane’s been put on the taxi squad. He’s up here with me for the entire playoffs. The. Entire. Playoffs. Practicing with the team, traveling with us, ready to step in if we have injuries…living with me.
I wish you’d had a chance to meet him. I know I tell you about him all the time, and you’re probably sick of it, but you would have loved him. And I think he could have really used a father-figure like you. His father is such a fucking piece of shit, Dad. I have never loathed someone more. I would have loved for you to step into that spot for Shane, give him what I was so blessed to have for the short time lifeallowed. I know you would have too. I can picture it: you two joking around, pretending like Shane was your favorite son. And I’d pretend to be offended, but really, it’d light me up inside.
He reminds me of you sometimes. The way there’s not an ounce of artifice in him, how he’s just genuinelygood. Kind, caring, always knows what to say to make me smile. It’d been a really long time since I’d smiled after the world took you from me.
But I am now. Smiling. Laughing. Happy.
I’m really fucking happy now, Dad. He gave that back to me.
It was pretty scary for us for a while. Shane hit Rule 5 eligibility this year. I didn’t think there was any way the Jetties were letting him enter the draft. Not with his talent. The Jetties were either going to add him to the 40-man, or they were going to shop him as trade bait before the deadline to protect the roster spot. And a top prospect like my man? You know how it is; they’d be able to make a serious return off him. But they fucking added him to the 40-man, Dad. And they did it before the postseason eligibility deadline.
I know you’re thinking it too. That’s gotta be a good sign. They see him as part of the organization’s future. I’m not sure where they’re thinking with me locking up short, but adding him to the taxi squad only solidifies it. I might not have gotten the dream of playing with you in The Show, but it looks like I might still get something amazing—a dream I never even thought to have: Playing in the major leagues…with my partner. With my husband.
Yeah. You heard that right, Dad. I’m going to ask him to marry me.
Soon.
I know how precious life is. My heart’s found a reason to beat again for the first time in seven years. I’m not taking any chances.
