Page 78 of Worth the Fight

Candi leans over to look at it, and a soft gasp leaves her lips. “That’s incredible.”

“I had been collecting news articles of Lukas’s baseball career when he was with the Blackwater Crows,” I share with the room. “There are some newspaper clippings, photos of him on the mound, stats I found on the website.” I had a custom frame made that commemorates his time with the team. Lukas doesn’t talk about his baseball career anymore. After his injury, he shut out that part of his life. His family knows it upsets him, so they don’t bring it up. He hasn’t so much as tossed around a ball with his brothers, and I worry that if Ivy doesn’t grow up learning about that side of him, she’ll miss out on learning how cool her dad is.

“I want Ivy to know about that part of your life,” I tell Lukas and everyone around. His eyes finally flick up to mine, and I can see the unshed tears fighting for control.

“You did something amazing, Lukas. You got to live out a dream that not many people get to do, even if it wasn’t for as long as you wanted. So, this present is for both her and for you. For both of you to talk about some day. You can tell her about your games, about taking your team to the championship for the first time in years. And maybe you can throw the ball around with her, see if she inherited some of your baseball genes.” The last few words come out shaky, but Lukas smiles with his watery gaze locked on mine.

“Thanks, Mags.”

Candi reaches for the frame, and he hands it over. Rick leans over her shoulder to glance at it just as Lukas pushes himself to stand.

He takes two long strides to reach me, and the expression on his face is nearly unreadable. But when he reaches me, he leans down with a fist pressed to the back of the couch for balance, and he kisses me. Hard.

My hands come up to grip his cheeks—PDA be damned.

I hear a low whistle, and while one would think it’s Theo whistling, the feminine undertone tells me it’s Nana hooting at us.

“Thank you, baby,” he rasps, and he leans his forehead against mine, both to steady himself and to halt the tears threatening to fall. “Thank you.”

CHAPTER 38

Magnolia

“Baby, it’s okay if you go to bed.”

“Hmmm?” I sit up from where I had been resting against Lukas’s shoulder, forcing my eyes wide open. “No, I’m fine. Really.”

He snickers at that, shaking his head.

After Ivy opened her presents, she was presented with a miniature cake, which she proceeded to smash and eat with her fists. It was the funniest, most heart-warming thing I’ve ever seen. She ate about a quarter of it herself before offering her hands to Lukas and Candi, and Harper was able to snap pictures of them helping her with the frosting.

Rick and Candi said their goodbyes, and they’re off for a night away together.

My parents took Nana home for her evening nap. I’ll be spending the day with them tomorrow.

Harper had to bartend tonight, so she disappeared later in the afternoon.

Grayson and Holly stayed to talk about wedding plans with Lukas’s family. Now, we’re all seated in the living room, and I wanted to stay to listen to the plans and hear how they’re going to transform the farm into a space for several hundred guests, but I must have dozed off.

Lukas reaches a hand up to rest on my back. “You said yourself you barely slept on the flight, so you’ve been up for like two days straight. Go upstairs, go to bed.”

I open my mouth to protest, but instead, I yawn. “Fine,” I relent, turning to face him. “Are you coming soon?”

“I’m gonna get Ivy ready for bed, too, it’s getting late for her.”

I look over to the cutie in question, and she’s curled up in Lukas’s mom’s arm, half asleep herself.

“Want me to put her to bed?”

His mouth twists at that. “I think she’d love that.”

He helps me to stand, and then he crosses the living room, making sure that everyone gets a chance to say good night to Ivy before we make our way upstairs.

While I change into my pajamas and brush my teeth, Lukas gets Ivy ready for bed.

I’m half asleep as I shuffle down the hall, and when I turn to enter his childhood bedroom, I pause at the threshold, opting to lean against the frame.

Lukas is rocking Ivy in a rocking chair, his deep voice rumbling over my skin as he reads to her from one of her new birthday books.