Page 27 of Walkoff Wedding

“Yeah, about us getting married. I meant what I said, and I know it probably seems rash. Which is why I think we should both sleep on it. Talk about it more tomorrow when we’ve had a chance to think about things with a clear head?”

“Yeah, it was just a lot at once. I should probably go.” Pushing off the cushions, she stands like she’s going to leave, and before I can stop myself, I reach out and gently grasp her hand.

“Wait. Addie, I didn’t mean you had to leave. Will you stay for a bit? So we can just… talk? Not about anything that happened tonight but just like we used to? It’ll give you a chance to warm up.”

I’m hoping like hell she says yes because I’m selfish, and I want just a little longer with her. As long as she’ll give me. But I also understand that tonight had to have been hard on her.

A beat passes, and she finally nods, sinking down onto the couch and leaning back against the arm before pulling her knees up to her chest. The black hoodie she’s wearing is so big that it covers her entire body, and I can’t help but grin.

“What’s funny?” she asks.

My shoulder dips slightly. “Just never thought I’d see you in a baseball hoodie. You know, since you’re so anti-sports.”

“That is not true.” She blanches. “At all.”

“Bullshit.”

When her jaw falls open, I smirk. “I distinctly remember your hatred for all things sports related. Don’t you remember how we met?”

“Of course I do, but that was simply because I felt passionately that the athletic department gets favoritism over the arts, and I was just saying that we should all be equals. That’s all.” The determined expression on her face is fucking adorable.

“Mhmm,” I hum cheekily. “Always the activist. I see some things never change.”

Like me teasing her every chance I get. Except now… it’s face-to-face, and I can enjoy the adorable flush of her cheeks that she’s trying to hide. The tilt of her lips as she tries to restrain her smile, but the twinkle of her eyes gives her away.

I could never see that through a screen. And fuck, I love it.

Those pale blue eyes roll as she pulls her bottom lip between her teeth before releasing it. “Does that mean you’re still delusional?”

My head drops back as the laugh bubbles from my throat. “Yeah, ArtGirl. I guess so. Tell me what I’ve been missing for the last nine months.”

And just like that… we fall right back into the way things used to be, as if we never missed a beat. We both realized that the whole point of us meeting up was to return her sketchbook, yet I left the damn thing in the truck because I was so nervous to see her for the first time. She tells me about the bakery, about her art classes, and how her corgi, who is currently staying with a friend, is still as chubby and grumbly as ever. About how she’s working on her art thesis portfolio so she can graduate come May. I tell her about my last baseball season and my current training. About how Reese and Lane have graduated and moved away and how they both are basically married at this point. And of course, I tell her how Davis is a literal pain in my ass.

She’s shy at first, and I can tell that I make her nervous, but the conversation continues to flow for so long that I lose track of time.

“Yeah, so basically, I’ve become the team’s fucking dad. I feel like I have a bunch of toddlers running around, even though they’re grown-ass men. Especially Davis. He’s the ringleader, and I swear the universe sent him to destroy me because I finally got a reprieve from Reese. I love them—they’re my teammates, and we’re family—but I also need them to stop getting me into shit that jeopardizes my future. That’s why I’m keeping us on the straight and narrow, whatever it takes,” I mutter after giving her the rundown of how things have been on the team.

Addie laughs quietly, then reaches up and covers her mouth as she yawns.

Shit, it’s got to be after midnight at this point. I reach for my phone and check the time, seeing that it’s actually almost 1:00 a.m.

“Shit, I didn’t realize how late it had gotten. Do you want me to take you home?” I ask, turning my phone to show her the screen.

Pulling her bottom lip between her teeth, she hesitates. “Oh. Um… yeah, sure.” She wraps her arms around herself protectively, suddenly seeming uneasy at the thought of going home.

“Or… you can also stay here instead,” I say lightly, “If you wanted? And tomorrow… we can talk more about things?”

An instant look of relief flickers in her eyes. “Honestly? I really don’t want to go home tonight. I don’t want to chance facing my stepdad.”

“Stay here. You can have my bed, and I’ll take the couch.”

“Really?” she says quietly, tucking her damp hair behind her ear.

I nod. “Yeah, of course. I’d honestly feel better about you being here instead of there anyway after everything that’s happened.”

“Okay. Yeah, I’ll stay… if you’re sure.”

There are a lot of things I’m not sure of right now, but the one thing I am sure of?

---