Page 99 of Walkoff Wedding

My chair scrapes against the floor as I stand and walk over to the counter and grab the box full of the leftover cupcakes.

I still can’t believe she spent all day on these or that she planned dinner and made that incredible painting for my birthday. No one has ever done anything like that for me before. God, I love her.

I walk back to my chair and sink into it. Fuck the pancakes—my wife made me cupcakes, so I’m going to have them for breakfast instead.

Her giggle floats through the air as I shove pretty much the entire cupcake into my mouth and chew it.

“Did you have a good birthday?” she finally asks, peering over at me with a curious expression.

I nod. “The best birthday I’ve ever had. It’s going to be pretty impossible to top it. Thank you for everything you did yesterday.”

Her icy-blue eyes sparkle. “I just… I really wanted you to have the best day, a day for just you. You do so much for me, Grant. You’ve been so selfless and generous with me. And I know that you always say it’s nothing and that you want to do it, but I also want to do things for you too. I want to make you as happy as you make me.”

Unable to stop myself, I reach for her, taking her hand in mine and lacing my fingers through hers. “You do, Addie. You have no fucking idea how happy you make me.”

“Things have just been so much lately… with the marriage and the bakery and with all of this with Brent and Dixon. I hate that you have to deal with any of this,” she continues, chewing the corner of her lip nervously. “And I don’t know what will happen next… Does last night make us a real couple now? We’re already married, and I just… I’ve never done this before, and I keep thinking that I’m going to mess everything up.”

Fuck, I can’t wait to get rid of those assholes once and for all. I don’t care if I have to spend every goddamn cent of my brand money to hire the best attorney in the country. I’ll do it.

Or I’ll handle them myself if that’s what it takes.

“I haven’t done this either, Addie. You’re the only person I have ever told ‘I love you.’ They aren’t just words to me. They’re a promise. A promise that I will never let you face anything alone again. That I will always take care of you and put you first. Protect you. Cherish you,” I say with fierce sincerity. I need her to know that I’m not just saying this shit; I want to prove it to her with my actions. I’m going to prove it to her with every day that passes. “We started our marriage as an arrangement, but we’ve both said that it’s no longer fake for us. I don’t know what the future holds, but what I do know is that you’re mine. No matter what happens, you’re the one I want. I know that I don’t want this marriage to be over, regardless of what it was in the beginning, because that’s not the way I feel now. I want to be with you. I want this to be our life. I’d marry you again tomorrow if I could. Is that what you want?”

Her face crumples slightly, a look of worry flickering in her eyes as her fingers squeeze mine. “Yes. I-I don’t want to be without you. I want you to be my future too, Grant. I’m just worried that… you’re going to the MLB, and I’ll be here an?—”

“Baby,” I stop her. “Nothing is going to change, even if I get drafted. Even if I have to go on the road for a bit, I’ll fly you to wherever I am, or I’ll come home every single weekend if that’s what it takes. We’ll make it work, no matter what life throws at us. We can figure it out as we go. As long as we’re together, then that’s all that matters. I just want to be with you, Addie. You.”

I lift my thumb to her cheek and brush away the stray tear that’s fallen. I fucking hate her tears.

I hate seeing her cry, regardless of the reason. It makes my chest feel tight.

“I want this life with you more than anything. You’re the only place I feel safe anymore. Especially now… after the bakery,” she whispers.

“Then, baby, that’s all that matters. Me and you. And tomorrow, we’re going to check in with the detective and see if they’ve made any progress on the break-in. I promise you that we’re going to figure it out. All of it. So, you don’t have to be worried or feel unsafe. I hate that these assholes make you feel that way,” I tell her.

“Okay,” she whispers. “I’ve just been thinking… Don’t you think it’s weird that we haven’t heard anything else from Brent or Dixon lately? There’s been nothing since the break-in, and I feel like I’m waiting on bated breath for the other shoe to drop. It feels entirely too quiet. It scares me.”

Yeah, tell me about it, I think to myself but don’t voice out loud. I don’t want to make her feel any more anxious about the situation than she already is.

Either way, they’re not coming near Addie ever again because I’ll follow her around like a fucking shadow if that’s what it takes to protect her.

That’s my job as her husband.

“The police being involved probably scared them, as it fucking should. They fucked up, and now they’ll pay for it.” Reaching up, I slide my hands along her jaw, cradling her face as my eyes rove over the delicate slope of her nose and the constellation of freckles along her pale skin. I sweep my thumb along her jaw steadily.

“I promise you that I will never let anyone hurt you, Addie,” I murmur.

And there’s nothing in the world I wouldn’t do to keep that promise.

chapter twenty-eight

Grant

I’m sitting on the couch after a grueling session at the batting cages with Davis and an exhausting call with my agent about scheduling engagements for the brand deal when my phone vibrates for the fifth time in the last five minutes.

I swipe across the screen and bring up the group chat with Reese and Lane.

Swifties4Life

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