Page 106 of Cross-Checked

She opens her mouth to respond, but Abby lets out a shriek that has me standing. “Let me just go check on them. I’ll be right back.”

I rush down the hall and find Abby’s door cracked. I’m about to push it open and walk in, when I hear AJ, her voice soft and calming, saying, “Yeah, if I had to burp like that, I’d probably scream about it too.”

In the corner of the room, she’s rocking Abby in the glider, rubbing her back in a circular motion as she hums a song. I’ve never heard her sing. Didn’t even know it was a talent she had. And yet, there’s something so inevitable about this scene... her sitting in my daughter’s room, rocking her and singing to her before putting her to bed. She really was meant to be a mom, and I want this for her more than anything.

I want her here in my house every single day.

I want her to be Abby’s mom.

I want her to be my wife.

“Dude,” Hartmann says as he steps up to me in Walsh’s backyard late the next morning.

All around us, the families of our teammates are talking and laughing while children run wild at this team party, celebrating the Rebels making it to the finals. My eyes don’t leave the other side of the large stone patio, where AJ’s holding Abby’s hands to steady her as she takes tentative steps. Next to her, Sloane chats her up.

“You didn’t tell me your sister was so hot.”

That gets my attention. “Alright, Lover Boy. Don’t even think about going there. Besides, she’s too old for you.”

Granted, she’s maybe four years older than him. But given his reputation, I can’t picture him with someone with kids. He’s not the type to settle down. I also try to ignore the fact that she’s closer to his age than AJ is to mine.

“I don’t know,” he says, his eyes back on AJ and Sloane. “Older women are kind of hot.”

He’s not wrong.

“Do not fuckinglookat my sister,” I threaten. “The last thing in the world she needs is a child like you chasing after her. She’s already raising two kids of her own.”

“She seriously has kids?”

I don’t miss the way his eyes travel up and down her body when he asks this question.

“Yeah, and an asshole of an ex-husband, so just keep your distance. Besides, she lives in Nashville and is flying home tonight. Put her out of your mind.”

“I don’t know, I think she’sburnedin my mind now.” His chuckle has me realizing that he’s just trying to piss me off, so I punch him in the shoulder, muttering something about him being an immature prick. I watch AJ pick Abby up and hand her off to Sloane before she holds her phone up, shielding her eyes from the midday sun.

AJ turns and walks away, to the far side of the lawn, while Sloane walks toward me, carrying Abby. “You going to introduce me?” Hartmann asks.

“Get lost. For real.”

He’s laughing as he turns and walks away, but not before I see him wink at Sloane.

Abby reaches for me as soon as I’m close enough to take her, and then she snuggles her head into the crevice between my neck and shoulder, yawning. “Walking is hard work, huh, baby girl?” I say as I rub her back.

“I can’t believe you were even thinking about leaving,” Sloane says quietly as she stands next to me, her gaze sweeping across this scene. “You have this whole family you’ve created for yourself here.”

“Well, this thing with AJ is still very new, and I was thinking of leavingbeforeit started.”

“I mean, even what you have with your teammates is great. The way you guys are there for each other...the way you give each other shit like actual brothers would. And then just add AJ on top of that, and the way she is with Abby, and how much you two clearly adore each other. Don’t walk away from this,” she insists.

“I’m not planning to,” I tell her. “I’ve been meaning to talk to you about that, actually. I’m really hopeful that my new agent can work out a contract with the Rebels after Trevor almost screwed me over. But if for any reason he can’t, I’m going to retire. There’s just...there’s no way I’d even think about leaving her.”

“Normally, if anyone told me they were ready to give up their career and change their whole life for someone they’d been dating for less than a month, I’d have a lot of questions and probably be pushing back. But somehow, between you guys, I don’t know...it makes sense. It feels like you’re already in along-term, committed relationship. And AJ was clearly born to be a mom. You guys going to have more kids?”

“It’s complicated.” Even though I don’t think AJ would mind Sloane knowing about her hysterectomy, it’s not my story to tell.

“Well, no matter what you guys choose, she’ll still have Abby. That girl adores her.”

Abby lifts her head when she hears her name, but she’s too tired to hold it up and her cheek crashes back down onto my shoulder. It’s definitely getting close to her nap time, and all that walking around with AJ seems to have tired her out.

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