Page 94 of Cocky Player

“Thank you,” he told the waiter and once he left us to peruse the menu, I turned to Connor.

“Are we celebrating something?”

He dipped his chin, urging me to take my glass.“I hope so.”He clinked our glasses together and took a sip.

“You do?”Curiosity quickened my heart rate.“What is it?”

Connor was quiet for a moment, but as he opened his mouth to speak, my phone went off.

“I’m sorry,” I said, digging into my purse.His phone rang then too and both of us looked at each other.

It was instinct and I didn’t have to look at my phone to know.“Shannon,” I said.

He had already pulled his phone out of his suit coat pocket.“Yup.She’s in labor.”

I checked my cell phone and saw the same message.A massive group text to the team wives I was now included on.Other ones from Paige.

The baby’s coming!The baby’s coming!Holy crap I’m going to be an aunt!

I laughed at her text.“We should be there.”

“We should.”He made no effort to stand and his hesitancy gave me pause.

“What is it?”

“Nothing.”He tossed his napkin onto the table and then took a quick sip of his champagne.“Nothing at all.”

We left, him explaining what happened to the hostess on our way out and he paid for the champagne.

We were at the hospital,surrounded by Gage and Elizabeth, Paige and Beaux, Kolby and his daughter and various other players with their wives.The men were large enough they took up almost the entire room and I felt horrible for the other people who were waiting.There was barely any room left once all of Oliver and Shannon’s friends showed up.

My own parents beat us to the hospital.

We’d been there for hours.Connor had long since removed his suit and tie, untucked his shirt and a nurse had told us that Shannon was progressing quickly and we should have news soon.

It wasn’t until relief rushed through the room with that declaration that I remembered the dinner we didn’t have.

The champagne Connor bought.

“Hey,” I said, walking up to him.He was talking with Gage but as I walked up to him, he turned his full attention to me.

“Hey angel,” he muttered and kissed my temple.“You okay?”

“Yeah, but I just remembered dinner earlier.You said we hoped to celebrate something.”

He’d already signed another contract with the Rough Riders.That was a no-brainer when he ended the season as the second best running back in the league, the most touchdowns made on the team.I was damn proud of my man.

He glanced around the room.“You know…I think this might be better anyway.”

He grabbed my hand and dragged me into the middle of the waiting room and pointed to the floor.“Stay here.”

“What are you—” Before I finished, he moved to his suit coat, dug something out of it and walked back to me.His hand was curled around something.

“Hey!”he shouted and everyone in the room quieted.“I got something to say.”

“Whoop!”Beaux cheered.“Speech!Speech!”

“Shut up.”I laughed at Connor and Beaux and then that laugh disappeared when Connor turned his attention to me.He didn’t wear a single hint of humor.

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