Page 98 of The Golden Goalie

“Yeah?” His voice is hopeful.

My heart tugs. “Rico.” I put my hand over his. “I wanted to be with you. You know that, right?”

He turns his hand over and squeezes mine. “Yeah, Baby. It just is taking some getting used to.”

“What is?”

“Knowing that you’re mine finally.”

I return his hand squeeze. “Well, get used to it because I’m not going anywhere.” I look away for a minute.

“Hey, where’d you go?”

I shake my head, trying to clear it. “Just thinking.”

“About?” he pushes.

“Just everything going forward. Christmas, New Year’s.” I hesitate. “The baby coming.”

“I’m going to be with you for all of those, Love. You’re not on your own anymore. You want to do Christmas at your house? I’ll be there. New Year’s? Wherever you want. Whatever you want to do. I just want to be with you, Amber. And when the baby comes, I’ll be there.”

“Wait? Like in the delivery room?”

He gives me a weird look. “Yeah.”

“Rico, you can’t come in the delivery room with me.”

“Why not?”

“Because we’re not married.”

He shrugs. “I’m sure we’re not the first couple who’s been in the delivery room together who’s not married.”

I laugh. “Well, yeah, but we’re not...”

“We’re not what, Amber?” he asks, his eyes twinkling.

“You haven’t seen all this,” I motion to my lower half. “And the first time you see all this is not going to be when a baby is slitting me wide open.”

He throws his head back and laughs, and I can’t help but join in. When he finally stops, his eyes are twinkling. “We’ll figure it out, but I’m not sending my girl in for labor by herself,” he says softly.

I take in his words but don’t say anything. We have some time to figure that all out. His phone buzzes, and he picks it up. “My sister’s here.” A smile lights his face. “Do you mind if I let her in?”

“Of course,” I wave him on. “It’s your house.”

“I’m so glad you get to meet her,” he calls out over his shoulder.

“Uh...yeah,” I respond.

Rico comes back a few minutes later with his sister trailing him. She cocks her head. “You’re here.”

“I am,” I respond. “Hi, Peyton.”

She sighs. “Hi, Heartbreaker.”

Rico looks between the two of us, obviously confused. “You two know each other?”

“Oh yes. Peyton and I met when she came to the library to introduce herself. We were besties at first glance,” I say sugary sweet.

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