Page 119 of Fumble Into the End Zone

I can come by and watch the game with you.

“Nope,” I said, as if he could hear me.

Me

No, Dad. I’m okay.

Daddy

Marcus is worried about you doing too much. And he might be right.

“How?” I screamed into the atmosphere.

Marcus wouldn’t let me leave the bed without him, including to pee. Talking about, “You might fall.” He even refused me sex a few times; I could have folded him into the pillow next to me.

Me

Daddy, Marcus is worried for no reason. Enjoy the time with your granddaughter.

Daddy

Call me if you need me.

I tossed my phone in my purse; with Marcus getting ready to run on the field, he couldn’t track my location. Moving into the living room, Mrs. Eddy and Ms. Renee sat on the couch, both half asleep watching a western. I cleared my throat from the garage doorway.

“Please don’t tell Marcus, but I need air,” I said.

They both cackled at my statement and waved me out the door. Opening the garage door opener, I sighed. Marcus blocked in my SUV with his Bentley. I stepped back inside to the keyring to see the cutlass. Ha, he thinks I wouldn’t drive it, but he had another thing coming. I snatched the keys and cranked her up,tossing my bag in the back. I maneuvered out of the driveway, letting the garage door down, and punched it.

After a stop at Sweet and Spicy bakery, I headed for Kindness’s house. Last week, she offered me the seats in the owner’s suite because she wasn’t going to the game. Marcus was against me stepping inside the stadium while pregnant out of fear. He doesn’t want me anywhere with large amounts of people. Little does he know, I’m going to the damn Elite Bowl. I pulled into the driveway to find no Stacie. I text her about her location.

Me

Your ETA?

The three dots of disappointment appeared and left but reappeared.

Stacie

Reschedule. I’m handling something.

She probably met somebody.Stacie believed healing meant climbing under another man. I’d been checking in with her and she hasn’t taken Rex back. In fact, I’d heard rumors of the team trading him due to a decline in performance. I didn’t have the heart to tell her, but he should have been traded. The Houston Fire Bombers hadn’t been to the World Series since his first year at the mound. It’d been five years.

I removed my ring and placed it back in the box. The purpose of today was to check on Stacie and present them with bridesmaid boxes. It was something I wanted to do with them both. I’d been planning their proposal since my first boyfriend. We’ll have to wait on the proposal boxes. However, I would tell Kindness about the babies, considering this was her fault.

Exiting the car, I passed her flower garden and approached the steps. I hadn’t been to her house since the media training. Kindness traveled with the team more than usual this season. Stacie and I knew why: Bryce Prescott.

“It’s open,” Kindness yelled.

I still rolled my eyes in her camera and chuckled as I turned the knob to enter her house. Kindness always had an eclectic style, but she suppressed it living with her parents. Mr. Jordan wasn’t having it. As an adult, she embraced every color of the rainbow. I lifted a bag from the bakery and took a seat. Kindness’s brows hiked at the sight of the bag. She knew cupcakes meant I had news, rather good or bad.

Grinning, I secured a seat and removed the small sample treats and passed Kindness a napkin. She sucked her teeth, wanting me to spill whatever I was holding to my chest.

“So . . . ” I sang.

We made eye contact, and I stuffed a mini treat inside my mouth, making her furrow her brows.

“What happened?” she asked, and I stuffed another treat inside my mouth.

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