Page 46 of Home Run

“No, it looks like we’ve started a new book club.” Lux nodded to the one Ace had put back on the table. “And they’re way bigger than an issue ofCosmo. If you’re not telling people until after the ultrasound, maybe we should read them in private.”

“That’s a good idea,” I agreed, reaching for the book Parker had opened only for him to snatch it out of my reach.

“No wait, here’s something.” His finger moved across the page. “Have Millie’s nipples changed color?”

“What the fuck?”

“Says here nipples change color.” He tapped the space he’d been holding his finger over.

“It fucking doesn’t.”

“Itdoes.Actually, it doesn’t specify Millie. It could mean you, too, seeing as you’re the dad. Have your nipples changed color? I don’t think they have, I haven’t noticed in the locker room, anyway.”

“What color do they change to?”

“Theydon’tchange.” My glare moved from Parker to Ace. “Stop talking about Millie’s nipples. In fact, don’t ever talk about her nipples again. I don’t ever want to hear Millie’s name uttered in the same sentence as a nipple.”

“Hmm.” Ace opened his book back to the page he’d been reading. “It also says right here men can experience pregnancy symptoms with their partners.”

Lux put his fork down, a smirk curving his mouth. “That’s why Tan’s such a moody fucker this week.”

My head snapped around to Lux, ready to go off on him about beingwrong.Iwasn’ta moody fucker. But that would be a lie, even if they weren’t talking about Millie’s nipples, I’d still be in a bad mood. I’d been in a bad mood since we’d left New York a week ago. Since I’d left Millie lying in the bath.

This wasn’t the first away series we’d been on since Millie had told me she was pregnant, but after laying my hand against her warm belly, I realized how quickly everything would change and how much I was going to miss. The last time I’d touched her was the day we’d had sex, when she’d been very muchnotpregnant, yet a week ago I’d pressed my palm to the beginnings of a bump.

A bumpI’dput there.

Parker snaked an arm around my shoulder, pulling me in for a side hug. “Leave him alone, he’s mad because he’s not convinced Millie to fall in love with him yet, and he hasn’tseenher nipples.”

I shoved him away so hard his chair toppled. I was tempted to tip it farther, but he was already laughing loud enough to draw attention to us, I wasn’t going to make it worse.

“I didn’t give you this much crap when you broke your balls,” I grumbled, pulling him upright. “And I was super supportive when you went off to the Jungle Kings for yourfirst games back,andI bought you some ‘Welcome Back to the Big Leagues’ Twizzlers.”

I didn’t even care that Parker was trying and failing to hold his face in a serious expression. “You did. I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay, I’m sorry too,” I replied, letting out a heavy sigh as I turned to Lux. “I’m sorry for being moody, it’s just…I’m going to miss so much.”

Ace glanced up from the book he was still glued to. “Whaddya mean?”

“We still have two months left of the regular season, one month post, and if we get to the World Series—which, let’s face it, we’ll get traded if we don’t—that makes it three months. That’s three months of traveling while the baby grows. Three months of changes I’m going to miss. Every time I get back from an away series, Millie will be different.”

And there we had it, the source of my bad mood.

Ace opened the book, flicking through to a specific page. “Tan, says here babies can hear in the womb.”

“So? What use is that?”

“Record your voice, then Millie can play it to the bump.” Opening up his phone, he tapped on the screen until he found what he was looking for, and pushed it across the table to me. “WIRED says this one is the best.”

I picked it up and scanned through the page he’d passed me.The Ten Best Devices for Parents and Baby Bump Headphones.Top of the list was a strange-looking contraption with monitors similar to the ones Doctor Matthews made us wear in our training classes when she was checking for our oxygen and heart rate levels. According to the article, they attached to either side of the pregnant bump and transmitted through the fluids in the belly.

I glanced up at the guys. “This is so cool. The baby will be born and recognize my voice.”

Ace nodded. “Yeah, order it now and it’ll be waiting for you when we get back.”

“You know,” Parker started, shoveling a mouthful of cereal in, and we had to wait for him to swallow. “You could use it to your advantage.”

“What d’you mean?”

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