Page 64 of Embers in the Outfield

“Since the wedding, pretty much,” I say, not really thinking much about it.

“Months? Fucking months you’ve kept this from me, Kenny?” Sam says to Kennedy. Now I think the hormone shift is making her angry.

“Well, sort of? I mean, it was just a hookup at first, but yeah, it all started at the wedding,” she says.

“Wow! So it’s serious then?” Sam asks. I can’t help but look at Kennedy and take her in. I think if I had been asked this same question before everything that transpired this past week, I’d say no. I would have confidently gone along with the fact that this was just a fling, thinking nothing more would come of it. But being away from her has taught me that I can’t go a minute knowing she’s not mine.

“Yeah, it is.” I decide I should answer, if anything, to prove to Kennedy I mean it when I say I’m in this with her.

“River finally has a girlfriend,” Ashton says, a completely innocent comment.

The moment I say “Yeah,” I hear Kennedy comment with, “We haven’t put labels on us.”

Her response makes me pause.

“What do you meanlabels?” I say to her, wondering what the actual fuck that means.

“River, we haven’t talked about that. I think now isn’t the time.” Her eyes go wide like this is a discussion we should save for later when it’s just us.

“This is the perfect time. Kennedy, I don’t share. I told you that. There’s no waiting around to see if that’s the case. It’s fact.” I make sure the finality of the conversation is understood with my tone.

“Oh, is that right? Like you have some sort of power over this relationship or something? So you’re my boyfriend, and we don’t even have a conversation about it?” I can see this is riling her up,and I’m okay with it. I thought this was decided already. I mean, wasn't what happened not even a day ago exactly what this was about? She wanted commitment and I'm giving it to her.

“I damn well better be your boyfriend. Change your social media profiles and everything. Taken! That’s final. There’s no question about it!” I stand up, moving closer to her.

I see her inch back a bit in her seat like that’s going to keep her at a distance from me. I pull her by the hands to stand and crash my lips to hers. A faint “Fuck yeah” from Ashton can be heard while I hear a clap that I can only assume is coming from Sam.

Our lips part, and I look her in the eyes. “Is that enough of a confirmation for you, Skip?”

Her eyes are slowly opening to meet mine, and I know from this point on, they’re the only eyes I ever want to see staring back at me.

Her voice is slightly above a whisper. “Yes.”

I smack her ass, no care in the world who our audience is. “Mine!”

I turn toward our friends and clap my hands together. “Who wants lasagna?”

CHAPTER 28

Kennedy

We’reup by one right now; however, all bases are loaded, and Andrews is at bat for the opposing team. The New Jersey Stars have been the team to beat, and this game is a nail-biter.

Brett is getting ready to pitch, and I can see him take a breath to calm his nerves. We are in the beginning of playoffs, and every win counts.

I look over to find River at the other end of the box, talking to my uncle, their eyebrows drawn in concentration. As much as we fought for years leading up to this point, it’s hard to look back at my life and not think of River and me together in this way now. Almost like each touch we’ve shared has erased the memory of the snarky comments and irritation we felt toward one another.

I feel a nudge at my side and look over to see my aunt smiling up at me. The moment my aunt learned of my dating River, she was smitten. She and my uncle have met him in passing through Sam and Ash, and my aunt always commented on how handsome he is, but now, it seems this whole romance has unleashed another side to her.

“You know, your uncle used to look at me the same way River looks at you.” She sighs.

“Ew, gross. Not information I needed, thank you.” I can’t help the gag that follows.

“Oh, stop it! Your uncle was quite the romantic one when we met. And after everything we went through trying to grow our family, he never lost it. He always took the time to tell me that he loves me and that I was all he needed in his life.”

The love they share is something I’ve always admired, second to my parents. They always seem to have this unspoken love for one another. Despite having the means to enjoy all the luxuries of this life, they never let that get the best of them and their relationship. They’re always putting their relationship first, and it’s something I never took for granted.

“It’s something to admire, that’s for sure,” I say, meaning each word.

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