Page 66 of One Pucking Life

“Yeah... I just don’t want to be afraid.”

“Then don’t be. You don’t have to be,” he says, pulling his phone from his back pocket and handing it to me. “Here. Go through it. No password. You can look whenever you want.”

I blink, holding the phone in my hand.

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about Aubrey. I didn’t want to stress you out over something that meant nothing. But next time, I’ll say something.”

Next time?

As if reading my mind, he continues. “I wish I could promise there won’t be a next time. But I’m a public figure with a fan base. If it helps, I can delete all my social media. I don’t need it. Still, I can’t guarantee someone won’t show up at a game or find another way to reach out.” He steps even closer. “But I can promise you this…I will never cheat. I will always come home to you. And more than that—I’ll alwayswantto. You are it for me, Laney.”

His words flood my heart, softening the ache gnawing at me. I hand his phone back. “I don’t want to go through your phone.”

He gently pushes it toward me again. “I want you to.”

“I don’t need to,” I say, voice steady. “I trust you.”

His mouth lifts into a smile. “Yeah?”

“Despite my better judgment... yes, I do.” I smirk, the tension between us easing.

“Good.” He wraps his hands around my arms and pulls me into him, pressing a kiss to my forehead. “Because you can.”

I circle my arms around his waist and hold him tight. “Thank God you didn’t hire that Brittani chick. I wouldn’t trust her to give Caroline a high five, let alone anything else.”

He lets out a short laugh. “Believe me. I know. I didn’t either.”

I tilt my chin up to meet his gaze. He leans in and kisses my forehead again, slower this time.

“Are we good?” he asks softly, a trace of worry still clinging to his voice.

“Yeah, we are. Unfortunately, as you know, I come with baggage. There will be bumps along the way while we build trust.”

“That’s fine with me. I’ll take all the bumps you throw my way as long as you promise to hear me out.”

“I will.”

And I mean it—because, for the first time in my life, I want to build something that lasts. Even if it scares me sometimes, Maxwell Park is the only risk I’ve ever wanted to take.

CHAPTER

TWENTY-SIX

MAX

Spending the evening sitting beside the ocean, staring into the crackling bonfire with a gorgeous girl in my arms, is some sort of heaven. Flames dance and flicker, casting golden light that shifts with the breeze, their glow mirrored faintly in the wet sand. The driftwood crackles and pops, sending occasional sparks into the air, where they vanish like fireflies. Just beyond the circle of warmth, the waves roll in a steady rhythm, a low hush beneath the fire’s gentle roar. The scent of salt and smoke mingles, reminding me that we are far away from the blistering winter back home.

I can honestly say I didn’t think a bye week would be in the cards for me again. The Cranes cherish this seven-day stretch of downtime in the middle of the season, so much so that it’s celebrated as an annual holiday. Each year, the entire team heads to a different destination, and this year it’s Hawaii. Now that Beckett—our unofficial travel planner—is married with a baby, he’s made the trips more family-friendly.

Most of the team is staying in the large main house on the property, but players with families were set up in privatebungalows—myself included. Delaney and I have our own little place tucked beneath swaying palms, with the ocean breeze drifting in through the open windows. It’s all very romantic.

Caroline’s asleep in the back bedroom of our place. The monitor is pulled up on both our phones and sits center stage on the armrest of a chair by the fire. The property is gated, has private security, and is reserved only for our group, so I feel safe. But I still check the monitor every few seconds, just like Laney does. That baby is our world.

The sunset here doesn’t feel real. It’s a watercolor explosion—blush pinks, golds, streaks of orange and violet. I know I’ve seen countless sunsets in my life, but this one seems the most beautiful. I guess happiness makes everything more special. A warm breeze sweeps in from the water, and I feel completely at peace.

Laney is tucked between my legs on a big woven blanket, my arms wrapped around her waist, her back against my chest. The fire crackles, laughter drifts through the air, and everything just feels... right.

Beckett and Elena are to our left, sipping matching drinks, her head tucked under his chin. Jaden and Anna are talking with Iris, whose legs are stretched out in front of her, toes wiggling in the warm sand. Cade, Iris’s husband, sits behind her, his hand lazily resting on her thigh as he stares off toward the ocean.

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