Page 103 of Delay of Game
“You’re going to ask me out on a date?” she interrupted, biting back a smile.
“It’s coming. Be patient.” I dared to grin, rustling the paper before I continued. “I have been visiting your aunt at least once a week, sometimes twice. Because even if I didn’t have the guts to tell you about it, you love her, and however much happiness I brought to Aunt Mercy meant you’d be happier and that’s enough for me.”
Her lips twisted as she fought back tears. “That is incredibly sweet.”
“I’m not done,” I warned her. “I want to apologize for all of it. I think you’re the sexiest person I’ve ever met in real life. I want to be with you in all senses of the word, and I came up with a bunch of reasons to not let that happen because I was scared. I was scared to tell you about my past or about my future.”
I cleared my throat, releasing a shaky breath. “Mila’s mom, Jackie, left me shortly after Mila was born. We didn’t really know each other when she got pregnant, and we didn’t particularly like each other during the pregnancy. Postpartum was…not great. Especially for Jackie, but also for us as new parents. She needed some outside help and after a lot of therapy, we decided the best thing for both of us was for Mila to live with me full-time. Jackie still visits. It’s not a traditional mother-daughter relationship, but it works for them. For all of us.”
“For a long time, I focused on Mila and my career. I decided I wouldn’t date or be with anyone. I poured all my attentioninto being a father and my performance on the field. It wasn’t a great plan, but it worked.” I sighed. “Until you came along, and I didn’t want to be alone anymore. But I also didn’t know how to let you in. So, I kept pulling away from you, and I pretended I was doing you a favor.”
“You weren’t.” She worked her lips, eyes glistening.
“I know. And I’m sorry for that, too.” I pursed my lips and turned back to the list. “I don’t know how much longer I’ll play football. Who knows if I’ll get injured next game or play another five years? And I don’t know what happens after that. All I really know is that I want you with me. I want to tackle another home improvement project with you. I want to show you how to properly pull a mug handle, because I’m also sorry for not telling you, but yours are awful, and I’ve been fixing them when you weren’t paying attention.”
She closed her eyes, chuckling even as a tear slid down her face. “I knew those handles didn’t look the same.”
“I’m so sorry and I promise, from now on, when I just can’t stand the look of them all wonky on the drying rack, I’ll tell you before I fix them. But most of all, I want to take you out for dinner. I want to walk you to your door and kiss you goodnight. I want to make up for the last two months.”
I folded the paper back into a square and set it on the porch between us, nodding down at it. “That’s mostly what it says. Bullet points, anyway.”
Astrid wiped her cheek with the back of her hand. “That…was a really good apology.”
“Was it?”
She bit her bottom lip as her fingers inched toward the paper, picking it up and opening it again. Her mossy green eyes scanned over my chicken scratch handwriting before she pressed the tattered paper to her chest and locked eyes with me.“It’s incredibly specific, well thought out. I mean, solid ten out of ten on the apology scale.”
“So, what do you think?” I asked, clenching my hand into a clammy fist as I waited for her answer.
“I think I’d like to keep this.” She refolded the paper and slipped it into her purse. “And I’d like to take you up on that date.”
“Really?”
She set her hand on the space between us, turning her palm up. I took it, sliding closer to her as she gave me a gentle squeeze. “You’re not trying to take it back already, are you?”
I shook my head. “Not even a little.”
ASTRID
EPILOGUE
One and a half seasons later...
Rob pulled at his bow tie, loosening the collar of his shirt while we waited for the elevator to return to the parking garage.
I batted his hand away, smoothing the tie and running my palms down his shirt. “Don’t mess with it.”
“I hate it,” he grumbled. “I look like a penguin.”
“You look like an incredibly handsome penguin.”
He rolled his eyes, hiding a smirk. “You ladies, on the other hand, look phenomenal.”
Mila preened in the reflection of the elevator door, admiring the full-length pink ballgown we’d picked out. One that Rob had unsuccessfully tried to talk her out of for something with sleeves and a Purtian-like neckline.
His hand snaked up my back, knuckles brushing over bare skin. The slinky red dress was nothing I would have picked out on my own. Cassie called an emergency meeting of the Breakers’ wives and girlfriends after Trent Vogt’s girlfriend, Kit, asked if a black jersey dress was fancy enough for tonight.
Even though it had pockets, the answer was a resounding no.
