Page 134 of Bourbon Bliss
“Right,” Shelby said. Oh shit, I knew that little spark in her eye. Maybe Jonah didn’t know it, but he’d just thrown down a gauntlet, and Shelby loved nothing more than a challenge. “Good luck with the move. Maybe I’ll see you around.”
“Sure.” He went back inside.
Shelby crossed her arms. “Well that was weird.”
“Jonah recently experienced an unfortunate public rejection at the Do-Over Prom,” June said. “Perhaps his present mood is due to lingering feelings of resentment toward his date.”
“Oh, that’s too bad,” Shelby said.
Bowie and Cassidy pulled up in Bowie’s car, distracting us from Jonah’s abrupt departure. He parked behind Shelby and they both got out.
“Sorry we’re late,” Bowie said. “But we brought beer, so hopefully that’s better than lifting heavy furniture.”
“The movers handled most of it,” I said. “And beer is always appreciated.”
I introduced Bowie and Cass to my sister. They’d also met her before, but this felt like an important moment. These two were going to be family to me, once I married June. I couldn’t come out and say that, of course, but I was thinking it. Made me smile.
It also made me excited to introduce June to my parents. We’d had several video chats with them already. My father was enamored with June’s mental database of sports statistics. They’d started chatting over text, and she’d invited him to be a part of her fantasy football league next season. I’d warned him that June almost never lost, but like Shelby, he loved a challenge.
I couldn’t blame him. So did I. Ran in the family, apparently.
Shelby offered to make a run into town to get food for everyone. By the time she got back, the movers had taken Jonah’s stuff to his new place. We spent a bit of time moving boxes into corners and unpacking a few things, then sat down to pizza and beer.
And damn, it felt good.
Cassidy and Bowie lounged comfortably on the couch that had barely been used in my old place. I hadn’t been home enough to use it. Shelby sat on the floor, her paper plate in her lap, and scratched Mellow’s tiny head.
June sat with me in the oversized arm chair that had been hers. The two of us barely fit, which was exactly why I liked sharing it with her. She was halfway on my lap, the warmth of her body soothing and comfortable. Her attention shifted from the TV—I’d turned on ESPN—to the conversations around her.
I held her tight, enjoying the closeness. The intimacy we shared, even here, among our family. She’d let me in her life—in her space. Trusted me with her body, and her heart. She’d helped me see that I was more than a guy who could catch a ball. That I was worth more.
Maybe we weren’t the likeliest pair. But sometimes, possibility is stronger than probability. And with June Bug by my side, the possibilities were endless.
Epilogue
June
One year later
Steam rosefrom the surface of the hot spring. The air was warm, and I closed my eyes, letting the heat from the water relax me.
George sat next to me, idly playing with my hair. “I’m glad y’all keep this spot secret.”
“There are a number of reasons secrecy is beneficial,” I said. “How’s your knee?”
He shifted next to me, stretching his leg out. “Good as new.”
By the time fall—and football season—had rolled around last year, George had started feeling the pangs of missing his sport. But opportunity had come in the form of an opening for head coach of the Bootleg Springs High School football team. Not many small-town high schools could boast a former professional football star as a head coach. But Bootleg Springs wasn’t just any small town.
He’d taken to his new job with enthusiasm, although I’d had to remind him not to get too involved in the team’s scrimmages. His knee was healed, but after two ACL tears, the chance of re-injury was higher than average. For the most part, he listened.
George was an amazing coach. I loved to attend practices and watch him work his magic with those kids. He was the perfect blend of supportive and challenging—expecting his players to work hard, but giving them the positive reinforcement they needed to rise to his expectations. They’d made it to the playoffs, and although they hadn’t gone all the way, there was always next year.
Apparently coaching high school in the fall hadn’t been enough for him. He’d organized a Pee-Wee league for the younger kids in the spring. Watching him coach little boys and girls in their small helmets and pads was one of the cutest things I’d ever seen.
It made me think of babies. His babies.
I let out a long breath, enjoying the warmth of the water. There was plenty of time to think about having babies with George. I wasn’t in a rush.
