Page 149 of Playing for Keeps
“Hey, there’s my girls,” he says, walking to Sienna and kissing her before taking an excited-looking Lila into his arms. He presses kisses to her rosy cheeks, her giggles echoing down the corridor.
I watch them with a smile tugging at my lips. That’s the future I want. Ivy standing here after training, holding our baby, waiting for me. The image plays so vividly in my mind that it almost feels real. And God, I can’t wait for the day it is.
“Lewis, this is Ivy,” I say, when he’s finished tickling Lila. “Ivy, Lewis.”
“Nice to meet you,” Ivy says.
Lewis smiles. “You too, Ivy. Wyatt hasn’t shut up about you since training started.”
“Lewis!” Sienna chastises. “Don’t embarrass him.”
I laugh. “I’m used to it.”
Ivy looks at me. “You’ve been talking about me?”
I wrap my arm around her. “Maybe,” I say with a wink.
Before she can respond, the locker room door swings open again, and Ricky steps out, flashing a grin when he sees Ivy.
“Hey, Ivy. Good to see you again.”
A faint blush creeps up Ivy’s cheeks. “Hi, Ricky.”
“You know,” he says, teasing, “last time we met, you gave me a fake number. Just wondering if that was an accident… or something else.”
He glances between us, clearly enjoying himself.
“It was something else,” I say on a laugh. “Definitely something else.”
He grins. “Decided you liked football after all, then?”
Ivy smiles and looks up at me. “Yeah, something like that.”
“Happy for you, man,” he says, clapping me on the shoulder. “You too, Ivy. Catch you later, guys.”
He walks off, and Lewis raises his eyebrows. “What was all that about?”
I laugh. “It’s a long story.”
“One for when you come over for dinner, maybe?” Sienna says.
“Definitely,” Ivy replies.
“I guess we should get this one home,” Lewis says, placing his hand on Lila’s back as she drops her head on his shoulder, her thumb going in her mouth.
“We’ll walk out with you,” I say, squeezing Ivy’s hand.
After saying goodbye in the underground parking garage, we walk hand in hand to my car. We’re driving away from the stadium when my phone rings through the hands-free. Checking the display, my heart pounds as I see Nash’s name.
I reach across the car and take Ivy’s hand before answering the call.
“Nash, what’s happening?” I ask, my voice tight.
“It’s over.”
My eyes widen, and I look across at Ivy, whose expression mirrors mine.
“It’s over?” I echo. “You’re sure?”
