Page 59 of Playing for Keeps
“April asked if we were together,” I say quietly. “I told her yes… since we’re playing that part tonight anyway. I hope that’s okay.”
His eyes meet mine, steady and unreadable, but then a small smile tugs at his lips. “In that case,” he murmurs, “I should probably hold my girlfriend’s hand. You know, for practice.”
His fingers find mine, and even though we’ve held hands before, this time, something’s different, and my heart flutters in a way I wasn’t expecting.
And suddenly… I’m nervous.
Twenty minutes later, we’ve made our way through all the main stops; the locker room, the gym, the trophy display, and now we’re heading toward the team store. Along the way, a handful of fans have stopped Wyatt for photos and autographs. He handles each interaction effortlessly, flashing that easy smile, chatting like he’s talking to friends. He’s told me before that fame isn’t what drives him and that he just wants to play the game, but he also understands how much the fans mean to the team, and he gives them his full attention. Watching him, I can’t help but feel proud. Every time someone approaches him, he treats them like they matter.
It takes longer than expected to reach the store, with word clearly spreading that he’s in the building. I’ve noticed a security guard hanging back nearby, keeping an eye on things, which is oddly comforting. Through it all, whenever Wyatt’s hand finds mine, it feels so natural, like it’s exactly where it belongs.
Once we step into the store, Wyatt leads Luca straight to the wall of jerseys.
“All right, who’s your favorite player?” he asks, flipping through the racks in search of Luca’s size.
“You,” Luca replies without missing a beat.
Wyatt laughs. “You don’t have to say me, bud. You can pick anyone.”
Luca shrugs. “Still you.”
Wyatt grins, clearly touched. “Well, in that case…” He pulls out a jersey with the number eleven on it and holds it up. “What do you think?”
“For me?” Luca breathes, his eyes wide with disbelief.
“Yep. Now, do you want your name on the back or mine?”
Before Luca can answer, April steps in, shaking her head. “Wyatt, no. I can’t let you buy that. The tour was already more than generous.”
Wyatt gives her a warm smile. “It’s just a little something to remember the day by. Please, let me do this.”
She hesitates, then glances down at Luca, who’s practically bouncing with excitement. Her eyes well up. “I don’t know how to thank you.”
“You don’t have to. Meeting Luca’s been a highlight of my day.”
When the jersey is finished, complete with Wyatt’s name on the back, Wyatt pays and hands it to Luca, who hugs it like it’s the greatest thing he’s ever owned. Then Wyatt scribbles down April’s email address, promising his agent will send over tickets once the season starts.
April throws her arms around him in gratitude, and Wyatt laughs as he returns the hug, completely unfazed by the attention building around us.
As we say goodbye, Wyatt reaches for my hand, threading his fingers through mine as he steers us away from the growing crowd and back toward the locker room.
“I’m sorry your birthday kind of got hijacked,” Wyatt says as we weave through the stadium’s hallways.
I stop walking, tugging him to a halt beside me. “Don’t be. That was incredible, Wyatt. What you did for that little boy and his mom… they’re never going to forget today.” I glance up at him. “She told me it’s just the two of them, and how hard things can be. That jersey? There’s no way she could’ve bought that for him.”
“I’m just glad I could do something,” he says simply.
“You’re sending them tickets too?”
He nods. “I’ll get Ronnie to reach out.”
“Make it the same game you get me tickets for,” I say. “I’d like to see her again.”
A smile pulls at his lips. “So, youdowant to come watch me play?”
I nod. “You didoffer, didn’t you?”
“Yeah, I just didn’t know if you were serious.”
