Total pages in book: 133
Estimated words: 125866 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 629(@200wpm)___ 503(@250wpm)___ 420(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 125866 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 629(@200wpm)___ 503(@250wpm)___ 420(@300wpm)
Time slugged to a stop, the noise muting around us as her lips curled up into a soft, knowing smile.
Mine.
She was mine.
My rib cage expanded with the thought as I made my way to them, ready to sweep her up into my arms for the whole room to see. But Sebastian barreled into me first, crushing my legs in a hug.
“That. Was. Awesome!” he said, bouncing up and down with eyes the size of coasters. “We could see everything from our seats! When you ran that one play, the one where you spun and shoved your hand in that guy’s face?” Sebastian made a noise I’d never heard, something between a squeal and an evil laugh. “It was the best! I want to come to every game!”
I bent down next to him, flicking his hat. “I think you’re my good luck charm.”
“Next time, you gotta get a touchdown when I’m here.”
“What do I get if I do?”
“Hmmm… breakfast in bed! I’ll make it!”
“You’ll make it, huh? So, what am I getting? Cheerios?”
“Froot Loops!”
I laughed, plucking at his jersey. “I like your style, by the way.”
“Wouldn’t wear any other number,” he said proudly with a toothy grin — one that showed evidence that he’d be losing his front teeth soon.
Madelyn squeezed Sebastian’s shoulder. “He wanted to make sure he had this specific one, too. Not the white one. It had to be the navy.”
“These ones are the coolest,” Sebastian said matter-of-factly.
I winked at him, and then pulled my girl into my arms, inhaling the sweet scent that was so uniquely her. Tea and ink and citrus. I pressed my lips to her hair, feeling whole again.
“And what about you,” I asked. “You enjoy yourself?”
“Eh, it was alright.”
She smirked with the tease, but that didn’t stop me from digging my fingers into her side and tickling her mercilessly. Giana watched the whole ordeal with a soft smile on her face, like she both couldn’t believe what she was witnessing, and like she’d seen it coming all along.
“How did Clay do?” I asked, tucking Madelyn under one arm and Sebastian under the other.
“Beastly. He got an interception that was almost a pick six. Sadly, they didn’t win, but he seemed in decent spirits.”
“You see him tomorrow?” Madelyn asked.
Giana nodded. “Yes, and it still feels like too long. I swear, my hormones make me needy. We both fly home in the morning, and I’ve got just a few more weeks before I won’t be flying at all.”
“I can’t imagine you sitting still,” I remarked.
“Oh, trust me. I won’t be. I’ll be bossing Clay around to get the nursery painted and organized. If he thinks Coach is a hard ass, just wait until he sees me at thirty-eight weeks pregnant.”
We all laughed at the image, and I made a mental note to check in on my soon-to-be-dad friend. I knew he was excited, but I wondered if he was nervous, too. I wondered if he felt the way I did — like he wanted to be the best dad possible, all while understanding that he was for sure going to fuck up.
We stayed and visited for a while longer before Giana was ready to head to her hotel, and we were ready to brave the madness of the paparazzi on our way out to the parking lot. I’d asked Madelyn if she wanted to leave separately, if she wanted to avoid the spotlight for a while longer, but she’d wrapped her arm in mine and held Sebastian’s hand and said she was done hiding.
Cameras flashed as we made our way through the stadium — though there were fewer gathered now than there had been right after the game ended. I knew Giana would be hounded in the morning, everyone wanting to know who Madelyn was. Sebastian stole the show, grinning and waving at every camera we passed. I had a feeling he’d have no problem with a life that came with a bit of spotlight, but I still wanted to protect him at all costs, to make sure he never felt like his privacy was invaded.
Security escorted us to my Audi. I’d left the Aston Martin at home, since it only had two seats. Madelyn and I both breathed a sigh of relief once we were inside the tinted windows with the doors locked.
Sebastian, on the other hand, let out a whoop of adrenaline, declaring how awesome that was and that he couldn’t wait to see his pictures.
He passed out in the back seat less than five minutes into the drive, and Madelyn reached across the console, wrapping my hand in hers.
“You ready?” she asked on a whisper.
I couldn’t fight the smile that washed over my face, and I squeezed her hand before lifting her knuckles to my lips.
“Ready.”
Madelyn
Sebastian was so tired when we got home that I carried him inside, and I loved that I could still do it. He was teetering on the edge of being too big, and I found myself nuzzling into him for those little boy cuddles as long as I could get them.