Total pages in book: 111
Estimated words: 111038 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 555(@200wpm)___ 444(@250wpm)___ 370(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 111038 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 555(@200wpm)___ 444(@250wpm)___ 370(@300wpm)
Blaise had been ecstatic when I told him.
After college, we’d wanted to enjoy living together while he started his soccer career, and I joined a marine-mammal-rescue nonprofit. My main task was to go out every day and rescue ocean mammals. There was never a shortage, sadly. Wrestling seals and cutting netting from around their necks had been the most terrifying at first, but then became my favorite job to do.
It was not something I thought I would’ve ended up doing, but camping on the beach was what got me started. Not a seal, but a sea lion was caught in another large net. Blaise and I caught him to cut it off.
After that, I was in in.
There was no going back.
Blaise and I still did our camping thing, and I say our because I’d converted him long ago. He was now the packer and planner for our trips, though I think that was because he always wanted to make sure our sites were somewhere Zeke could join us.
Yes.
Zeke.
You read that right.
Zeke now joined our camping expeditions too—he and his girlfriend. And I’m not naming names because the ‘girlfriend’ changed every two months. Though, that was a step up from how he was in college. Zeke had gotten a big rep for having only one-night stands.
“Blaise’s family is coming tonight, right?” Jade asked.
I nodded. “They got their own seats because it’s a surprise for him. He can see me, and if he looks up and they’re sitting with me…”
Jade nodded. “Got it.” Her smile was so big. “And that’s awesome. I’m happy they’re here.”
Another arm squeeze, another look, and we were hugging again.
I couldn’t stop the tears this time. I sniffled, trying to wipe them away.
I still hated crying, but the hormones didn’t. The hormones loved crying, especially publicly.
A roar started in the stadium, and just like that, the game was about to start.
The players came out, and we all stood.
Blaise was one of the last to walk onto the field, and as soon as he appeared, a giant roar sounded through the stadium. This was the last game for the Falcons’ newest star.
I knew Blaise planned to come back.
He wanted to be in Europe for a few years, then return and retire after a few more years here. There was a bit more leeway when it came to players’ ages in the United States. Plus, we had family here.
Like I knew he would, Blaise turned his head as he strode out to the field. His eyes found me, as I’d sat in the same spot for every one of his games.
Jade sucked in her breath. “You’re on the jumbotron.”
I ignored that, because Jade didn’t know we were going to be on the jumbotron quite a bit. News had broken about the pregnancy last week, and the attention had been intense.
When I fell in love with Blaise, if I’d known the amount of attention he was going to get—and I’d get by his side—I’ll be honest… I don’t know how I would’ve handled it. But, day by day, game by game, I’d slowly started to get used to it.
I went from being the invisible girl to having a jumbotron on me on the reg. That said everything right there.
Blaise smiled, kissing his fingers and holding them in the air to me.
I returned the gesture, then noticed many in the crowd doing the same.
They loved their DeVroe.
And yes, my throat was swelling and here came the tears. Again.
I’ll have no working tear ducts by the time I have this kid. I’ll be like a desert inside.
Jade sighed. “God, he’s hot.”
I glanced at her.
Her cheeks reddened. “Not your man—though he’s hot, too.” Her eyes went to his teammate.
Ah-ha. The last time she came to visit, I now realized it hadn’t been an accident that Theo joined us for dinner.
And the night after.
And the night after that.
Why hadn’t I noticed it before? And why hadn’t Blaise told me? I needed to be looped in on this stuff. Jade had been my roommate, then my friend, then my best friend, and now my sister.
My phone buzzed.
Nate: Your man is looking ready to kill someone tonight.
I smiled.
Me: You know it. Probably envisioning your head on his opponent tonight.
Nate: Ha! Your man loves me. We both know it.
He was right.
Nate had started visiting more often, and he and Blaise had become almost joined at the hip. Nate didn’t care about the age difference in the beginning of their budding bromance. He joked that hanging with him kept my brother young, but I always thought he liked Blaise so much because Blaise enjoyed pissing off some of Nate’s friends.
Nate: You’ll be around before you fly out?
Me: Of course.
Nate: Good. Love you. I already texted Blaise good luck, and he gave me a middle finger emoji back.
Me: And then he followed it with a kissing emoji, right?