19. Jaxon
Inhale.
Exhale.
My fingers tightened around the steering wheel as I drove into the small neighborhood, where Logan was staying with Scarlett.
Today, she invited me to her OBYGN appointment, where we were going to find out the gender of our baby.
I still couldn’t wrap my mind around the fact that this perfect woman was carrying my child, and in just four short months, we would be parents.
My phone buzzed in the center console, and seeing my manager’s name flash on the screen, I quickly answered the call.
“What’s up, man?” I owed everything that I had to Bill. Because of him, I was here in Atlanta, playing for my dream team.
“Good news. It’s not official yet, but Coach wants you to start at the game Saturday.” He didn’t waste time with pleasantries—never had—and it was one of the qualities I admired most about him.
“How did that happen? Did Balmer suddenly throw in the towel?” Bill cleared his throat, and I knew I wasn’t going to like what came next.
“The team manager has run out of money, and after the game, the team will be up for bid.” I pulled into the driveway of Scarlett’s two-story home and shifted my truck into park.
“What does that mean for me?” Bill drew in a deep breath; he had come to know I didn’t like beating around the bush.
“Balmer shouldn’t be a problem for you after this game.” So, I wasn’t the only one who knew about his relationship with the team manager. I wondered how many other people knew about it as well.
“Thanks, Bill. I gotta run, but if you need me, I’m just a call away.” Bill chuckled.
“Are the rumors true, Jax? You finally found someone to put up with your shit?”
I saw Logan exit the house, a bright smile greeting me with a little nervous wave. My heart squeezed in my chest. This woman. “You could say that. Catch ya later.” I ended the call at his laughter and exited the truck, forcing myself not to run toward her.
I met her at the top step, wrapping my arms around her immediately and pecking her lips.
“Hey, cowboy,” she greeted, her hands in my hair and her green eyes shining brighter than usual today.
“Hey, sweetheart. How’s our little one doin’ today?” I rested my hand between us and immediately felt movement.
“Excited to see their daddy,” she said, looking up at me hesitantly. It was the first time she had called me that—the first time anyone ever had.
“I never thought I’d be a dad,” I told her, pressing another kiss to her temple, inhaling her sweet scent.
“I never thought I’d be a mom either, but look at us.” Pulling away, I raised a brow.
“Sweetheart, did you forget the part of your list where you raise a beautiful family?” She giggled and then slapped a hand over her mouth, cheeks flaming.
“After everything with Richard, I thought I was never going to find my person or even get to have a baby,” she admitted as I helped her into the truck.
“I promise you that I will make everythin’ on that list and more come true for you. I can’t promise to do it right now, but with time, I will make it happen.”
“Please don’t make me cry. I just did my makeup.” She swiped away at a stray tear and sniffled. “You’re such a good man, Jax, and I just don’t understand how I found you.” She bit down on her bottom lip, and I grinned, wanting to kiss her more than I needed my next breath.
“I’ll tell you how. You walked into that bar the night I won. You had my attention the moment you started talkin’ about beer. And you owned my heart the first time you moaned my name, sweetheart. Once my position was settled with the Braves, I was comin’ to find you.” She flushed, her green eyes dilating with desire.
“And how were you going to find me? It’s a big city, Dexter,” she teased, saying my last name for the first time. And all I could imagine was calling her Mrs. Dexter.
“I was goin’ to start at the bar, ask that old man you were pretty cozy with.”
“And if he didn’t give away my whereabouts?”
“I’d hire a private investigator.” I shrugged, and she threw her head back, laughing.
“You are crazy.”
“Crazy about you, sweetheart. Don’t you ever forget that.”
“We’re going to be late for the appointment, Jax,” she whispered, her fingers gripping my shirt, pulling me closer, even though she was asking me to move away.
“Are you nervous?” She shook her head, her fingers loosening their hold. “I am,” I confessed. Her features softened.
“Don’t be. We’ll be there together.” Nodding, I closed her door and jogged around the front of the truck to hop into the driver’s seat.
* * *
After sittingin the waiting room with a few other anxious parents-to-be, we were finally brought back to a room where Logan was instructed to change into a gown while the doctor prepped her for the ultrasound. She asked a lot of questions that Logan answered with fluency as I watched from my seat in the corner, hands on my knees. Finally, the doctor left, and an ultrasound technician came in, wheeling a machine.
“Alright, Dad. Do you want to come over here?” the technician addressed me, and I jumped up so fast, I saw stars. I trained my gaze on Logan, and her eyes twinkled with happiness. Every ounce of fear left my body.
Holding her hand, I watched the small screen. The technician pointed out the baby, and my heart stopped. Ten fingers. Ten toes. Two eyes. One nose. One mouth. One steady heartbeat.
Perfection.
“The doctor will be in shortly.” She quickly left the room, and I stared at Logan, who was silently crying.
“Beautiful, huh?” she whispered, looking at the screen where our baby was frozen in a picture the technician took.
“I knew it was real. I mean, I can see that it’s real. But wow—that just made it all the more real,” I stuttered like a goddamn fool.
The doctor came in a few minutes later and immediately introduced herself to me. Then, she checked with Logan with another series of questions.
“Alright. Time for the fun part.” She picked up the wand and brought it to Logan’s belly, our baby flashing on the ultrasound machine once again. “Let’s see what you’re having.” I didn’t care if it was a boy or a girl. I thought maybe when the day finally came, I’d want a boy, but looking at Logan, at her perfect features, I wanted a little girl that looked just like her.
“Congratulations! You’re having a boy!” Logan sighed, her hand in mine tightening. My heart soared, my stomach dipped, and I fell to my knees.
I rested my chin on the bed, looking into Logan’s tearful gaze. Completely overcome with emotion, a tear rolled down my cheek, and Logan caught it with her trembling fingers.
We were having a boy.
* * *
“Areyou sure you want to come to the game tomorrow?” I asked Logan for the hundredth time. Since she found out I was starting and would more than likely play the entire game, she’d been dead-set on being there.
“Do you not want me to come or something?” she asked from the kitchen, pulling her head out of the fridge long enough to glare at me before tucking herself back into the fridge, muttering about a hot flash.
“It’s just—are you sure you should be outside for all that time? And standin’ with the baby?” I stood from the couch, switching off the football game I had been watching, and joined her in the kitchen.
“I was pregnant at the last one, Jaxon. You promised you wouldn’t coddle me for another two months,” she grumbled.
“Fine. Then just promise me you’ll sit as much as possible.” She stepped out of the fridge, closing it with a glare.
“I promise to sit whenever you aren’t playing. How about that?” Rolling my eyes, I shook my head.
“Don’t test me, Logan. I’ll ask Coach to bench me if you want to play that game.”
“You are a giant pain in the ass. Do you have any salt and vinegar chips?” She ignored me, searching through my pantry closet. Once she sees the giant blue bag of chips I knew she loved, she squealed. “Aw, you remembered!”
My anger deflated at her smile. She slid onto the barstool next to me and offered me some. “Not for me, sweetheart. Let’s grab a movie before bed. I have to be up early.”
An hour later, we were in bed, watching some old movie when my phone buzzed, and so did Logan’s. We chose to ignore it, but then her phone buzzed repeatedly. “It’s Scarlett. Let me grab it.” She pressed the phone to her ear, and I watched her face drop, eyes going wide with fear.
“What’s wrong?” I asked, gripping her forearm, but she was frozen as Scarlett screamed in her ear.
“Look at your phone,” Logan finally managed to whisper.
I picked up my phone and saw numerous notifications—text messages from my manager and other teammates and numerous news articles. My eyes zeroed in on the headline of the article from the ESPN app.
Hot Shot Atlanta Braves” Ace, Jaxon Dexter, Has Baby With Rival”s Ex.