Chapter 25
The moment had come, and Duke could hardly believe it. He’d seen his brothers, and his sister too, fall in love, take their vows, and step into a world of nuptial bliss.
Sure, he’d also seen firsthand that newlyweds had their problems, but Duke couldn’t deny that his siblings were the happiest they’d been.
Now he knew why, and he planned to do something about it right there at Dodger Stadium.
“When are they bringing up the snow cones?” Dante asked as he followed Duke up the steps. The little guy had waited for the opportune moment when the stadium organ finished a pre-game piece with a flourish.
“The snow cone guy will come up whenever we’d like him to,” Duke said. “We just wave him up.”
Diego took a step ahead of him and looked over his shoulder. “That’s cool.”
Duke pulled in a deep breath, enjoying the savory smell of Dodger Dogs mixed with the buttery aroma of fresh popcorn.
Memories of cheering beside his dad in that very stadium flooded his mind.
Randomly throughout the game, Dad would nudge Duke with an elbow, only to shoot him a wink and a grin and say, “How are you enjoying the game, sport?”
He was a great dad. And from what Duke had observed over the years, a great husband too. Sure, Mom and Dad had their share of issues over the years, particularly after Winston was born, from what Mom said, but Duke was grateful they’d made it work.
The Benton clan had witnessed—first hand—demonstrations of love, compromise, and endurance. Through it, Duke and his siblings learned to be loyal to the family, its name, and those they loved.
Duke’s list of the ones he loved had grown by three over the last few months. Or perhaps it had really only grown by two. After all, he never had fully stopped loving Vivi. Those twins though…they were something else. He shook his head in wonder.
An odd thing had happened since Dante and Diego came into Duke’s life—he felt closer to his dad. The odd part was that his father had passed seven years ago. But perhaps it was the sense of father-like love he felt for the twins. The unexpected drive to nurture, protect, and provide.
And the crazy thing was, after years of accepting that kids, in general, would never like him, Duke had gained the twins’ love without even trying. It’d been as natural as breathing. As if maybe, just maybe, they were meant to belong to him one day.
“How do those hats fit?” Duke asked them.
Diego took another step. “Awesome!”
“Perfect,” Dante agreed, giving his new Dodgers hat a tug at the bill.
“Good. We better hurry and get back up there.” Duke set his sights back on the executive club suite where the rest of their group waited.
He’d recently upgraded the suite to accommodate their growing numbers.
The indoor private lounge area now had, in addition to its full kitchen and multiple food stations, two luxury bathrooms instead of one, half a dozen wide screens, and over thirty outdoor stadium seats.
Dad and Grandpa would be proud that the tradition still carried on in style.
Home games at the Dodger stadium were always a family affair. This time, Viv’s parents were joining them too. An onslaught of nerves took over as he considered what he was about to do—with, he might add, the full blessing of Viv’s father, Emilio.
The recollection alone gave him a level of peace. Things would go smoothly. They would.
Hopefully.
“When are they going to have you go back down to do the first pitch?” Diego asked.
“Probably in a few minutes,” Duke answered.
“Lots of presidents have done the first pitch,” Dante said.
“They sure have,” Duke agreed. “Since it’s early on in the season, they’re letting boring old me do it.” He shrugged. “That sometimes happens when you sponsor a giveaway for the night.”
They’d made it to the suite’s entrance now. Dante pushed open the door and motioned for Duke and Diego to go ahead of him.
“Thanks, man.” Duke gave the little guy a fist bump before heading in. Once inside, he paused to survey the scene, a rush of emotion pushing through him.
There was Vivi, head tipped back in laugher as she, Camila, Kat, and Betzy gathered at the food bar.
Grandma Lo was deep in conversation with Viv’s parents, while James, Zander, and Sawyer performed practice pitches into a speed-gauged pitching net mounted in the corner of the room.
Mom’s boyfriend, Michael, sat beside her on a nearby sofa, offering critiques between bites of his nachos.
Duke’s gaze shot straight back to Viv in time for her to glance up and give him a wide grin. One that made his knees feel like the wiggly strands of bubble gum the twins had been eating earlier.
Man, he loved her. Loved her more than he remembered loving anyone in all his life. He weaved through the small crowd, circling the edge of the bar, and came up behind her.
His hands went to her hips. His face moved to the warm crevice at the side of her neck. “Hi,” he crooned, enjoying the glorious scent of tea rose on her skin.
Viv giggled softly. “Hi there, handsome. Have I ever told you how good you look in uniform?”
The Dodgers had offered Duke a new jersey to wear for tonight’s pitch. He’d taken them up on it because, well, yes, Viv had told him how much she liked seeing him in uniform.
“No,” he lied, “I don’t think you have.”
Vivi spun in place, took his face in her hands and shook her head. “You’re incorrigible.”
He grinned and came in for a kiss. “I know.”
“Did you hear that, Duke? They just announced the first pitch,” his mom said. “You should probably get down to the dugout.”
“Go get ‘em, tiger,” James hollered.
“Don’t strike out,” Zander razzed.
Duke gave him an eye-roll.
“Come with me,” he said to Viv, taking her hand in his.
She pulled back on his grip. “I won’t have any place to stand while you pitch,” she said, her eyes going wide with worry.
“They’ll take care of you in the dugout. C’mon.” As he slipped his fingers through hers, Duke mused it might just be the last time he did so without her wearing his ring.
The thought caused a streak of adrenaline to shoot through him. Life had taken a few unexpected twists this year. And now, if all went well, it’d take a wonderful turn. One that would have Vivi agreeing to be his wife.
Viv hadn’t been kidding when she said how much she loved seeing Duke in uniform. The funny thing was, she’d never seen him in something he didn’t flatter.
The public seemed to agree. Slipper Magazine hit an all-time high in print sales and online clicks with Duke’s issue.
Sure, the viral video might have played a part in the hype surrounding the issue, but those numbers helped give Duke the confirmation he’d been seeking—America liked him after all. They loved him, really.
There were a lot of reasons to love Duke Benton. It seemed Viv discovered a new reason every day. He’d mentioned that the Bentons felt strongly about giving. She’d only recently started to notice how very true that was.
Duke had been modest about it at first, almost unwilling to talk about the causes close to his heart for fear she’d think he was boasting about his contributions.
But as he got more comfortable with her, as they spent more and more time together, she saw an entirely new addition to that big heart of his, and it was truly inspiring.
“You nervous?” she asked as he shifted his weight from one foot to the next.
He shot her a glance, a furrow creasing his brow for a blink. “Why?” he said almost suspiciously.
She laughed. “Because you’re about to throw the first pitch of the game on TV.”
“Oh. Yeah. Well, it’s not a big game or anything. I mean, it’s not like it’s the World Series.” He shrugged, but it didn’t make him appear any less nervous. Which was, if she thought about it, odd for Duke.
The charge song started up, and the crowd rose to their feet on demand. The excitement was a thrill all its own. A buzz of energy, anticipation, and hope for a team victory.
Viv felt that energy rush over her skin as she pulled in a deep breath. What a great thing for Duke and the twins to have in common—a mutual love for baseball.
“Time to bring out tonight’s sponsor,” the commentator announced. “He’s also a cofounder of the city’s very own charitable organization, Batting for Kids. Let’s give a warm welcome to Mr. Duke Benton!”
The baseball organ picked up with a new tune as the audience cheered. She glanced up to see that a camera had zoomed in on Duke where he stood beside her.
“Bring your lovely girlfriend with you, Duke,” the announcer instructed. “We’ll let her stand beside you for moral support.”
A dart of adrenaline shot through her chest. She wanted to refuse; Duke didn’t need the moral support. But Viv already knew how this would go if she didn’t agree. The commentator would encourage her, probably getting the audience involved until she changed her mind.
Duke gave her an encouraging grin and held out a hand. “C’mon,” he said. “I’ve got you.”
Viv looked into his eyes, unable to fight the grin he always pulled from her lips. Duke had a way of putting her at ease. Enough that she took the hand he held out for her, willing her heart to calm its frantic pace, and then followed him onto the large baseball diamond.
Hearing the crowd and their cheers was one thing, but seeing it from the pitcher’s mound, that was another. Row upon row of packed seats, mismatched jerseys, and anxious grins.
“Catching the ball tonight is the Dodgers’ very own…” the commentator continued, but Viv’s focus shifted as she glanced toward the club suites. She guessed her family and Duke’s was in the third box over. Or maybe it was the fourth.
Suddenly, a hush fell over the stadium, the music and the crowd quieting all at once.
“That’s good,” the commentator said. “Now we’ll have our coach bring out the ball.”
The coach strode onto the field, handed over the ball, then tossed a wave to the crowd before stepping back toward the dugout.