20. Nicole
NICOLE
Another home game and I’m here cheering on the Jasper Bears.
I’m still excited about how everything is falling into place.
I have a job, thanks to Guy. I interviewed at Whiskey Run Elementary this morning and was offered the kindergarten teaching position on the spot.
I could barely contain myself long enough to get to my car before I called Guy.
He was just as excited as I was, and he promised we’d celebrate tonight after the game.
My stomach does a little flip just thinking about it.
As the game unfolds in front of me, I can’t keep my eyes off him. Dad isn’t pitching tonight, so I’m completely focused on Guy. So much so that I don’t notice Bree until she sits down beside me. “Hey.”
I jump slightly and turn toward her. “Hey. What are you doing up here?”
She laughs. “I could ask you the same thing.”
I look around at the crowd. “I’m just watching the game. Shouldn’t you be down in the family section?”
“Yes, and that’s where you should be too.”
I wave her off. “Dad isn’t pitching tonight, and I try to leave the seats open for the families of the guys who are playing.
” What I don’t tell her is that I always feel a little awkward sitting down there by myself.
The families are nice to me, but I’m still Grant Foxx’s daughter. I don’t really belong with any of them.
Bree gives me a look. “Well, Guy is worried about you and texted us to come get you.”
My eyes immediately move toward the field. Guy is standing at first base, and even from here, it looks like he’s staring straight at me. “He should be concentrating on the game.”
Bree puts a hand over her pregnant belly and leans closer. “Come on. I volunteered to get you because I needed to stretch my legs, but if we don’t get back soon, Logan will probably come looking for both of us.”
I laugh and stand. “Fine.”
I follow her down to the family section, and sure enough, they’ve made room for me.
Skyler moves over so I can sit between her and Bree, and everyone says hello like it’s completely normal for me to be here.
I look toward the field again, and Guy is smiling.
He definitely sees me. The stupid little flutter in my stomach gets worse.
We spend the next few innings talking and cheering on the team. Almost everyone around me is wearing some version of a Brody jersey. I look down at my own Foxx jersey, and of course Skyler notices. “We need to get you a Brody jersey.”
I smile but don’t commit to anything. There is something way too serious about wearing a man’s jersey.
Especially when the man is Guy Brody. Skyler isn’t letting it go, though.
“You should come to dinner with us after the game. Mom and Dad are watching Grace for a few hours, so we’re going to grab something before we head back to Whiskey Run. ”
I force my eyes toward the field. “Sorry. I can’t. Dad and I have a tradition. After home games, we go eat pancakes.”
Her head tilts. “Pancakes?”
I nod. “Every home game.”
A slow smile spreads across her face. “Well, the Brodys happen to love pancakes.”
My eyes widen. “What? You want to come with us?”
“Yeah. Is that okay?”
Instead of just saying yes like a normal person, I ask, “Why?”
Skyler looks surprised by the question. The crowd is chanting around us, but she’s completely focused on me. “Because we’ve never seen our little brother like this.”
My stomach tightens.
She smiles. “He’s head over cleats for you, so I thought it might be nice for you to get to know us.”
I pull back. “But… but we’re just hanging out.”
Her mouth falls open. She recovers quickly, but there is no hiding her confusion. “Wait. What do you mean you’re just hanging out? You don’t want a relationship with Guy?”
“I didn’t say that.”
“But I thought…”
She stops.
I stare at her. “You thought what?”
Skyler leans toward me. “But he said you’re the one.”
Everything inside me stops. “What?”
She immediately realizes she has said something she probably wasn’t supposed to. “Nicole—”
“He said I’m the one?”
She hesitates, then nods.
My chest tightens. “But we’re just hanging out.”
Even as I say the words, they sound ridiculous. People who are just hanging out don’t spend nights together, or meet each other’s families, or delete dating apps, and they definitely don’t wear hair ties around their wrists.
Skyler’s expression softens. “Okay, well, if you don’t feel the same way about my brother, you should probably tell him.”
I stare at her. She shakes her head slightly. “Because you’re going to hurt him.”
I point to myself. “I’m going to hurt him? He’s Guy Brody. He can have anyone.”
She doesn’t even hesitate. “Yeah, but he wants you.”
I look away, and Skyler touches my arm. “I’m not trying to pressure you, Nicole. I’m really not. But I know my brother. I’ve never seen him like this before.”
My throat feels tight.
She pulls her hand from my arm. “If you don’t want what he wants, tell him.”
I nod, but I don’t know what else to say. For the rest of the game, I’m practically speechless. Guy hits a double in the eighth inning, and normally I would be on my feet screaming with everyone else. I clap and smile, but Skyler’s words keep running through my head. He said you’re the one.
The Bears win, and I shuffle with the rest of Guy’s family toward the tunnel. When Guy comes through, he immediately looks for me. His smile spreads the second our eyes meet. I should be happy, but instead, I feel like I can’t breathe.
He comes over, still sweaty from the game, and reaches for my hand before stopping himself when he remembers where we are. “Hey, sweetness.”
“Hey.”
His forehead creases. “Everything okay?”
“Yeah. Great game.”
He studies my face like he doesn’t believe me.
Before he can ask anything else, one of the coaches calls his name. “I’ll see you at the restaurant?”
His family must have already told him that we’re all eating together. I nod. “Yeah.”
He leans closer. “And then after?”
My stomach flips. “We’ll see.”
His eyes narrow, but he doesn’t have time to question me because someone calls him again. He points at me. “Don’t disappear.”
I force a smile. “Go.”
He walks away, and I can feel Skyler looking at me. I don’t look at her. Dad finally comes through the tunnel, and I ride with him to the restaurant. “I’m sorry about this,” I tell him as we pull out of the stadium. “They invited themselves to pancake night.”
Dad laughs. “It’s fine, honey. Guy’s family is nice.” He glances at me. “As long as you’re happy, I’m happy.”
I look out the passenger window. That might be part of the problem. I am happy, and I’m not sure how long that is going to last. I’m quiet the rest of the way.
By the time we get to the restaurant, the staff has pushed several tables together for us.
The Brodys start arriving a few minutes later, and soon we’re all sitting around eating breakfast for dinner.
Together, the Brodys are loud. Everyone talks over each other.
Logan and Miller argue about something that happened when they were kids.
Bree and Lindsey keep laughing at them. Penn tells Skyler she’s spoiling Grace already, which starts a whole argument about whether it’s possible to spoil a baby.
Aria is glowing under her husband’s arm.
I have Dad on one side of me and Guy on the other.
Guys hand goes to my thigh, and he just holds it the whole time we’re sitting here.
I give him a look, and his smile gets wider.
Dad is talking to Ozzy about something baseball related when Guy elbows me in the side. “You okay?” he asks, his forehead creased with concern.
I nod, but he doesn’t look convinced.
Skyler catches my eye from farther down the table and gives me a small smile. I spend the rest of dinner focused on my plate and the half-eaten pancakes.