Epilogue
Gwen
Three years and three months later
A buzzing silence falls over the stadium as the pitcher for the Boston Revs winds up for his pitch.
It’s the sixth game of the World Series, and The Evaders are down by one in the bottom of the ninth inning.
If the guys pull off a win tonight, the series is over and they will be crowned champions for the fourth time, making baseball history.
The only other team in professional baseball to hold for championship titles is Boston, when The Evader’s coach, Rowan Anson, was on the team decades ago.
My gaze moves from Blake—who currently stands on second—to the Revs pitcher, then to the man standing in the batter’s box, watching and waiting.
Lance.
His back is to me as he stares at the mound in anticipation. I wish I could see his handsome face. Watch his blue eyes shine under the light as he stares down his opponent.
I lean forward, watching Lance’s hips shift back as the ball leaves the pitcher’s hand. A second later, and with impossible speed, he simultaneously twists his body and swings his bat, the wood slicing the air at the speed of light.
The ball hits the bat with a deafening crack.
I jump to my feet and grip the railing in front of me as I watch the ball sail through the air and land on the other side of the fence and into the glove of a waiting fan.
Home-freaking-run.
“Oh my god, he did it!” Jenna jumps up and down, screaming and waving her hands in the air, her celebration much tamer than it had been back then.
Okay, not tame, just less inappropriate.
A memory of watching Lance win his first World Series pops into my head.
My unrequited crush. Watching him win from afar. Meeting him on the rooftop. The undeniable chemistry between us. Running off together. Sugary-sweet kisses. Steamy cab rides.
It was just one night, but it had a remarkable effect on the trajectory of my life.
Now here I am, sitting in my family’s suite at Evaders Stadium, watching him win again. For the third time.
Only this time, he’s the team’s hero. My dirty knight saved the game by taking the lead with his two-run homer. It doesn’t matter what happens after this; Lance won the game.
The crowd cheers, pulling me from my thoughts, and their thunderous clapping shakes the stadium as Lance jogs around the bases.
As he heads toward home, he looks up into the stands, right at me.
A wide grin spreads across his face as he rubs his stomach then places two fingers over his heart, tapping the spot.
The special signal he created for me … and our babies.
Tears fill my eyes as I watch Lance cross home plate. This is his moment, baseball history in the making, and I’m still on his mind. The love I have for him swells like a balloon ready to burst.
I place my hands on my swollen stomach and smile. As if they know their Daddy is thinking of them, the little guys in my belly kick.
“Are you okay?” Jenna asks, her voice dropping low and laced with worry.
“All good.”
She narrows her eyes at me, making me laugh.
“I promise. These two are just kicking and bouncing on my bladder.”
Jenna places her hand on my belly. Our faces light up as one or both boys push against her palm. “Maybe you have soccer players instead of baseball players in there.”
“I think Grandpa would be devastated if they were soccer players.” I giggle, thinking about what a die-hard baseball fan my dad is.
“Who’s going to be a soccer player?” Tristan asks, inserting himself into our conversation.
“Mind your own business, Tris.” Jenna elbows him in the ribs.
Tristan puts his arm around my best friend’s shoulders. “You know I can’t do that, J-bird. Your business is my business.”
He stares down at her with so much love; I can’t help but smile.
Finding out my best friend and brother were together was a shock at first. They hid their relationship from me for a really long time.
But anyone could see how happy they made each other, so who was I to protest, especially when Tristan convinced Jenna to move to Los Angeles for him and her career.
Now I get to see her just about every day, and I couldn’t be happier.
“You’re lucky I love you,” Jenna croons before Tristan kisses her on the mouth.
“Tris, did you come over here for something or just to steal my bestie?” I tease.
“Always both, Gwenny.” He chuckles, wiggling his eyebrows. “Want to head down to the field level for the celebration, or are you staying up here because …?” My brother points and swirls his finger at my swollen stomach, making me frown.
“No way am I missing the celebration just because I’m pregnant.”
“I figured. Since the inning isn’t over yet, I thought we could head down now and avoid the crowd.”
“You’re such a thoughtful brother.” I pat his cheek, turning on my heel and marching out of the family suite.
By the time I get to the field, metallic blue and silver confetti falls from the sky, swirling around in the fall breeze.
I walk toward the designated spot Lance and I agreed to meet: first base.
The celebration is deafening as I search the crowd for my husband. I spot his blond head in the middle of the huddle, his friends jumping around him, taking photos and celebrating, reporters filming from every angle.
As if he can sense me, Lance turns his head and his blue eyes find mine through the crowd.
Years later, and my heart still skips a beat and butterflies swim in my belly at the sight of him. I’m already counting down the time until we can celebrate on our own.
He rushes toward me, scooping me into his thick arms. “We did it!”
“You did it! I’m so proud of you.”
“I couldn’t do it without you,” he says, giving me a quick kiss. My belly makes it difficult as I near the end of my third trimester. Our little guys are due in two weeks, but with twins, you never know.
Thanks to my husband, we are ready and waiting.
Every chance he had between away games, he was home working on the nursery.
He built the crib and painted the walls pale blue.
He turned one wall into bookshelves and filled them with a hundred different children’s books.
He ordered a fluffy blue couch and a matching recliner for reading and feeding.
But what he did to the ceiling is my favorite part.
He painted it a deep navy, like the night sky, and then hand-painted a moon and stars for our boys to stare at every night.
“How’s my wife and our babies?” he asks, laying a hand on my stomach.
The babies move, pushing against my stomach. “We are good. Let’s focus on right now. You just won the World freaking Series for the third time.”
“I’ll always focus on you first, little witch. You and these little guys are my whole world. Don’t get me wrong; winning is really fucking awesome, but it’s meaningless if I don’t have you and our family.”
My entire being melts. “I love you.”
“I love you.” Lance crashes his mouth to mine in a quick, wet kiss full of promise.
My eyes close tight as wetness floods my core and my pussy flutters with need.
“Evaders to the stage. Ceremony in five,” one of the field team members announces over the speakers.
“Fuck.” A growl, low and rumbly, vibrates in his chest. “I don’t want to.”
Neither of us wants to separate, but his night is about to begin. The team will go on stage to receive the trophy and announce the MVP, then they will head to the locker room for the traditional beer-spray celebration held by the team’s top sponsor.
“You have to. Go. Have fun with the guys. Then we can have our own special celebration when you get home.”
What he doesn’t know is that I already have a little something planned for us to celebrate his win. It includes me, his jersey, and nothing else.
“Naked celebration?” Lance brushes a loose curl off my face and behind my ear as a salacious smile curls his lips.
I place my hands on his chest and stare into his eyes. “Whatever my dirty knight wants, my dirty knight will get.”
“You just made it so hard for me to stay here and not go home with you.”
I look up at the sky and laugh. “Well, now you have a good reason to hurry home.”
“You are the only reason I need to hurry home. All day, every day, for the rest of my life. Just you.”
Sweeter words have never been spoken.
Tears cloud my eyes as Lance presses his mouth to mine and kisses me, swallowing my response.
But I think he knows.
He’s my reason too.
The End