39. JOSH
JOSH
My nerves were strung out. I paced around the locker room, waiting for April to show up. I had left yesterday after my confession with part of a bigger plan. Starting with, I had to earn her trust. Prove everything that I said wasn’t just a bunch of shit.
One thing Millie had said to me at the gala was that, no matter what happened, I needed to understand what it was I wanted.
What was my endgame? Because if I was lucky enough to get her back, then what?
I hadn’t given it much thought until now, but not having her wasn’t an option.
She loved me and she wasn’t afraid to say it, but I was.
I was terrified she would leave after the bet was over, so I ended it before she could. It was so fucking stupid.
But, not now. Now I understood what I wanted and I wanted her to want it also.
Want me. Even the screwed-up version who thought I was everything, but then found I was nothing without her.
Even before everything, she was there. When I struggled, she was whispering in my ear I could do it.
Every session, she would heal me. She was what drove me on and I was a coward who never told her.
“Davidson!” The coach’s voice bellowed from the corner of the locker room. “My office, now!”
The guys turned with shocked faces as I ducked my chin down. Fuck, he sounded pissed off. I hadn’t heard his tone that sharp since we’d lost three in a row.
My head tucked to my chest as I headed into his office. He waved a piece of paper around. “What is this?”
Swallowing hard. “It’s a letter from HR.”
“I see that, but for what?”
“I wanted to make sure the team understood that I was with April.”
He chuffed and plunked into his chair. “I see.”
“It’s a formality.”
“I know,” he scolded. “I thought things had ended.”
My jaw dropped. “You knew?”
“Oh please. You two snuck around like a couple of highschoolers hiding from her dad.”
Damn.
“You’ve also been playing like shit. The kind that comes from nothing but women troubles.”
There was nothing I could say to that. He was right.
“So, you two made up and now you want official status?”
I kicked at the ground. “Not exactly. I’m working on it.”
He rolled his eyes. “Working on it? For the love of Christ, this isn’t no fucking love-connection show here.”
“I know, but I want her to know I mean it. This step needs to happen to make the rest of it.”
“Keep me out of it. And if this gets your head out of your ass and back on the field, then fine. But if this goes south, one of you needs to leave the team, and I think we both know how that will go.”
My stomach dropped.
The coach sighed. “Don’t fuck it up. She’s too good to lose.”
“Don’t I know it.”
He grinned at me. “About time you realized it.”
He scribbled his signature on the bottom line and nodded for me to get out of his office. Step one, done.
Ironically, that was the easy part. The next one was what had my nerves firing.
“Ready?” Jake smirked. And I knew it wasn’t about the last game of the season.
The clubhouse was electric. Excitement charged through the air. And I was ready for all of it. The game to end, on and off the field. My plan was simple. Prove it. Prove to her and anybody else that there was nothing fake about us.
The ball sailed through the stadium and for a minute, no one moved. The crowd hushed as we watched it sail over the back wall.
“Run!” Percy, the second baseman coach’s voice finally registered as I took off, tearing over to third with Milos running behind me.
We did it. We won the last fucking game of the season.
The announcers were screaming as I ran over home plate.
The coaches behind the players cleared the dugout and ran onto the field, but all I could see was April.
Cheering and screaming with our entire team.
Although it took a minute, I managed to get through the mosh of people, running straight to April. Shock registered on her face as I scooped her up and spun her around.
“What are you doing?” she stuttered.
“What I should have done a long fucking time ago.” I pulled her into me as tight as I could, needing to feel her, as I crashed my mouth onto hers.
Cameras snapped all around us, cheers and applauds echoed throughout the stadium. “The whole world is going to know exactly who you are to me and there is nothing fake about it.”
I felt her lips smile against mine. “You’re nuts.”
“Just for you. It’s all for you. I’m sorry I didn’t get it. That I made you feel like we were nothing. You are, and have been, my everything.” Her legs wrapped around me and despite the thousands of people watching, it felt like it was just the two of us.
“Everything with you has been real. It just took me far too long to figure it out and for that, I am sorry.” My hands wove into her hair tugging her closer as my forehead rested against hers. My heart thumped wildly in my chest. “I’m in love with you.”
She gasped just as the bucket of ice-cold Gatorade was dumped over us.
“You two look like you could use a cool down!” Kev screamed over the roar of the crowd.
April and I both shrieked.
“Way to ruin the moment, dickhead,” I grumbled, shaking off the ice.
Once the celebrations finished, I dragged April away and into her office where there were no prying eyes.
“I have something to show you.” I beamed, placing her down on the desk and reaching into my pocket.
“I bet.” She giggled.
“Not that,” I scoffed, but grinned at her dirty thoughts.
I pulled out the paper and passed it over to her. She eyed me suspiciously as she took it and carefully unfolded it. Her eyes widened as she read it over.
“What the?” Her eyes found mine. “Is this?”
“Yeah. It’s official. It just needs your signature.”
Her mouth gaped and closed. “But, when?”
“Once I realized what it was I wanted.” I paused, gauging her emotions. “I hope you want it too?” I asked shyly.
She fell into my arms. “Oof.” I grinned, catching her. “Is that a yes?”
She kissed me. Hard. My hands found their way to her ass as her legs wound around my waist.
“Yes.”
My head dipped down to her soaking wet shirt, nipping at her jersey.
“Can’t have you catching a cold.” I winked and tugged it off her.
She yanked me closer and planted a kiss on my lips.
We both frantically tugged at our pants.
Hers landing on the floor and mine around my thighs.
She gripped my cock and pumped it a few times.
My lips found hers, she was as hungry for me as I was her.
She lined me up, letting me know exactly what she wanted.
“Baby, you’re going to have to be quiet,” I said, slipping into her. Fuck, it felt good to be home.