Chapter 28 #2
I pull into Daylen’s driveway. His Jeep is out front, so I know he’s home.
Using his code, I walk inside and am immediately warmly greeted by BJ.
She’s so gentle with me. It’s such a contrast to how she practically tackles Daylen when he walks into the house.
It’s like she knows about the baby. Maybe she really is as smart as Daylen thinks she is.
I rub her ear as she nuzzles into my stomach lovingly. “Where’s Daddy?” I ask.
Oh god, now I’m talking to her like she understands me, just like Daylen does.
She motions her nose toward the stairs. Yep, she understands me. Genius dog.
I walk up the stairs and hear music. Naturally, it’s “Waterfalls,” and it makes me smile. Why does he love that song so much?
I know the answer, and it’s a sweet one.
Following the sounds, I make my way down the long hallway to one of the guestrooms. I can smell it’s freshly painted before I arrive at the doorway and see the new pretty pastel pink color on the walls. Painting supplies are piled in the corner over a plastic sheet.
There are a variety of pastel-colored basketballs and footballs stenciled on the wall with all types of animals.
There are new built-in bookshelves filled with children’s books and other decorative knick-knacks.
I can’t help but smile as I notice a mobile on the ground that has both tiny basketballs and tiny footballs hanging from it. He obviously had it custom made.
Looking to the other side of the room, I see a big ivory toy chest with a pink Beaver on the front, overflowing with toys. Dozens of stuffed animals fill the huge lavender and ivory striped rocking chair next to it.
And then I see him. My husband.
He’s on the ground with a screwdriver, assembling a crib. He’s mindlessly shaking his body and quietly singing the words to his favorite song as he reviews the instructions with determined focus.
The tears run afresh from my eyes as I watch him build our baby’s crib. He’s one of the highest paid players in the league. He can more than afford to have someone else do all this, but he wants to be the one to do everything.
My heart has never felt fuller in my life.
Only three words cross my mind right now. “I love you,” I state without a shred of doubt or regret.
His head snaps to me. “Oh shit. You said you had plans with your friends tonight. I didn’t want you to see this room until it was done.
I wanted to surprise you.” He holds his hands up in surrender.
“Don’t be mad. I know it’s early, but things get crazy once my season kicks into high gear, and I wanted to do it all myself. ”
“I love you,” I again announce with a fresh wave of tears dripping down my cheeks.
As if hearing it for the first time, he smiles so damn big that I can’t help but let out a laugh through my tears. “You love me?” he asks. “Love-love or love that I’m assembling a crib?”
“All of it,” I answer without hesitation. “Every single thing about you.”
He places the screwdriver, instructions, and screws on the ground before standing and walking to me. His arms are open, about to embrace me, but his face falls drastically as he approaches. “What’s wrong, baby? Why are you crying?”
I take his hand. “Can we go to the roof balcony and talk?”
He nods. “Of course. Is everything okay?”
I lean into him and bury my nose in his neck, taking in his familiar, comforting scent that wraps around me like a warm blanket. “It is now,” I breathe.
We silently walk up to the balcony and lie on the big circular lounger-sofa. I rest my head on his chest, needing to feel his arms around me like I’ve never needed anything else in my life.
Without hesitation, he indulges me and pulls me close to him. “What’s wrong?”
“I think you’re my person, and it fucking terrifies me.”
“I love hearing that, baby, but what’s wrong? Why are you crying?”
“That’s what’s wrong. You called me baby…and I like it.” I start sobbing again.
He lets out a laugh. “Because it’s always been a red flag, right?”
I nod through my tears while he continues to laugh and hold me. He whispers into my hair, “Do you want me to put on sandals too? I can take a selfie in front of my car if you want…with my Android…while wearing a chain necklace and white jeans…with my fruity drink in my other hand.”
I can’t help but laugh through my tears. “The fact that you listen to my red flags is kind of a green flag.”
“Yeah, well the fact that your tits keep getting bigger is a huge green flag for me. We’re a match made in heaven.”
I smack his arm. “They are not.”
“Um, yes, they are. Trust me. They’re my favorite things on this planet.
I know when they’re changing. I know every inch of your body, and I love all of it almost as much as I love you.
” He tilts my chin until my eyes meet his.
“I love you too. I have for a while, but I knew you wouldn’t want me to say it first.”
And then the waterworks begin all over again because once again, he knew what I needed and gave it to me. Why am I so damn emotional?
Oh, right. Duh.
He studies me carefully. “Did something happen tonight? I know my girl, and this isn’t just lovey-dovey emotions. You’re upset about something specific.”
Yep, he’s my person.
“I walked in on my dad and a woman,” I admit.
He smiles. “Good for Coach. He deserves to get laid.”
I stare at him. “That’s my father, asshole.”
He chuckles. “Right. He deserves to make love. Better?”
“No, dipshit.”
He chuckles. “Why were you there? I thought you were going to Shay and Alyssa’s tonight?”
“I was at their place for a bit.” I bite my lip. He’s not going to be happy about this. “I decided it was time to have a real talk with my dad. I wanted to lay it all on the table and confess everything to him.”
He stiffens. “What?” he says in a raised tone. “I wanted to be there for that conversation. I owe it to him to have that conversation man to man. I would have done it months ago, but I’m respecting your wishes. You should also respect mine. That’s how relationships work.”
Now I feel like shit. “You’re right. I’m sorry,” I whisper. “I wanted to protect you from his wrath like you protect me. It doesn’t matter anyway. I didn’t tell him.”
“Then why are you so upset?”
I exhale a long breath. “He didn’t answer the door, so I just walked in. He was by his pool dancing with a woman. At first I thought it was sweet, but then I saw her face. It was Fallon.”
His eyebrows pinch in confusion. “Fallon who?”
“How many fucking Fallons do you know?”
“Fallon Montgomery? That Fallon? Tanner’s ex-wife, Fallon? Harper’s mom, Fallon? Your coach, Fallon?”
“Oh my god,” I whine. “Stop saying her name. Yes, that Fallon. The one who has weaseled her way into my life over the past few months. I thought she cared about me, but it was about my father, like everything and everyone in my life growing up.”
His lips twist a bit. “Nah, that doesn’t sound like Fallon. I’ve known her for ten years. She’s a good person. She doesn’t have a deceitful bone in her body.”
“Did you know that when they were married, she fucked Tanner’s best friend? That’s what precipitated their divorce.”
His eyeballs nearly pop out of his head. “No way. She wouldn’t do that.”
“She told me directly that she did. In fact, she pretty much used those exact words. How do you feel about those non-existent deceitful bones now?”
His head falls back, and he breathes, “Holy shit. Tanner has never said a word about it. Maybe he doesn’t know.”
“He knows. She told him right away. They got separated immediately after it happened.”
He nods his head as if things are coming back to him and falling into place. “So that’s why Fallon was hell bent on getting out of New York City. She wanted to come home to her family. Now I know why. That’s fucking nuts. Poor Tanner.”
“What about me?”
He’s silent for a few beats. “I admit maybe she’s not exactly who I thought she was, but I still don’t see her as calculated. Trust me, I’ve been around a lot of calculated women in my life. Fallon isn’t one of them. What did she say when they saw you?”
“They didn’t see me. I was emotional and ran out of there before they could catch me. I came straight here.”
“Because I’m your person?” he says in a lighthearted manner.
I narrow my eyes at him. “Don’t push it. I have other candidates for the position,” I deadpan.
He silently laughs. “Nah, it’s me. You love me. Will you change my name in your phone to My Person?” He gasps. “Even better, I want to be your emergency contact.”
I roll my eyes. “I’ll think about it. It might be too much of a commitment. Honestly, I don’t need an emergency contact. I need a person I can trust to clear my browser history, lie to my lawyer, and clean the crime scene.”
He smiles. “One day it will all be me.” He sighs. “Why don’t you just go back over there and have an adult conversation with them?”
I lift my head in shock. “What? They were two seconds away from having sex. I’m not walking back into the lion’s den of debauchery.”
He shakes his head. “I feel like there’s probably a reasonable explanation for everything.
Instead of crying about it and making up stories in your head, let’s just go find out what it is.
Your father loves you and would never purposefully do anything to hurt you.
Fallon may have a few more imperfections than I thought, but she’s just not like that. ”
He stands and lifts me like a bride as if I weigh nothing. “Let’s go. I’ll go with you.”
“What? No way. He doesn’t know about us or the baby.”
“Then let’s just tell him. I’m sick of secrets. I’m sick of hiding. You told me you love me. I love you. We’re married. We’re having a baby. He’s your father. He’s my coach. Let’s all just have a little chat and clear the air.”
I scrunch my face in disgust. “Ugh. How the hell did you become the mature one?”
He smiles with pride. “Holy crap. You’re right.” Walking us back inside, his face turns more serious. “I want to do this. It’s time.”