Chapter 29
CHAPTER 29
RHETT
I was digging a hole to plant a new shrub in the front yard of the Born to Love residence when my phone rang with an alert. I pulled it out of my pocket, and my throat closed when I looked at the headline.
NFL WIFE SETS THE RECORD STRAIGHT. IMPLICATES NHL STAR LEVI JAMES IN ABUSING PRESCRIPTION DRUGS.
My name is Natalie Daniels, I am married to NFL player Rhett Daniels. I am writing to address a recent story about my personal life. It has come to my attention that there are false reports suggesting that I was still involved with Mr. James when I married Rhett. I want to emphasize that this story is entirely untrue and has resulted in significant distress. Levi James and I had ended our relationship last January due to his infidelity. It's unfortunate that my reputation and my husbands have been questioned based on statements from a man seeking revenge.
The accusation that my husband attacked Mr. James is also completely false and misleading. Levi is spreading these rumors to try to cover up the fact that he’s been using an illegal substance for the past two years. I have submitted documents supporting these claims to the NHL Players Association. They have launched a thorough investigation.
My husband is a well-respected figure known for his integrity and contributions to the community, so it was important for me to tell the truth. I want to personally apologize to his fans and the entire Atlanta Arrows organization for the confusion that this has caused.
My jaw went slack. I couldn’t believe she did this. I was reading the rest of the article when my phone dinged with another alert.
A smile broke out across my face as I looked at the picture. Natalie posted a photo of us on Instagram and tagged me. It was a picture of us lying in bed. We were watching a movie, and a bowl of popcorn was between us. The caption read, “My favorite place in the world is next to you, even when you’re not paying attention to me.”
If that wasn’t a declaration, I don’t know what was. She was making us official. No more hiding. And in true Natalie fashion, she didn’t stop there. She’s been sending me small gifts all week. The best one so far, was an autographed pair of Air Jordans, not just any pair, but a limited edition from 1985. The kind that came with a certificate of authenticity. They were exclusive and hard to find. I had no idea how she pulled it off, but I couldn’t stop grinning just thinking about how much thought she put into these little surprises.
The skin on the back of my neck prickled with awareness. I turned, already knowing it was her.
She stood just a few feet away in a cute yellow dress, her long blond hair cascading down her shoulders, and a pair of sunglasses sitting on top of her pretty head .
My heart pounded so loudly she could probably hear it.
I held my phone up and pointed to the screen. “You really threw your ex under the bus. You realize he’s going to be in big trouble, right?”
Natalie’s smile was wobbly as she stepped forward with her hands behind her back. “He put your career and your reputation in jeopardy. That’s not okay. I didn’t fabricate anything. I just told the truth.”
“You didn’t need to do that. I was planning on handling it all on my own.”
“Oh, yeah?” She smiled. “What did you have in store for him?”
I took the rag from my back pocket and wiped my hands off. “Do you really want to talk about him right now?”
She shook her head. “No, I came here to talk about us.”
It had been two weeks since she left me. Two weeks of gifts and food orders from my favorite restaurants. Two weeks of voicemails and emails saying she was going to win me back. I could make it easier on her and tell her she had already won, but where was the fun in that?
“Have you been enjoying all the gifts I’ve been sending?” she asked, folding her hands in front of her.
I took a small step forward. There was too much space between us. “So, you’re the one who bought me a pair of limited edition Jordans.”
She pursed her lips. “Who else do you think would send them?”
I shrugged. “I was just checking to see if it was you or one of my many mistresses.”
She took a step closer, and you could feel the air thicken between us. “I’m so sorry, Rhett. I freaked out. I didn’t know what to do. I was worried about you, about Beau, about everything, and I handled it all wrong. I know you said you were done, and I don’t blame you if you are. I’m here to ask for your forgiveness and see if there is a way to change your mind.”
“Change my mind about what?” I asked, moving closer to her.
“About us. I made a huge mistake.”
Yeah, she did, and I’ve spent the last two weeks going through the motions. I’ve been so torn up that I didn’t know what to do with myself. While what she did was shitty, I didn’t want to keep punishing her for it either.
“Mistakes are a part of life. Trust me, I’ve been making them since the day I was born,” I said, deciding to go easy on her.
She swallowed. “I hated that you were kicked off the team and forced to start a new life in a new city because of me.”
“The only kind of life I want is the one where you are in it.”
I also wanted to pull her into me, drag her home, and make up for lost time.
“I want nothing more than a life with you too. I regret leaving that day. I should have stayed. I should have talked to you about my concerns and given us a chance to work through them instead of asking for space.”
“Do you think it would have changed anything?”
I held my breath, hoping to God, she would give me the right answer. I’ve been miserable and angry, but I’ve always been honest with her and never gave up faith.
She nodded. “Yes, because I could have saved us both a lot of misery. It was unfair, and it wasn’t right.” She pressed a hand to my chest and looked up at me like she expected me to move away. “I’ve missed you. I’ve missed having your arms around me. I miss laughing with you and waking up next to you. And most of all, I miss knowing that you’re mine. Do you think you could find it in your heart to forgive me and give us another chance?”
“Are you sure that’s what you want?” I placed my hands around her waist.
She smiled at me. “I’m so sure that I got you this.” She reached into her pocket and placed a beaded bracelet in my hands. I looked down and realized it was just like the one my niece made me, except this one spelled out a different message. My heart pounded in my chest as I read the words. “Will You Be My Husband?”
I looked up to see tears streaming down her face. “Are you proposing to me?”
Her hands were now shaking as she wrapped them around mine. “I figured I would give it a try this time and see if we could give ourselves a better ending.”
“Natalie, I appreciate all this. I really do.”
She pressed a finger to my lips. “I messed up.”
“You did.”
“I hate what I did to us. I hate that I doubted us. I won’t do that again. I won’t hurt you. I promise to only love you from here on out.”
“What about Beau?” I asked.
I didn’t want to spoil the mood, but I had to know. I needed to hear the words. I didn’t want to question her decision. I needed to know that she chose me because that’s where her heart led her, not because he gave her permission or thought it was okay to love me.
She touched my cheek and smiled up at me. “Beau convinced me that I could fix this. He might have given me his permission, but I didn’t need it. I was always going to choose us.”
Unbeknownst to Natalie, Beau had called me and asked me to meet with him a week ago. He filled me in on their conversation and apologized for overreacting. He also called my agent and told him not to allow me to sign with another team. He even offered me a bonus to stay. I told him I would consider it. I was waiting on Natalie. I wanted to see how this was all going to play out. If she was done with me, there was no way I could stay. I wouldn’t be able to handle seeing her and not being able to be with her.
My contract with New York was in an unsigned envelope right next to the annulment papers I received from my lawyer yesterday. I was giving her until the end of the week to make a decision.
“What do you want, Natalie?” Never in my life do I ever remember fearing an answer to a question like this.
“Everything. I want everything with you.”
It was taking everything in me to stand still and not tackle the woman. I didn’t want to keep doing this dance with her. I didn’t want to keep playing these stupid games where I made her prove to me over and over again that she wanted a future with me.
I closed my eyes and rested my forehead against hers. “Thank fucking God, because I want you too.”
Her hands gripped my shirt and held on for dear life. “I’ve never loved anyone like you before, Rhett.”
I pulled her close. “That’s funny because I’ve never loved anyone but you.”
She moved her hands up to my face. “What about your trade? Where will you go? I need to know where to start looking for a new job.”
I smiled. “How do you feel about Atlanta?”
Her eyes widened with so much hope. “Does that mean you’re staying?”
I shrugged. “I mean, New York is still an option if you would prefer to live there. ”
“No. I hate the cold.”
I pulled away just enough to see her face. “I want a divorce.”
Her eyebrows pulled together. “What did you just say?”
“I don’t want you to stay married to me because of some stupid arrangement. I want a second chance.”
She smiled, but her stare was unwavering. “You realize you stole my thunder, right? I proposed first.”
I winked and dropped to my knees. “When I asked you the first time, it was out of need. Now, it’s because I want you by my side. You are my entire world; there is no one else for me.”
“There is no one else for me either,” she said, quietly stroking her finger down the side of my face.
I squeezed her hand and paused for a minute to pull myself together. “I need you, Natalie, because without you, nothing makes sense. I used to be afraid of commitment. The idea of marriage used to send me into a panic. But I realize now that’s because I didn’t have any idea what love felt like until I met you. Since the night we met, not once was I scared. Never hesitated or doubted if you were the right person for me. In fact, the only time I was truly scared was when you left me. I can’t ever lose you again.”
“You won’t.” She ran her fingers through my hair.
“I love you, Natalie. I know I’m not perfect. I’m going to screw up from time to time, but I promise to spend the rest of my life trying to make you happy. Will you be my forever? Marry me for real this time?”
Her small hand trembled. “On one condition.”
I raised a brow. “Name it.”
“I want a house with a yard and a pool.”
That was fine by me. More space to get creative when I was in the mood.
“Done. ”
“I’d also like kids someday.”
I didn’t even blink. “I’ll give you as many as you want.”
“I’m sorry,” she said in disbelief. “Did you just agree to kids?”
She obviously was expecting some pushback. “Sure, I think we should start trying right away. I’m not getting any younger.”
She tilted her head to the side. “Did you just agree to have a family with me just so you could get laid?”
I laughed. “I’m saying yes because I love you. Now, are you going to say yes to my proposal or keep handing out ultimatums?”
She moved her hands to my face, the smile on hers never fading. “Yes, I will marry you. I will say yes a thousand times if that’s what it takes to prove to you that I’m going to stand by your side forever.”
She got down on her knees, threw her arms around me, and sealed it with a kiss. My world never felt right until she came along. The night I met her, everything started to make sense. Now, I don’t just live for football and nights of fun. I live for her smile, her laugh, and how her eyes light up when I walk into a room.
I live for her.