Chapter 37
THIRTY-SEVEN
ANNIKA - SIX WEEKS LATER
The ball hangs in the air like a bubble just out of reach. Parker leaps and stretches. My hands tent over my nose, nerves prickling, heart pumping.
Catch it. Catch it, babe.
Parker’s hands close around the ball like they were always meant to.
Clean.
Certain.
Never a doubt.
He tucks it in, drives forward across the line. The stadium erupts in a roar loud enough to rattle my ribs.
The brothers have secured their place in sports history with a 27-21 overtime victory. The first brother trio to win the ultimate game.
Confetti cannons fire.
Gold and green paper flutters down.
The Austin Armadillos just won the championship.
And Parker didn’t hesitate, not once.
I don’t realize I’m crying until Noelle bumps my shoulder, laughing through her own tears, baby balanced on her hip. Most of the O’Ryan family are all together, except Sutton. She’s on the field.
Paulina yells, “Why doesn’t confetti rain down in tennis?” Then she and her boyfriend Trevor jump over the wall and run onto the field, screaming.
“I told you,” Noelle shouts over the noise.
“Told me what?”
“You were good for him. Now he’s a champion because of you,” she says, full of pride for her best friend and brother.
I try to laugh, but it comes out shaky, caught somewhere in my heart. Because I know what this moment cost him. What it took to make it to this point.
Not just physically, but mentally.
Emotionally.
I find him as he breaks free from his teammates. He takes his helmet off, turning toward us, chest rising and falling as reality crashes over him. He scans the stands and finds me, waving. Even in the distance I see it.
He shifts his focus like there’s no one in the stadium but us.
There’s a half door that opens in this section so the families can easily get onto the field, and I ask the security guard, “Can you open it now? He’s coming. He’s coming.”
The man wearing bright yellow says, “Yes ma’am. Congratulations.”
Parker isn’t walking. He’s running.
He always runs toward what matters.
When my feet hit the field, I don’t have time to brace before he’s scooping me up, lifting me off my feet. I laugh through my tears as my arms wrap around his neck, holding onto him as tightly as he is.
“You did it,” I whisper against his ear.
“We did it. You and me.”
I pull back enough to look at him, and we press our lips together. A tear of mine rolls over our mouths and I choke out, “You caught everything.”
“Not everything,” his tone low and voice cracking. “But the ones that mattered.”
My heart stutters because I know he’s not just talking about football. He’s talking about us.
“When you already have everything you need, like I do, winning the championship is just icing on the cake.” He wraps me with his sweaty arms, kissing me.
Noelle’s right about her brother. He’s a hopeless romantic. The kind of man every woman wants.
Strong.
Handsome.
Romantic.
Gentle and generous.
Dirty in the bedroom.
And in love.
Behind him his family floods the field. Mr. O’Ryan pushes through the crowd, wanting to reach his sons. I can’t imagine how proud he is to have three sons win the championship together. Not to mention his daughter-in-law being the General Manager and his son-in-law being the offensive coordinator.
This is truly a family affair.
He grabs J.D., Greyson, Parker into a group hug. I’ve never seen J.D. cry, but even he can’t hold back his tears. Finally, he lets them go and the rest of the family pulls Parker and Greyson into hugs. This is Greyson’s last game ever and no one wants to interrupt this emotional moment for them.
When they break, the celebration is chaotic, just like the O’Ryan family. Granny is yelling “Come here, Little Bit.”
While Granny is telling him how proud of him she is, Sutton, Birdie, all the kids, the babysitters, Matt’s family, and half of the Texas football team have swarmed the family.
And as overwhelming as it should be, somehow it feels like home.
A feeling I haven’t had until I started playing with Parker O’Ryan’s head.
And then, small arms wrap around my waist. “Sissy, he won.” Mila beams, her eyes bright with excitement.
I laugh, pulling her close. “He did.” I look over my shoulder and Nadia stands about five feet away, giving us this moment together.
Parker turns, immediately kissing me on the cheek. “My number looks good on you.”
“Do you like sparkles?” I ask, teasing him.
He leans in. “I can’t wait to see how they glimmer with you bent over the couch,” he whispers in a hoarse voice that drives me over the edge every time.
Then he drops to one knee in front of Mila, his grin gentle.
“And you’re wearing number eighty.” He spins Mila around and under O’Ryan it says, ‘The Best Brother.’
He smiles. “It looks good on you. Maybe you’ll grow up to be a football player. Did you see that catch?” he asks.
She nods, enthusiastically. “You didn’t even look scared.”
His gaze flicks to mine for a second then back to her. I know what he’s thinking since I’ve been playing with his head for months.
“That’s because I trusted it.”
The word lands between us.
Powerful and important.