28. Chapter 28
Since the start of the cocktail hour, Austin has been bombarded by wedding guests wanting pictures and asking him all sorts of baseball-related questions.
It feels a little bit like our paradise bubble has popped, but I don’t mind.
I could sit and listen to him talk about sports for hours with the way it makes his face light up like a kid on Christmas morning.
But it doesn’t hold a candle to the way he looks at me.
Today, I’m happy just to be the proud girlfriend standing next to him, silently cheering him on.
I still can’t get over the fact that I finally get to call him my boyfriend.
We’ve been so busy—kissing, obviously—but I’m determined to talk more about the future tonight.
I know my besties will demand to know every little detail at our weekly girls’ night tomorrow.
“It’s an honor to meet you.” Another wedding guest shakes Austin’s hand. He looks vaguely familiar, probably someone I met at one of the country club events I attended with Bradley years ago. “Your batting average this season is insane, man. What’s the secret to your success?”
My mind flashes back to the clip I saw of the reporter asking Austin that same question after the game he played out of his mind.
That night he told the reporter it was just a lucky day, and it felt like another nail in the coffin, placing me firmly in the friend zone.
But tonight, he looks down at me like I’m the answer to everything.
“A whole lot of practice and being surrounded by people who support you every step of the way. The ones who help you pick yourself up and carry on after the hard games and who celebrate every win with you. That’s the key to success.” Austin slides his hand down to my waist. “At least, it’s mine.”
I thought the only time I’d hear Austin talk about me like this was in my dreams. But hearing him credit his success to me—to a stranger, nonetheless—is my new kryptonite. My entire body hums, wanting to be closer to him.
I settle for squeezing his arm. “Austin’s being modest. He’s got more talent in his pinky finger than most people do in their entire body.”
“You’ve got that right.” The guy points at me before turning back to Austin. “You know, I actually used to be pretty good myself back in the day. I was a starter for my high school team.”
“Is that so?”
No one else would be able to notice the slight inflection in Austin’s tone, but I catch it and duck my head to hide my amused smile.
We’ve had multiple conversations about this topic.
How random fans will approach him and talk about their glory days from high school baseball and how they would’ve gone pro if not for an injury or living in such a small town.
“Yeah, I was a pitcher. Everyone said I would’ve made it big if I hadn’t torn my rotator cuff my junior year.” He rubs his shoulder. “My pitching was never the same after that.”
Yep, there it is. It’s always some version of the same thing, but Austin takes the comment in stride, as he always does. “I’d have loved to have seen you play.”
The man’s smile is wider than the state of Texas. “I wish you could’ve seen my slider.” He holds up his hands. “It’s nowhere near as good as Fletcher’s, but it was unhittable back in my school district.”
“We’ll have to get you to one of my games so you can see Fletch’s in person.”
His eyes light up. “That’d be great. Thanks, man.”
“Do you have a business card?”
He reaches into his suit pants pocket, pulls a card from his wallet, and hands it to Austin.
I immediately recognize the slow song that begins playing over the speakers. Austin must notice it, too, because he reaches out and shakes the guy’s hand again. “It was great meeting you, but it’s time for me to escort this gorgeous woman to the dance floor.”
Austin whisks me onto the dance floor, pulling me close as the chorus to “Lover” begins to play.
“You’re good with your fans.” I loop my hands around his neck.
He shrugs off the compliment. “I just talk to them like any normal person. That’s all I am too.”
“Maybe to me.” I run my thumb along the exposed skin above the collar of his jacket. “But to them you’re an MLB star.”
His eyes light up with mirth. “I’m just a normal person to you?”
“Yeah, I know things about you that definitely make you seem normal.”
“Enlighten me.”
“You snore when you’re exhausted. You love baking and watching New Girl, which are very normal people things to do.
You’re also humble. You know you’re one of the best baseball players in the world to be playing at a pro level, but you still offer to teach my nephews how to play the game and hang out with us plebians for a casual dinner or participate in a trivia night with my friends.
” I pat his shoulder. “And the real kicker: You can’t keep a plant alive to save your life. ”
“Hey, I’ve kept the one from Shayna alive for a while now,” he claps back.
I purse my lips. “I’ve actually been watering it every time I come over.”
He looks down at me. “You’ve kept my plant alive?”
I smile up at him. “You seemed so happy it was thriving, so I couldn’t let it die.”
“I can’t believe you did that without me ever noticing.”
“Let’s be honest, there are a lot of things you didn’t notice.” I laugh.
Austin doesn’t, though. His pupils dilate as his gaze drops to my lips. “I noticed you. It took me longer than it should have, but there’s no going back now. And don’t worry, I’m much better with people than plants.”
“Poor Franny the Fiddle-leaf Fig,” I tease, trying to lighten the sensation coursing through my body. Because if I don’t joke around right now, I might do something crazy, like shout that I love him. I don’t want to scare him away, not when I finally have him.
That finally gets a laugh out of him. “You named her?”
I nod. “But I probably shouldn’t have. There’s a solid chance she’s dead now that I didn’t come over at all last week and we’ve been here this week.”
He grimaces. “I remembered to water her before I traveled to my away games, so maybe she’s still got a shot.”
Thinking of going back home sends a sinking feeling to my gut. “I’m scared.”
Austin trails his hand up and down my back in a soothing motion. “Of what?”
“What’s going to happen once we leave paradise?
” I know life will look different once we’re back to our jobs and routines, and we haven’t talked about what that will look like.
About what will happen to this romance budding between us.
Will he water the seed that just began to sprout, or will we wilt before we’ve even had a chance to grow?
“We’ll be us,” Austin says. “We can still call and text when I travel, and you can come to as many home games as you want.” He smiles.
“I still picture you coming over to my house and eating the cookies I baked for you. Watching countless hours of New Girl on my couch while you’re snuggled up in the corner like my little Aly Kat.
But add in dates and a lot more kissing. ” He winks at me.
I raise a brow, a smile on my lips. “I think I could get used to that.”
Austin leans down and kisses me, slow and tender, until the world around us melts away. And I don’t care if we’re on the dance floor at a wedding in St. Lucia or in his living room back in Louisville. Being wrapped up in Austin’s arms is my favorite place to be.