Chapter 28
Thunder Over Louisville is one of my favorite things about the city.
It’s the kickoff event leading up to the Kentucky Derby.
Next weekend is the annual Dogwood Festival, where I’ll bring Daffodil and my assortment of bouquets to sell for the first time.
But for today, I’m trying to stay in the moment and enjoy everything Thunder has to offer.
We already saw the airshow this morning where military-style aircraft do flybys over our city and other aircraft do fun aerobatic demos. Let me tell you, hearing fighter jets fly overhead is exhilarating. It’s no wonder the day’s festivities draw hundreds of thousands of visitors from all over.
Now, my friends and I are enjoying the annual home Mustangs game in Waterfront Park from the comfort of Austin’s box seats.
There’s a concert in the stadium that follows the game.
But my favorite thing about Thunder Over Louisville, by a long shot, is the thirty-minute fireworks display over the river.
Everyone crams together like a can of sardines along the Ohio River to watch the night sky light up in one of the nation’s largest fireworks shows.
Although, I’ve always preferred watching the show from the less crowded ballpark.
While I’ve attended Thunder every year of my life, this year is my favorite by far. Everything feels more special and magical today with Connor by my side. I know crowded places aren’t exactly his thing, so the fact that he’s here because he wants to spend time with me fills my heart.
Alyssa cups her hands around her mouth and shouts, “Boo!” The umpire just called another pitch thrown to Austin a strike when it was clearly a ball. “Get some glasses, Blue.”
Connor leans closer to me, his arm brushing mine on the armrest between us. “I didn’t know she was so invested in baseball.”
“It’s not the game she’s invested in.” He shoots me a questioning look. I press my cheek against his and whisper, “Lyss won’t admit it, but she’s totally in love with him.”
“Really?”
I pull back and nod.
Connor looks thoughtfully between Alyssa and the field, the puzzle pieces all falling into place in his mind. “I see what you mean. The winter trivia night. Your joint birthday party. He always shows up for her.”
“He bakes for her, too, whenever she leaves another one of her awful dates that are completely wrong for her.”
“Well, no dates will ever measure up if she’s in love with him.” Connor gestures to the field. “Austin’s a pro baseball player.”
“That’s what we’ve been telling her all along.” I sigh. “She just needs time to see it for herself.”
“Just like us.” Connor reaches over and grabs my hand before hiding it behind the giant tub of popcorn we’re sharing—a perk of Austin giving us his box seats for this game.
I don’t know that we necessarily need to hide our hand-holding since everyone here already knows something is happening between us, but the excitement of hiding our affection in front of all my friends has me feeling like a middle schooler concealing her crush.
It’s an adrenaline rush that leaves me craving more.
There’s no hiding my smile as Connor plays with my hand, dragging the tips of his fingers against my palm in a way that feels both playful and enticing.
With a full count, Austin pulls his bat back, preparing for what Connor just told me is called the payoff pitch—one that ends in either the batter striking out, walking to first, or getting a hit.
The pitch is thrown and Austin swings. The sound of his wooden bat connecting with the ball has me inhaling sharply.
I think everyone in our box collectively holds their breath as we watch the ball soar over the heads of the infield players.
The center field and left field players of the opposing team sprint toward the back of the field and run into each other as the ball hits the outfield wall and falls to the grass behind them.
Alyssa throws her arms up and cheers as Austin rounds first base and heads toward second. “Go, Austin!”
The left fielder scrambles to get back up and grabs the ball, throwing it to the second baseman. Austin slides into the plate just before the second baseman catches the ball. The on-field umpire slides his arms out, gesturing that he’s safe.
All of us in the box hoot and holler. I turn and high-five Alyssa with my free hand.
“That was a great hit, wasn’t it?” She beams.
“For sure.” I nudge her with my elbow. “Speaking of Austin, have you asked him to go to your cousin’s wedding this summer yet?”
Her face falls. “I don’t think I’m going to.”
“Why not?”
Alyssa runs her fingers through the ends of her long hair curled to perfection. Today, half of it is pulled up in a high pony, and a maroon silk scarf is tied around it for an added touch of Mustangs spirit. “It’s during All-Star Week.”
“Isn’t that usually during the week?”
Alyssa nods. “Yep, Bianca and Bradley decided to get married on a Wednesday.”
I roll my eyes. “They’re like the human equivalent of a splinter.”
She scoffs. “Tell me about it. I mean, of course the two most conceited, selfish people in the world would choose to get married in the middle of the week to make everyone take off work.”
“Seriously.” I eye her suspiciously. “But why won’t you ask Austin if it’s during his time off?”
“That’s his only real break, minus a random few days off sprinkled throughout the season. I couldn’t ask him to give up that precious time to come to an awkward family wedding.”
“You could,” I counter. “It’s up to you, but I’m sure Austin would want to be there for you.”
Alyssa leans back in her seat. “We’ll see. I haven’t really even convinced myself to go yet.”
“I don’t blame you.”
Alyssa pulls her lips to the side. “I’m going to need all the updates at girls’ night this week.”
“About what?”
She lowers her voice. “The fact that you’re holding hands with Connor right now.”
My cheeks are on fire. I guess we aren’t as inconspicuous as I thought. I turn back to look at the field as the rest of our friends cheer again. I tilt my head toward Connor. “What happened?”
“Cooper hit a double that sent Austin home. We’re up by one run now.”
I look over at the scoreboard. It’s the bottom of the seventh. If the Mustangs can keep this up, they just might win one of the most exciting, sold-out home games of the season.
I relay all the information to Alyssa so she can congratulate Austin on his run later. “Also, I can’t wait to tell y’all everything.” I glance over at Connor, then back at her. “I’m really happy.”
Alyssa squeezes my arm. “I love that for you. You deserve all the happiness in the world.” She shoots me a meaningful look before turning her attention back to the field. I reach over and grab another handful of popcorn.
“What was that about?” Connor asks.
I shrug. “Just girl stuff.”
“You don’t have to hide anything from me, flower,” he whispers.
The feeling of his warm breath along my ear and neck has heat pooling in my middle and spreading out to all my limbs.
I bet the color of my neck and face right now would make a wonderful shade of lipstick or blush.
“I like that you want to talk about me.” I swear that I feel his lips brush along my ear. “About us.”
“Is there an us to talk about?” My responding whisper comes out an octave higher than normal.
I’m doing a poor job of maintaining any semblance of control, but what else is a girl to do when the man she’s been crushing on for over a decade’s mouth is literally so close she can feel it?
So close I can almost taste it. I’m only human, after all.
“I want there to be.” He pauses, then adds, “Don’t you?”
I nod so quickly I would be the perfect model for the bobbleheads sold in the stadium gift shop.
Connor’s lips pull up at the corners. “I’m glad we’re on the same page.”
Tess’s daughter Evie bounces excitedly in my lap as the band on the stage finishes their final song of the concert.
This year, it was a local cover band that played everything from The Beatles to the Jonas Brothers.
Evie was ecstatic that their last song was a cover of “Into the Unknown” from Frozen 2.
Even though they’re now off stage as we wait for the fireworks to begin, Evie is screaming out the siren call part of the song. “Oh, oh. Oh, oh.”
She’s actually not half bad.
Evie abruptly turns in my lap. “Mr. Austin?”
He arrived in the box suite halfway through the concert after his press time and a quick shower. Austin pauses his conversation with Tyler and gives her his full attention. “Yes, Ms. Evie?”
She giggles. “Are any of the friends you play with single? You know, I still need a new daddy.”
I bite the inside of my lips to contain my laugh.
Tess turns with a huff as all of our friends near enough to hear the exchange attempt to stifle their laughter. “What have I told you about asking random men if they’re single?”
Evie crosses her arms. “I wasn’t asking him if he’s single. I asked about his friends. They aren’t random. He knows them.”
Tess moves across the box and kneels in front of me to look her daughter in the eyes. “It’s not polite to ask that. If I ever date again, I want it to happen naturally, not because my daughter is asking a bunch of men to be her new daddy.”
Evie lets out an exasperated sigh that feels much too heavy for someone who’s only five years old. “Okay.”
“Thank you.” Tess makes her way back to Alyssa and Mallory and resumes her conversation.
I look back at Austin just in time to catch him nodding at Evie like they’re in on the secret together. He mouths I’ve got you.
Evie giggles, then grabs my arms and wraps them around her. From the moment all the Long Live Girlies went and cheered her on at her dance recital in the fall, she’s become our honorary niece. Getting to spend time with her and Tess as a package duo has been the biggest blessing.
“Aunt Shay?”
“Yes, sweetie?” I squeeze her tight, and she erupts into another fit of giggles.