Chapter 28
TWENTY-EIGHT
“Repeat that again.”
My mouth dried, not trusting the words coming from Kinsley. When I first crashed into the hotel room, I’d been miserable, replaying all the terrible calls and plays from the game tonight. My own arm had been shit—I missed balls I should have caught in my sleep.
Then, this phone call changed everything.
I hadn’t talked to Kinsley much today—only a few texts about Anna, nothing more.
No mention of what happened between us. It was cowardly, but I hadn’t wanted to push her, sure she’d shove us back into our co-parent roles, that I’d made a mistake by asking her to think about what she wanted, and it would be another excuse for her to push me away.
But with one sentence from Kinsley, all my doubts faded away.
"I want to try this, Jace. When I’m with you…” Her voice trailed off, but the corner of her lips turned up. “Being with you makes me happy—happier than I’ve been in years. And I’m tired of fighting it because I’m afraid.”
My fist pumped into the air, unable to hold back for a minute longer. “Thank fuck, Kins.”
“Something tells me that was the answer you wanted to hear.”
“Hell yes, mama. You have no idea what hearing that is doing to me right now. I wish you were here so I could show you.”
“God, so do I,” she breathed out. “When do you come home?”
“Three more days.” We had another two games to play in San Francisco, and then I’d be heading back. But that was too long, enough time for those doubts to creep back into Kinsley’s mind. “Come out here.”
“What?” she squealed. “Jace, I can’t just—”
“Look, I’m not trying to push you into anything, but if it’s about work, tell me the last time you took a day off.
” She opened her mouth, but I beat her to it.
“And no, Anna being sick doesn’t count. I mean a day to do something for you.
A vacation. Spa day.” Her mouth twisted into a pout—I had her there.
“Take off the next couple days and fly out to meet me. I don’t want to wait anymore. ”
Kinsley chewed on the corner of her lip. “Okay, fine. I might have six weeks of vacation time, and I haven’t taken a single day off.”
“You coming to me, Kins?”
“Yeah,” she laughed. “I guess I am. Shit, what does a plane ticket cost? I’m not even sure, but I should have enough to cover it. Should I bring Anna? She’s never traveled that far from home, and I’m going to need to pack all her stuff.”
“Woah, mama. Slow down. First of all, I’m paying for the tickets.” She frowned into the phone. “Don’t you dare argue with me, not when you’re coming here to be with me. I’m taking care of it.”
Kinsley paused, and her jaw twitched. “Okay, fine. You can pay for my ticket this one time, hotshot. But I don’t need you to cover me.”
“I know, Kins. But I’m never going to stop taking care of my family.
So let me? Please?” She stared at me for almost an entire minute before nodding.
“Also, don’t take this the wrong way, but what if you came out here alone?
” Her brow furrowed. “Not because I don’t want to see Anna.
I miss her like fucking crazy. But what if we take a couple days just for us?
Figure out what we’re like outside of being Anna’s parents. ”
Kinsley paused, “I’ve never been away from her that long.”
“And if you’re not ready, I get it, mama.” It would hurt like hell to wait, but there was no way I’d ask her to come if it made her stressed. “It was probably a bad idea. When I get back, maybe I can take you out?”
Kinsley opened her mouth but then slammed it shut and shook her head.
“Give me a minute.” And then, the screen went black.
The time kept ticking by; with every passing second, my mind raced with doubts.
There was no way I deserved another chance with Kinsley.
I’d done enough in my past to erase any hope I had of earning her, but I was enough of a bastard to try.
I’d just formed a speech in my mind when the call clicked back on.
“Chelsea and Mark are going to watch Anna for us. I have to be back at work for a meeting on Thursday, but if the offer still stands…”
“Does that mean…”
She nodded her head, trying to hide her grin, but it was useless. Her smile was a beacon to me, always calling me back to her. I’d find it in any crowd. “Yeah, hotshot, I’m going to come out to see you. Let’s see how it goes between us.”
My leg bounced as I sat on the bench in the dugout, my eyes scanning the crowd every few minutes. The rest of the team warmed up around me, kicking up dirt and grass until the scent permeated the air. But I couldn’t focus on that, not right now.
Instead, I searched for the group of seats reserved for team families.
Some of the team had bought seats earlier in the season, and, luckily for me, one player’s sister had to cancel her trip, leaving the ticket up for grabs.
Now, it was waiting at will call for Kinsley as soon as she got here from the airport.
As I stepped out onto the field, vibrations and cheers from the home team’s fans echoed.
San Francisco’s stadium was so different from ours.
The edge of the outfield bucked up against the bay, giving us nothing but darkening blue skies over the water behind us.
Back home, the city surrounded us instead.
Being away for games was always a little jarring, from the long flights to the hotel beds and even trying to get ready in unfamiliar locker rooms, but it was even harder now that I had people back home waiting for me.
At least this time, Kinsley would be out in the crowd, rooting us on.
Fuck; my fingers stretched over my pants, feeling for my phone, even though I’d locked away before coming onto the field. If I could just check that damn app, I’d feel better, know Kinsley was on her way to me. She was supposed to land over an hour ago, but she hadn’t arrived yet.
Unfortunately, I couldn’t pick her up from the airport because I had to get to the field, but Hadley had volunteered.
She was tagging along for this round of games and squealed when she found out Kinsley was coming out for the next two.
Before she’d left the hotel this morning, I’d slipped her a gift for Kinsley, hoping she’d like it.
“Hey, Lyons!” My head bobbed up, finding Cam smirking at me. He pointed up at the stands. “Your girl is here.”
Without another word, I turned and rushed to the edge of the field.
Cam pointed up into the crowd, and there she was, standing right next to Hadley.
Fuck, I liked that. I’d never had a woman in the stands for me before, not wanting to overcomplicate things.
But with Kinsley, everything was different.
Seeing her up there, sitting with the rest of the wives and girlfriends…
fuck, it felt so right, as if that seat had always belonged to her.
Hadley spotted me first and then elbowed Kinsley. Her eyes darted down, scanning the field until she found me. Her resulting smile knocked the air out of my lungs, filling me with more joy than anything else had in years. Dark, emerald green fabric surrounded her, and I mouthed, “Turn around.”
She rolled her eyes but complied, showing me the back of the jersey I’d grabbed for her this morning.
White letters splayed across her shoulders—fuck.
She wore my jersey with pride, marking herself as mine.
My dick hardened in my pants at the sight.
I was already counting down the minutes until this game was over, fantasizing about all the ways I’d make Kinsley scream once we were behind closed doors.
I could already taste her on my tongue, could already feel her sweet heat squeezing me tight.
Cam smacked my shoulder, “Knock that shit off, man. Win the game first, and then you can take care of your girl.”
“You’re one to talk,” I smirked. “Don’t think we didn’t see how quick you slipped out last night.”
“Not gonna apologize for that.” Cam winked at Hadley before he moved back toward the dugout. “But I want to win this one, show them that last night was a fluke.”
“Fuck yes.” With one last smile at Kinsley, I followed him. “Kinsley came all this way, I want to give her a good show.”
“Let’s do it,” Cam agreed. “Trust me—there’s nothing like winning when your girl is in the stands.”