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“You suck.”
Her voice cracks, and those green eyes are glistening with tears. I grin. As much as I want to kiss that teary glare right off her face and tell her a hundred times more how much I love her, she’s going to have to watch this game first.
Chapter 56
ANDIE
He thinks he can tell me he loves me and then just walk away. In what world did he think that was a good idea?
As I stand here waiting for his broad frame to appear, all I can think about is how he played this dangerous game, and I didn’t even get the chance to say it back. His punk-ass is about to get a piece of my mind.
I roll the stroller gently back and forth, trying to soothe Ax to sleep amidst the celebratory chatter of the team's family and friends. This booger is so past exhaustion he’s close to losing it. Traveling and then sleeping in a new place, along with the time change, has left him a fussy mess. If Sean doesn’t get his tail out here soon, I might be right there with him.
Waiting, I text Gem, knowing she and Nora are together after watching the game. They’ve been blowing up my phone, demanding a play-by-play, and I’m having so much fun torturing them with the bare minimum. I put my phone back in the diaper bag as players finally start to filter out. It’s only a minute before Sean’s strong form comes into view.
Watching him stride toward me on the field today, I’m pretty certain my heart skipped with joy, and every single bit of worry and doubt vanished. He looked in shock, and the second tears formed in his eyes, I thought I might lose it right there on thefield like some kind of blubbering fool. I kept it under control, but then he had to go and tell me he loved me, sending me over the emotional edge.
This time his face is set in pure determination, and there’s a level of heat to it that has me wobbling just a little. I tighten my grip on the stroller as he drops his duffle bag next to me, then sweeps me up, bringing me level with him.
His crystal blue eyes are shimmering with tears, and all my frustration takes flight. I wrap my arms around his neck and hold him so tight. This is what I’ve needed and longed for.
“I can’t believe you’re here.” His voice is muffled through my hair. “I’ve missed you so much. Seeing you…I thought I was losing my mind.”
I smile, breathing in his clean scent that smells like home. “I missed you, too.” I squeeze him tighter, having needed this since he left. “Are you allowed to get out of here yet? Ax isn’t going to last much longer without a bed. He hasn’t slept much.”
He sets me down but doesn’t release me like he’s still trying to convince himself this is real. I grin, which causes his grip to loosen.
“Yes.”
I push the stroller as he collects his bag and takes my hand to lead us out of the mob of people. A couple of his new teammates offer congratulations on his first win with the Kings, but Sean keeps us moving forward until we’re free.
“When did you get here?” he asks quietly as we wind our way out of the stadium.
“I flew in last night.”
His head turns in my direction. “You were here last night?”
I bite my lip. “I didn’t want to be a distraction.” His head tips back toward the ceiling as we walk, like he’s annoyed by my statement. I want to push his buttons. “Can you give me a ride to my hotel, or should I get an Uber?”
He tugs me to a stop. “When you didn’t answer last night and then didn’t call me back, I thought…” He doesn’t finish his statement, but I can see all over his face what he thought, and I will my lips not to turn upward. “I’ll take you to your hotel to get your stuff.” His tone is firm and absolute. I like it.
I want to ask him if he’s sure about that and if that offer is valid for more than a night or two, but my racing heart overrides my brain. “Ok.” It’s all I can get out as he links his fingers with mine and leads me forward again.
The fear of this decision had receded, but the nerves of going home with him and telling him I want to stay are alive and kicking to the perfect beat of a snare drum.
_______
The stark contrast between Sean’s rental and his home back in Nashville matches my emotional state. On the one hand, I can’t wait to kiss his face off. On the other hand, I’m on the verge of losing my cookies.
I stay just inside the door, inhaling and exhaling like I’m some kind of yogi while Sean hauls the last of my stuff into the house. Snipe and I must be on the same page. His loud snorts and incessant sniffing fill the room as he proceeds to investigate every inch of this new space, ensuring it’s safe and sound. Ax’s dead weight in my arms and his face nuzzled in my neck is the only thing mildly comforting.
Sean’s eyes were filled with both delight and confusion when he saw Snipe waiting in the hotel room for us, and despite all sound reasoning, my big fat mouth remained sealed shut. I don’t know why I’m so nervous, but my stomach is twisting and turning while my heart races wildly with the realization that I actually did this.
I’ve played it safe for so long, living one day to the next, just letting life happen. I wasn’t actively participating but simplywatching it pass by. The idea that I flew across the country planning to tell Sean that I’m moving in has me turning into a complete nutjob.
I don’t want to waste any more of my life hiding from the things I want or being separated from the person I want to be with, but what if this is crazy? What if he’s not ready for me to invade his space and life?
I knew stepping on the field today would put me front and center with Sean. If I learned anything from the whole fiasco with his ex, it’s that as long as I have him by my side, everything will be alright. But telling him I’m here and planning on staying is a mammoth-sized leap into unknown territory.
