I follow the guard down the hall to an elevator.
“May I ask what's going on?” I ask as we step on and he presses a button.
“You’re going down to the field.”
Well, okay. I guess that's that on that.
I wait not-so-patiently as the numbers tick by. Another escort is waiting once we get off the elevator, and he takes me out so we can see the rest of the game nearly on the field but just back in the shadows.
I watch from a new vantage point as the Heat gets the final out, securing their win against the Sox.
Players run in and celebrate, and I’m escorted to stand near the dugout as players do their post-game handshake with the other team. I spot a few other women standing by me and have a feeling that I will have the opportunity to get to know many of them better in the coming months as our men fight for their season.
And that’s when I spot Alexis Bodega. Danny Brewer’s wife. One of the biggest pop stars in the world.
I nearly faint that she’s standing just a few yards away from me.
Holy shit, what is this life?
Archer does a post-game interview on the field before he rushes over to me and pulls me into his arms.
“Good game,” I say, and his lips drop to mine.
“Thanks for being here,” he says, leaning his forehead to mine. “I need to run back to the clubhouse and take a quick shower, but then I have a surprise for you.”
“You have a surprise for me?” I repeat.
He nods and smiles.
“What's the surprise?” I ask.
“No way. You're not getting it out of me,” he says. He kisses me one more time before he grins and runs into the tunnel that I just came out of.
I'm not even sure where I'm supposed to go next, but Gabby appears by my side and gives me a hug. It's crazy to me how a month ago these people were strangers, andnow it feels like Gabby is becoming one of my closest friends.
“Just stay with me and I’ll get you where you need to go,” she says.
I glance over at her and narrow my eyes. “What do you mean you'll get me where I need to go?”
Her eyes twinkle, and I have no idea what she's up to, but I decide to just go with it. She takes me back to another room where we wait for the players to come out, and Archer is one of the last ones out.
I lift to a stand as he strides over, and he grabs my hand in his.
“Ready for your surprise?” he asks.
“I guess,” I say, and he laughs as he leads me outside.
We get into a car waiting there, and it's like all of this was pre-planned. I have no idea when he would have possibly had time to put together whatever the surprise is, but I have to admit, I'm kind of excited to see what's in store for us tonight.
We hit a bit of traffic but pull into the parking lot of Renegade’s about a half hour later.
“Renegade’s?” I ask. “What are we doing here?”
“Come on,” he says, and he helps me out of the car.
We head inside, and as soon as the doors open, the huge group of people gathered yells, “Surprise!”
I look in shock around at the people standing here yelling at me. Right up in front are Jackie and Chip, and just to the side of them are my mom and dad. Lining the background are the Bradley siblings—Ivy, Liam standing next to Penny, the newlyweds Everleigh and Maverick, Madden and Kennedy, who I met at the wedding last night, Dex, Ainsley and baby Jack, and Ford and Tatum. I also see other players from the Heat. I see Gabby with Cooper, Danny, andholy shit…is that Alexis Bodega? Here? For me?
