“Honey, I’ve told you every day this week that you don’t have to come to these games. You’re good, baby. Do you want someone to come and keep you company? I could have Beck call Jen.”
“No, that’s okay. My dad’s actually coming over to watch the game with me.”
Not a lie…we will have the game on, but I’ll be signing the contract to be my husband’s boss’s boss at the same time.
“Are you sure you’re okay? I don’t know, something sounds off in your voice.”
I’m going to fill him in tonight when he gets home. I’ll probably be pacing in front of the door the moment he texts me that he’s leaving. Right before a game like this, and with the World Series at stake—even Harry suggested I wait to tell him until after it’s official.
Shocker to all, the MLB can be finicky, a lot of politics at play, and while I’ve established I can play with the best of them, I’m taking down one at a time. If me not telling Adam until after I sign the papers makes Harry and the League feel better about it for some fucking reason, then so be it. Outplaying Harrison Reyer is my objective right now. I can’t afford a delay here.
“Yes, I promise, me and Foster are good. I’ll see you on the screen first, but I look forward to seeing you at home.”
Pain again, low in pelvis.Fuck.
“Alright, I’ll see you at home. I love you.”
I swallow hard and breathe the best I can. “Love you, too.”
I end the call with an obvious click, and my guilt only eats me up more. Although the pain is doing its best to distract me from it.
“Mia, sweetie, I?—”
I hold up a hand before my dad can finish his sentence. “I’m fine. I’m only thirty-eight weeks. This is false labor, I’m sure of it. Once we get everything finalized, it’ll stop.”
“How mad would you be if I called your mother?”
“Really mad, Dad. Not good.” The pain completely eases and Foster rolls in my stomach. “It’s not like my water’s broke, and if they keep increasing, I’ll start timing them, okay?”
He nods. “Harry’s coming in and our lawyers are five minutes out.”
“Perfect. I’ve looped Wren in as well as my CFO. She’s on standby to hop on a call if we need, but she gave the green light before I left Winedown earlier.”
Harry walks in with a lovely binder and who I’m assuming is a notary behind him. “Let’s get you a baseball team, Mia.”
“Let’s do it.” I twirl my finger around. I want this ball moving. “While we wait for the no-fun but very crucial lawyers to get here, why don’t we run a quick debrief on tackling this PR wise.”
“God, the commissioner’s going to love you.” Harry shakes his head. “Tell me your thoughts, and I’ll adjust if needed.”
“Alright, it’s a nonnegotiable that I tell Adam tonight. He’s my husband, and I understand waiting until the ink’s on the paper, but he knows first once it’s done. After that, we hold off on any press until after the postseason. There’s a possibility that Harrison might attempt a publicity stunt to stir up some sort of scandal or who knows what. I wouldn’t put anything past him.”
“Sure.” Harry shrugs. “I’m sure you’re already aware this will come with a level of backlash, even without him. It doesn’t really matter, but having the MLB board on your side is always a better option. Especially since you’re married to a player on the team you’ll own.”
I’d give a verbal response, but with the contraction that starts, I can’t even nod in agreement.
“Mia.” Dad moves around the table. “Sweetheart, I think you’re in labor.”
I breathe through the waves of pain until they subside. “My water hasn’t broken yet. We just need to move quickly.”
My dad runs a hand down my back. “I know this is important to you, but?—”
“It is. It is important to me. Doctors recommend laboring at home when you’re low risk. Dad, I will not allow for a single opportunity for this man to hurt my husband again or put my daughter in his line of fire in the future.” I look around at the other concerned faces at the table. “So, every few minutes, I will have a contraction. If you need a response from me, you can either wait it out with me, or Dad, if you’d like to make the informed decision, that is fine. Are we good?”
A round of confirmations come, and thankfully a knock from our lawyers at the front door follows.
Alright, I just need to sign this, and go have a baby after.
Chapter 36
