Page 91 of I Wish He Would

“Do you have a business card?”

He reaches into his suit pants pocket, pulls a card from his wallet, and hands it to Austin.

I immediately recognize the slow song that begins playing over the speakers. Austin must notice it, too, because he reaches out and shakes the guy’s hand again. “It was great meeting you, but it’s time for me to escort this gorgeous woman to the dance floor.”

Austin whisks me onto the dance floor, pulling me close as the chorus to “Lover” begins to play.

“You’re good with your fans.” I loop my hands around his neck.

He shrugs off the compliment. “I just talk to them like any normal person. That’s all I am too.”

“Maybe to me.” I run my thumb along the exposed skin above the collar of his jacket. “But to them you’re an MLB star.”

His eyes light up with mirth. “I’m just a normal person to you?”

“Yeah, I know things about you that definitely make you seem normal.”

“Enlighten me.”

“You snore when you’re exhausted. You love baking and watching New Girl, which are very normal people things to do. You’re also humble. You know you’re one of the best baseball players in the world to be playing at a pro level, but you still offer to teach my nephews how to play the game and hang out with us plebians for a casual dinner or participate in a trivia night with my friends.” I pat his shoulder. “And the real kicker: You can’t keep a plant alive to save your life.”

“Hey, I’ve kept the one from Shayna alive for a while now,” he claps back.

I purse my lips. “I’ve actually been watering it every time I come over.”

He looks down at me. “You’ve kept my plant alive?”

I smile up at him. “You seemed so happy it was thriving, so I couldn’t let it die.”

“I can’t believe you did that without me ever noticing.”

“Let’s be honest, there are a lot of things you didn’t notice.” I laugh.

Austin doesn’t, though. His pupils dilate as his gaze drops to my lips. “I noticed you. It took me longer than it should have, but there’s no going back now. And don’t worry, I’m much better with people than plants.”

“Poor Franny the Fiddle-leaf Fig,” I tease, trying to lighten the sensation coursing through my body. Because if I don’t joke around right now, I might do something crazy, like shout that I love him. I don’t want to scare him away, not when I finally have him.

That finally gets a laugh out of him. “You named her?”

I nod. “But I probably shouldn’t have. There’s a solid chance she’s dead now that I didn’t come over at all last week and we’ve been here this week.”

He grimaces. “I remembered to water her before I traveled to my away games, so maybe she’s still got a shot.”

Thinking of going back home sends a sinking feeling to my gut. “I’m scared.”

Austin trails his hand up and down my back in a soothing motion. “Of what?”

“What’s going to happen once we leave paradise?” I know life will look different once we’re back to our jobs and routines, and we haven’t talked about what that will look like. About what will happen to this romance budding between us. Will he water the seed that just began to sprout, or will we wilt before we’ve even had a chance to grow?

“We’ll be us,” Austin says. “We can still call and text when I travel, and you can come to as many home games as you want.” He smiles. “I still picture you coming over to my house and eating the cookies I baked for you. Watching countless hours of New Girl on my couch while you’re snuggled up in the corner like my little Aly Kat. But add in dates and a lot more kissing.” He winks at me.

I raise a brow, a smile on my lips. “I think I could get used to that.”

Austin leans down and kisses me, slow and tender, until the world around us melts away. And I don’t care if we’re on the dance floor at a wedding in St. Lucia or in his living room back in Louisville. Being wrapped up in Austin’s arms is my favorite place to be.

I couldn’t be happier holding Alyssa in my arms. We’re even slow dancing to a fast song right now. No cares in the world, not minding what anyone around us thinks. Just in our own little love bubble.

Because that’s what this is: love.