Page 99 of I Wish He Would

Alyssa cocks her head. “Is that so?”

Fletch groans. “Yeah, he’s been talking about you nonstop for weeks.”

Dawson nods. “Years, really.”

“They’re not wrong.” I trace my fingers down her bare arm, then interlace our fingers.

She grabs my face with her free hand and stands on her tiptoes to kiss me. “Hopefully only the good things.”

“Only the best for my girl.” I kiss her back.

Hayden wolf whistles, and the rest of the guys clap. We step apart with matching smiles.

Alyssa laughs. “I like your friends.”

“I’m glad they didn’t scare you away.”

“Nah.” She traces her thumb over my dimple. “I don’t scare easily.”

“You two lovebirds better hurry up if you want to show her the field.” Dawson points to the clock on the wall.

“You with me?” I squeeze her hand.

She squeezes back. “Always.”

We head through the locker room and the tunnel out to the stadium. The second we step onto the infield dirt, I feel grounded. I had always planned on playing in Boston, but this team has become like family to me. If these guys are my family, Waterfront Park has become a home away from home.

“Wow.” Alyssa steps away, turning and taking it all in. “The stadium looks huge from down here.”

Hayden holds his arms out wide. “It’s the best place in the world.”

I grab a bat and gesture to home plate. “You want to try?”

“Off Fletcher’s pitches?” She purses her lips. “No, thank you.”

I laugh. “No, off mine. I’ll lob it to you nice and easy.”

She takes the bat from my hands. “Okay, but if I suck, you can’t laugh at me.”

“Promise.” I head to the pitcher’s mound as the guys position themselves around the infield. Alyssa squares her legs and holds the bat up. “You ready?” I call out.

She nods. I toss the ball in a gentle arc like they do in a slow-pitch softball league. It goes a little high, and her swing misses.

Alyssa throws the ball back to me, and she has a surprisingly good arm. “That was my bad,” I say before she can get down on herself. “Let’s try again.” I toss the ball even gentler this time, and it has a little less arc to it.

She swings, and the bat connects with the ball, sending it sailing over all our heads before it drops onto the grass in center field.

My friends and I cheer for her as Alyssa squeals, “I did it!”

I jog to home plate and lift her, spinning her in a circle. “That’s my girl.”

She’s beaming before she closes the distance between us, kissing me. It’s the biggest win I’ve ever experienced on home plate.

“Yeah,” Fletcher shouts like a teenage boy.

We both pull back, laughing at the scene around us.

Dawson cheers again while Hayden circles his arms above his head, shakes his butt, and sings, “Bow chicka wow wow.”