Page 83 of Curveball

Walker recited special vows to Hadley that damn near broke me. Broke all of us, if the sniffles and wiped cheeks were any indication.

The reception was under a tent near the barn, and it was everything I’d ever wanted—simple, intimate, ours.

Walker and Hadley’s relationship only kept growing. After we got married, she started calling him Daddy Walk. Hadley had just turned four, and she proudly told everyone at daycare she had two daddies and two mommies.

Jake and I were Mommy and Daddy. Lily and Walker were Mommy Lil and Daddy Walk.

Co-parenting came with challenges—no matter how healthy the relationships—but it was a blessing to have all four of us on the same page. Hadley’s happiness and well-being were always at the center of every decision.

Wildflower Interiors was booming thanks to Duke Preston. After the clubhouse renovation, he came back with another project—the executive-level offices, and his space was at the top of the list because he was, in his words, “tired of living in a museum.”

Maddie and Emma had stepped up in a huge way this last year, and I’d grown the team in ways I never would’ve dared to before.

Walker? He was loving retirement more than he ever thought he would. He rode his horses most days, spent hours in the barn with Hadley, and had hinted more than once that he wanted to buy her a pony.

So that was what we were doing today—looking at ponies with Addison. She’d found a farm nearby with a few small ones for sale.

Addison was leading Hadley around on an adorable dark bay with four white stockings. His name was Hershey Kiss, and he had fantastic ground manners… for a pony. One of the other ponies had been too big. Another had been a little rude on the ground, too much attitude for a four-year-old.

Walker leaned against the fence rail; eyes fixed on Hadley like she was the only thing in the world.

“I think this is the one,” he said.

I nodded, smiling. “I think so too. He’s so sweet.”

Walker finally tore his gaze away and turned to me. “Hey—Coach Parks called today. They want to bring me on as a pitching coach. They’ve got a couple of new rookies. Coach Turner wants me working with them so he can focus on the veterans.”

He searched my face. “What do you think?”

I paused, letting it land. Even with all the downtime he’d needed after eleven years in the league, I’d been able to feel it lately—the restlessness. The way he still missed the game, even when he swore he didn’t.

“I think it’s an amazing opportunity,” I answered honestly. “You’re still young. And what better way to keep baseball in your life?”

Walker pulled me into his chest and kissed the top of my head. “You’re sure? It would mean me being gone again.”

I tilted my head back to look up at him. “We still have your penthouse in Austin. I’ll be commuting again for the office renovation. Hadley will be in elementary school before we know it.” I squeezed his waist. “We’ll figure it out. We did during your last season.”

The smile that broke across his face made my heart squeeze. He kissed me, slow and grateful.

“I love you,” he murmured. “So fucking much.”

I smiled against his lips. “I love you more, Ace.”

After Walker decided to return to baseball as a pitching coach, life threw us another curveball.

I was pregnant.

Walker was over the moon. He loved being a dad to Hadley and had wanted more kids since the moment he’d stepped into that role in our little family. The timing wasn’t perfect, but I kept assuring him we’d be fine, we'd make it work with his new career.

When I had genetic testing done at ten weeks, they asked if we wanted to find out the gender. Walker claimed he couldn’t handle not knowing.

So here we were.

Today I picked up the envelope from my doctor’s office—the one with the answer inside.

Hadley was with Jake and Lily tonight, so I made Walker’s favorite meal to surprise him. He didn’t know the results were in.

I heard the back door open and close, and a second later, Walker stepped into the kitchen, straight to where I was pulling lasagna out of the oven. He wrapped his arms around my shoulders and pulled me back against his chest.