Page 64 of The Player I Can’t Pick

He cuts me off and brings his hands up to cup my face. “Last night, when that ball hit me, you were the first person that I thought of. And when I came to at the hospital, I wanted you here with me. I’m so sorry about what ‘she’ did, but we can’t let her hurt us, Nicole. I love you, and I want to be with you.”

I look him straight in the eye. “I’m scared. I don’t want to be hurt, but I love you too. It killed me seeing you on that field last night, and then when I couldn’t get up here, all the worst things went through my head. I’m just… I’m just so thankful you’re okay.”

He cups my cheek again. “It will never happen again. I’m adding you to my list today so you will always get to be with me.”

I shake my head. “Well, I hope nothing like this happens again.”

He nods. “Me too. I love you so much. I just want us to be together.”

I lean into him, and that is how Miller, Ozzy, and my dad find us. “Well, it looks like he’s going to live,” Ozzy says.

I try to move away, but Guy tightens his hold on me.

My dad looks between the two of us. “Everything okay?”

I nod. “Yeah, we’re good, Dad.”

Guy brushes a piece of hair off my face. “Fly back to Whiskey Run with us.”

I nod. “Okay.”

He’s surprised. “Okay? Just like that?”

I shrug my shoulders. “Yeah, I’m not going to run anymore.”

He smiles broadly, but I put a hand on his chest. “I’m not going to be thrilled about having my picture all over the Internet or all that entails, but yeah, I want us to be together.” I suck in a breath and let it out slowly. “I don’t want casual or for us to pretend this isn’t real.”

Guy nods excitedly. “That’s good, honey, because I’m not hiding us anymore.”

He kisses me, not even caring that my dad and his brothers are right here.

Miller chimes in. “You want us to give you a few minutes?”

“Yes,” Guy says, wiggling his eyebrows at me.

I playfully smack him on the chest. “Guy.”

He circles his arms around me. “You’re right. We have forever. I can wait until we get on the plane.”

My face heats, and my dad grunts. “Well, I have a game to go get rested up for.”

I turn and hug him. “I love you, Dad. Thanks… for everything.”

I don’t say it, but I know he knows what I mean. If he hadn’t pushed me, I wouldn’t have come up here.

“Always,” he says, giving me a quick hug. He points at Guy. “Take care of her, son.”

He nods. “Promise.”

Miller points over his shoulder. “Ozzy and I will be right outside. I’m going to see if I can get this doctor to rush those papers.”

As soon as the doors shut behind them, Guy says, “You love me.”

It’s not a question, it’s a statement.

I nod. “Yeah, and you love me too.”

“Damn right I do.” And then he kisses me until I’m breathless.