Page 97 of Praising the Pitcher

“There isn’t anything ordinary about you, Gigi Jacobs. You are the most extraordinary person I know.” He kisses me again, but this time, on my forehead.

It doesn’t matter how many romance books I’ve read where the guy kisses his girl on the forehead or how many times Noah does it to me. It still makes my heart skip a beat.

Every. Single. Time.

“I love you,” I whisper, bringing my lips to his. “Thank you. For … being my family when I didn’t have one.”

“Now you’re stuck with me.” He grins. “And my crazy-ass family too.”

I giggle against his lips.

“I love your family. And I love that they’re crazy.”

I mean every word. Because the truth is, this past Christmas was the first time I didn’t have that homesick feeling I’ve felt every single holiday since my mom died. And that made me realize something …

It’s not really about the home or the place. It’s about having someone who is your family beside you. Wherever that may be.

Kissing him once more, I take the letter from him when he holds it near my hand, and I tuck it away in my dresser. I know someday soon, I’ll have to deal with all of this. Right now though … I just want to be close to my boyfriend.

THIRTY-FIVE

NOAH

Weird is having to sit at a table with your girlfriend who is sitting across from her poor excuse of a father who literally has the coldest stare I’ve ever seen.

Most future sons-in-law probably get to go out to dinner or maybe catch a round of golf or go fishing. Me? I get to sit in the lawyer’s office at a big table and try not to punch the motherfucker in the face for being a coldhearted dick to his daughter. Today is just a formality though. And while the lawyer my mom and dad hooked Gigi up with told her she didn’t need to meet with her father in person, it was something she felt like she needed to do.

Cal has just been forced to sign a stack of papers, all giving up any part of the company he had, when he glares at Gigi.

“You have no idea what it takes to run a business of that size,” Cal starts in again, after his own lawyer told him to be quiet at least five times since we’ve been here. “You haven’t worked a day in your life.”

I hold Gigi’s hand under the table, and when I glance over at her, I fucking hate how nervous her own dad makes her. Since we first started hanging out, I was determined to do one thing: help her be more confident in herself. She was always confident during a softball game, but when it came to day-to-day life or dealing with the fuckhead sitting across from her, she’d crumble. And I have to say, she’s definitely gotten better about it. Well, until now.

I give her hand a squeeze, and I’m sure my mom, who sits on the other side of Gigi’s lawyer, wants to tear his eyes out. My dad couldn’t make it, but it’s not like he or my mom really needed to be here. Dad warned Mom that he wasn’t sure it was a good idea for her to be here today—he was afraid she’d mouth off to Cal or worse, end up punching him. So far, she’s been pretty good.

Well, for the most part.

Gigi looks over at me. Her big blue eyes are wide, and the uneasiness is swirling in them because that’s what her father does—he makes her second guess her every thought, word, and move.

Squeezing her hand again, I give her a subtle nod and a tiny grin. It’s not much, but it’s enough to hopefully remind her she’s got this. She’s stronger than him. Better than him.

Smarter than him.

Her eyes flash with something, and she pulls in a breath. Within seconds, her eyes have left mine and she’s staring the devil right in the face, not looking away once.

“You’re right, I haven’t run a business,” she says coyly. “I could have been, but my father decided to pretend he was the owner of my mother’s company.” She cocks her head to the side, holding his icy gaze. “Thank you, by the way. For … helping out. But I won’t be needing any further assistance.” She shrugs. “See, while I may not have experience running a business, I’ll learn. And from what I’ve read, BOOMA sales have been on the decline for eighteen months, but with my following on social media, the current endorsements I have with companies that would love to collab, and my presence in college sports … I think I’ll be just fine.”

It doesn’t make one bit of fucking difference that I’ve been doing my best to be professional and stay stoic when my girl rattles those last words off like the boss she is because a grin takes over my face before I can stop it.

“It takes more than social media to keep a multi-million-dollar company going,” he returns with a scoff. “You wouldn’t know that.”

“I’ll manage,” she tosses back, completely unaffected.

Gigi is quiet before she glances around.

“Since everything is finalized now … if it’s okay, I would like to talk to my—to Calvin alone for a few minutes.” She turns toward me and gives me the smallest smile, though it doesn’t reach her eyes.

“I’ll be okay,” she mouths, and even though I fucking hate it, I push my chair out with the intention of leaving with everyone else.