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Epilogue Cameron
Cameron
I’ve been sitting here watching my wife and my sister-in-law for the past twenty minutes. The party is going strong, and no one seems to mind that I’m sitting here being antisocial. It’s not that I don’t want to socialize. It’s that I can’t take my eyes off my wife. We’ve been married for a year, and I’m still not used to calling her that.
“Hey. Have you seen my wife?” Henderson asks, his gaze scanning the crowd.
That’s something else too. Willow and my teammate Travis Henderson hit it off. They were engaged a couple of years ago and married three months later. They’re expecting their first baby, something I’m trying really hard not to be jealous over. Henderson is like a watchdog when it comes to his wife and unborn child.
I stand from my chair, already knowing he’s going to want to go to her. Not that I can blame him. The season is in full swing, and he soaks up as much time with her as he can. I get it. If my wife wasn’t with me when we travel, I’d be the same way. I make a mental note to talk to Easton, my father-in-law, about how he handled being away from Larissa and the girls when he traveled. I know they made adjustments, like today, for instance. Parker graduated over a month ago, but they held off on her party so Paisley and I could be here. There are lots of concessions you have to make when you’re a professional athlete.
“She’s with mine.” I point to where the girls are sitting, and just as I thought, he begins to move, with me hot on his heels. I’ll never pass up a chance to be near my wife.
When I reach Paisley, she stands, and I take her seat, then pull her onto my lap. We are so in tune with each other it’s as if she’s in my head.
“Baby, I thought I asked you to stay put?” Henderson asks Willow.
She stands with his help, and he sits, gently placing her on his lap as well.
“I’m out.” Parker pushes back on her chair, waves, and walks away.
“Hard to believe she’s leaving for college,” I comment.
“Right?” Paisley and Willow say at the same time.
“Ugh,” Willow groans, standing.
“What? What is it? Are you in labor?” Henderson asks her. The panic in his voice would be comical if it were not so endearing. He’s a papa bear, and protective of his wife and unborn child. I get it. I imagine I’ll be the same way.
“I have to pee.”
“I’ll walk with you,” he says, immediately standing, placing his hand on the small of her back to lead her inside the house.
“Can you imagine how bad he’s going to be when the baby gets here?” Paisley asks, turning and draping her legs over the chair so she can see my face.
“Yeah. I can, actually. Think about it. Growing inside of her is a piece of him.”
“Aw, are you getting all sentimental on me, Taylor?”
“Always when it comes to you,” I say, leaning forward and pressing my lips to hers.
“You ready for that? For babies and diapers and late-night feedings.”
“Yes.” I don’t even hesitate. “Are you?”
“Yeah. It’s a good thing too.” There’s a light in her eyes, along with a glimmer of tears. “I only have about seven and a half months to get prepared if I wasn’t.”
My hand slides over her still flat belly. “We’re pregnant?” I whisper.
“According to my doctor, six weeks.”
Sliding my hand behind her neck, I press my forehead to hers. “I love you so fucking much, Paisley Gray Taylor.”
“I love you too. I’m going to put in my notice. This is my last season with the Blaze,” she tells me.
“What? No. You love your job. It’s your dream job.”
“I do love it. And it was my dream job, but something more important has come up.” She places her hand over mine that still rests on her belly. “You and this baby, that’s my dream now.”
