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“I guess it didn’t cross my mind. He’s a baseball player. What do they care about football?”
“God, cuz, you’re adorable.”
“You’re right, of course. It’s fine. I had a good time. I don’t mind going out. I just…” It occurs to me that Leo might help me when it comes to Devin. “Hey, can I ask you something?” When Leo nods, I rush on. “You deal with a lot of athletes and their families. The ones in relationships, how do they do it?”
“How do they do what?”
“Make it work. The lifestyle is so demanding, especially in baseball. And it’s not just the time away, but the attention the players garner.”
“Is this about the ball girls?” I balk at that phrase. “That’s what some people call the women who hang around players with the sole intention of hooking up with them. Nova, you have to know that Devin only has eyes for you. I saw him staring on several occasions from across the room.”
A warm glow smolders in my heart. “But what happens when he’s on a ten-night road trip when I’m not around? I wanted to knock out a model who was talking to him the night I ran into him at VIBE. We weren’t even on speaking terms back then. How do the wives deal with jealousy?”
“I guess you ask yourself if Devin is worth it.”
“I know he is.”
“And do you trust him?”
“Yeah, I think so.” I snatch a nightshirt, folding the arms in. “I mean, yes, I do.”
“Then I’m not sure I understand the problem.”
“I don’t know. I’m overthinking everything. I’m in love. I should be happy, but here I am, unsure if I have what it takes to be an athlete’s wife. Everything’s just moving so quickly. We went from zero to sixty.”
“I guess so, if you’re already thinking about being his wife? Maybe you two should date for a few months first?”
“Maybe you’d understand if you kept a girl around for more than a week.” I scrub a hand over my forehead. “If we were two normal people and he asked, I’d say yes today. I know he’s the one for me. But… Gah!”
Leo rounds the foot of my bed, dragging me into a hug. “Hey, stop making yourself crazy over something pretty simple. Trust him, Nov. Trust him, and trust yourself.”
“Wow, that’s deep.” I press a kiss on his prickly cheek. “Thank you. I know I’m fixating on the wrong things. I’m just working through being okay with flexibility. One minute, I’m in the middle of a mopey Christmas morning without him, the next, I’m on a plane to Alaska, and now we’re planning a life together. I’m so afraid that if we muck this up, it’ll be the last time. How many do-overs can two people get, you know?” Plus the added stress on Devin over the last couple of weeks because of Tara’s temporary freedom.
“I don’t have the answers, but I know together you’ll find them.”
I lean into another hug, grateful that even far away from home, I still have a little piece with me.
There’s a knock on my bedroom door, and I lift my head from Leo’s chest to see Devin in his gym shorts, his shirt flung over one shoulder, and a cookie in his hand. “I’m glad the two of you are cousins; otherwise I’d have to kick some ass for laying hands on my girl.”
“Hey, man.” Leo grins, pulling away from me to exchange a little tough guy handshake. “I was hoping to see you. Instead, I was forced to watch this one fold her laundry.”
“Eh. I could watch paint dry with this girl, so I can’t sympathize.”
“Better you than me.” Leo laughs.
Lifting a stack of clothes from my comforter, I walk toward my dresser. “Hey, Leon, why don’t you stay for dinner? It’s pot roast and potatoes, so not Dev’s athlete diet.” I waggle my brows.
Thwack!Devin’s twisted shirt smacks my hip. “Watch yourself, Spitfire, or it’ll be egg white omelets for a week.”
“Ha, maybe for you. I know how to cook my own meals, sir.”
Leo’s shoulders shake with suppressed laughter. “Healthy or not, I’ll never pass up a meal I don’t have to cook. And that smell has been calling my name since I walked in.”
Dinner cooked in the crockpot today, so after Devin takes a quick shower, we sit at my kitchen table. While Dev offers me veiled glances and lukewarm smiles, he and Leo discuss yesterday’s games with passion. They argue calls and make their picks for the Super Bowl, and I try not to fret about his behavior as I sit back and watch two of my favorite men bond. I can’t wait to introduce Devin to all the guys. Esa, Joseph, Quincy, Callum. And my uncles… Oh, they’re going to love giving him crap. They barely tolerated Anders, but Devin is such a different man. He’ll fit our family perfectly.
We move to the living room after dinner, Leo asking about Devin’s search for a place to live, earning him my evil eye. Thanks to our beachside disagreement Saturday afternoon and yesterday’s barbecue, Devin and I haven’t discussed the houses we saw. Refilling my wine glass, I listen for clues to his thoughts.
“Sarah’s finding good options. I took your cousin to see a few Saturday, but she’s excessively picky.”
