AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Tears roll out of the corners of my eyes into my hair. “We feel the same way about you. We better get to sleep. Tomorrow is the big day.”
Reed
We look around our house, filled with boxes of Caleb’s toys, while new furniture is being delivered, courtesy of my new Name, Image, Likeness contract.
Logan owns three houses next to each other. Since Harper and Logan brought home their newborn baby last week, Brooke, Caleb and I are moving into the house next door. Hagan and Adalee are renovating the third house. Hagan graduated and decided to pursue a career in architecture instead of the MLB. And of course, Adalee is an engineer, so this is their first project together.
Brooke and Lettie collaborate to organize a Welcome Home Baby celebration, while my old roommates have Sunday Brunch with their families. Meanwhile, Caleb and I labor diligently to assemble his new big-boy bed. In the background, my father and Coach exchange frustrated exclamations as they navigate the process of constructing the swing set and obstacle course in the backyard.
When it’s time, we all go to next door to celebrate their new baby, Evy Harper Warren. Now that they know Logan’s been drafted to the Louisville Heavyweights, they decide to stay here until she finishes med school.
Brooke and I will be here for one more year. I love this team and school and want to keep Caleb around at least one of his grandfathers. Although this summer, Brooke, Caleb, and I will be spending two weeks at my parents’ house, taking out the boat and giving Caleb new experiences. There may be a few hockey lessons involved or maybe art.
Harper holds Evy in her arms, and I choke up.
“We’re going to make a baby soon. Caleb needs a baby sister or brother,” I say, looking at Brooke. “I hated being an only child.”
Brooke says, “I did too. Now, I want a big family like theirs.” She points to Hagan and Harper’s parents and then to Logan’s sister, who has three children. “If we don’t start using condoms, then it may happen, even though I’m on the pill.”
“Cookie, if you want a baby, I’d be one hundred percent on board with it. I make plenty of money because of my pretty face and mad hockey skills.”
She kisses me on the lips, then wipes the lipstick from the corner of my mouth. “Babies cut intoadult time.” She uses finger quotes. “Let’s break in our house a few hundred times and then talk about it.”
I pull her into my body. “One day, I want Caleb to have at least three brothers or sisters. But first, I need to make an honest woman out of you.”
“You do. But not today.” She smirks.
“No, this is Evy’s day.” I soak my hands in antibacterial gel and when they dry, Harper hands me Evy.
She’s so beautiful. Her delicate fingers and squirmy movements. I look over at Brooke, so full of kindness. And then to Caleb, who is playing with Dani, Logan’s niece.
There’s so much chatter in the room, and Hagan makes his way to me. “You’re going to be a great father to Caleb.”
“Thanks, Erik has given up his rights, but Brooke added in a clause that at any time, Erik could have a relationship with Caleb, just not custody. Cheating is awful, but he did things to her that are unforgivable.” Tears threaten under my lids, thinking of him hitting her with his fists.
Hagan shakes his head as Harper and Brooke stride towards us. “My turn,” Brooke says with excitement in her voice. We switch Evy into her arms. Watching her with a baby gives me ideas for when we get home.
After we clean up, my dad and Holly take Caleb to play putt-putt golf, so Brooke and I can get our own bedroom ready to sleep in. Of course, we’ve need to test out the new mattress. We laugh as we perform a reenactment—I was the bad boy, hockey player, and she was my coach’s daughter.
Claim your copy of Out of Bounds, Dane & Lettie’s love story.
His name says it all.
Dane Greathouse has twenty-five thousand people chanting his name on a weekly basis like he’s God.
And on this campus he’s even bigger. But the one person he craves has been his best friend forever, and she can’t take a hint. It’s going to take one bed to peel back the layers of their friendship.
But will fear of rejection keep them from crossing the line from best friends to lovers? Or will they stand on the line, look at the basket and shoot to win?
