Play by Play (Riggings Brothers Book 0)

by Kaylee Ryan

  “All right, those are the kiddos. There are a lot of them, so we’ll get to them later.” Logan laughs. “This is Cole, and his wife, Stacy.” She points to a guy with long hair, who I recognize instantly. They both wave, and we’re moving onto the next. “This is Tristan, and his wife, Lauren, and Gavin and his wife, Cassidy.” She points out each member of the band and their wives.

  “It’s nice to meet you,” I say to them collectively.

  “You’ll learn us all,” Cole’s wife tells me with a kind smile.

  “Hey.” Jase appears beside me, wrapping me in his arms. “You good?” he whispers just for me.

  I turn to look at him and nod, offering him a smile. My nerves are still there, but everyone is so nice and genuine. Not at all what I anticipated meeting guys of their celebrity status.

  “Damn.” One of the guys laughs. I don’t know which one. “Our little Jase has finally fallen.” He laughs.

  “All it takes is the right woman, brother,” Kacen says from his spot beside Logan. Seems like he’s with her wherever she is. Although, the way she’s snuggled up to his chest, she doesn’t seem to mind.

  “Grammy, I’m hungry,” a little boy who looks just like Kacen says, running up to Jase’s mom.

  “You heard the boy. Let’s eat,” Kacen says.

  We all file into the huge kitchen, and fill our plates. With each minute that passes, my nerves subside, and I feel like I’ve known them all for years. We play with the kids, and once they’re all tuckered out, the guys break out their guitars and give us a little concert. The entire time Jase has me on his lap, or his arm around me, much like the other guys and their wives. We fit in here. I fit in here. Something I never thought I’d be able to say.

  Chapter 9

  Jase

  “Are you nervous?” Sam asks me.

  I glance over at her, before placing my eyes back on the road. “No. Should I be?”

  She laughs. “I don’t know. I was so nervous yesterday to meet your family, and extended family. You have it easy. It’s just going to be us and Mom and Dad tonight.”

  “I want them to like me. But no matter what they think or say, that’s not going to change how I feel about you.”

  “They’re going to love you.”

  “Yeah?”

  “Yep. They’ll see how happy I am and that’s all they care about. You making me happy and being good to me.”

  “Shit, I’ve got this in the bag,” I tell her.

  “Oh, and my dad, he’s kind of a fan,” she confesses.

  “Perfect. If there is anything that I can talk about it’s football and you. I should be good.”

  “I think the last guy my parents met was my prom date senior year of high school.”

  “Let’s not talk about you and other guys, baby.”

  “I was seventeen.” She chuckles.

  “I don’t care. I’m living in Jaseland where the only man who’s ever been on your arm is me.”

  “Don’t you mean the only other arm I’ve been on?”

  “Nope. I’m on your arm and damn proud of it too.”

  “You keep talking like that and you’ll have my parents eating out of the palm of your hand.”

  “It’s not your parents I want, Sam. It’s you. I only want you.”

  “Yeah?”

  She’s still stuck on my career, and that I’m famous or whatever. I don’t know how to show her that she’s all I see. Well, I do know how, and I’m hoping tonight will be the night that seals our fate. “None of it matter without someone to share it with, you know that, right? The money, the fame, the accomplishments, the huge-ass house, it’s empty without you. And all those other things, they don’t mean as much without sharing them.” I pull up to the Stop sign and turn to look at her. “I want to share them with you, Samantha. Only you. You make each day brighter and better.”

  “Sounds like a fairy tale, player,” she teases, but I can also hear longing in her voice.

  “Then it will be our happy ending,” I tell her.

  “Turn here.” She points to the next street. “Third house on the left.” I take her instructions and pull up to a white two-story.

  “This where you grew up?”

  “Yes. It’s also where I brought my prom date.” She giggles.

  “Samantha,” I growl, only making her laugh harder.

  “Come on, player. It’s time to meet my family.” She climbs out of my SUV, and I scramble to pull the keys from the ignition to follow after her.

  Much like my sister’s house yesterday, she walks inside and calls out, letting them know we’re here.

  “In the kitchen, sweetheart,” a feminine voice calls back.

  My Sam smiles up at me and my heart flips in my chest. Now I’m nervous. I know how much she loves her parents, and if they don’t approve of me, of us…. Fuck me. Here we go. I follow her into the kitchen, her hand tightly locked in mine.

  “Hey,” she says, and I can hear the happiness in her voice. “Mom, Dad, this is Jase. Jase, these are my parents, Timothy and Elizabeth.”

  “It’s so nice to meet you.” Elizabeth steps around the island and pulls me into a hug. My shoulders relax in her embrace. One down, one to go.

  “Jase.” Timothy offers me his hand. “It’s good to finally meet you.”

  “You too, sir.” I keep eye contact and give his hand a firm shake.

  “What are we having?” Sam asks her mom.

  “Meatloaf and all the fixings,” she says, her Tennessee accent strong. “You three grab yourselves something to drink. Everything is on the table but the rolls. I’ll be right there.”

  “Sweetheart, you want sweet tea?” Timothy asks his wife.

  “That would be great. Thank you.”

  Within minutes, we’re all sitting around the table talking and laughing, and I feel right at home. Both of her parents are engaging and I’m not getting any bad vibes. My girl’s smile is wide, and that in turn puts me at ease. I love seeing her happy. We move to the living room to chat, and I hope like hell that I have the chance to pull her father aside tonight. If not, I’ll have to come back when she’s not with me. I know without a doubt she’s going to want to know we have their blessing before we take our next adventure together.

  Chapter 10

  Samantha

  “Hey, boss, got a minute?” I ask, standing in the doorway of Royce’s office.

  “Sure, what’s up?” he asks, giving me his full attention.

  “I was hoping I could leave a little early today?” I ask, hopeful.

  “Samantha, you don’t have to ask. You know that. Just let me know so I’m not looking for you when you’re not here,” he says. “You and Andrews got big plans for tonight?” he asks.

  I nod. “We’re going to dinner.” Today is Valentine’s Day, our first together, and while I’m excited about it, I’m also worried. That worry comes from something that doesn’t even have to do with Valentine’s Day. I’m late. As in, my period is five days late. It’s only five days, but I’m never late.

  Never.

  “You all right?” Royce asks.

  “Yes.” I offer him a smile. “Just excited for tonight.”

  “Is my best friend treating you right?” he asks.

  “You know he is,” I tell him with a pointed look.

  He holds his hands in the air. “Just making sure. You’re good for him,” he admits.

  “Wait, let me get my phone. I’m going to need you to say that again.”

  He chuckles. “Smartass. I thought you were leaving?”

  “It’s only one. I was thinking maybe three or so?” That should give me plenty of time to buy a test or ten, take them, and freak out if I need to. Something deep in my gut tells me I’m going to need the time to freak out and get myself together. I just have this feeling.

  “Go now. You never leave early. Enjoy your night with Andrews.” He waves me off.

  “Thank you. I’ll send everyone an email letting them know I’ll be gone.�
�

  “Sounds good,” he says, already returning his focus to whatever it is he’s working on.

  Making my way to my desk, I type up a quick email to Owen, Grant, Conrad, and Marshall, letting them know I’ll be out of the office and that the elevator will be locked. None of them are expecting a guest, at least none that are scheduled, I already checked. Grabbing my purse and phone, I leave early for the day. First stop, the pharmacy.

  Forty-five minutes later, I’m sitting on my bed, staring at ten unopened boxes of pregnancy tests. I grabbed one of every kind and spent a small fortune, but I know me, and one test won’t be enough. I’ll need further assurance of the results. Reaching for my phone, I dial my best friend.

  “Hey, you,” she answers.

  “Carrie.”

  “What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing,” I say, barely containing the freak-out mode that wants to take over my body.

  “Sam, are you okay? Where’s that man of yours?”

  “He’s at his place, I think.”

  “Where are you? Samantha, you’re scaring me.”

  “I’m fine, I promise. I just… I’m late.”

  “Late for what?” she asks, confused.

  “No, Carrie. I’m late,” I say again.

  “Oh,” she says, as understanding of what I’m trying to say settles in. “Have you taken a test?”

  “No, but I bought one. Well, I bought ten.”

  She laughs. “Of course, you did. Are you alone?”

  “Yes. I didn’t tell him. I want to take the test first.”

  “Don’t the two of you have plans tonight?”

  “We do.”

  “What time?”

  “Six. He’s picking me up at six.”

  “We’ve got plenty of time. Drink some water, pee on a few sticks, and tell me if I’m going to be an aunt.”

  “Oh, God. He’s going to think I trapped him. He’s Jase fucking Andrews, Carrie. How could I let this happen?”

  “Jase Andrews is his name. Who he is, is the man that is madly in love with you. From what you’ve told me, you’re both gone for each other. If you are, it’s all going to be okay. He’s going to be right by your side.”

  “You don’t know that.”

  “Actually, I do. Put me on speaker and go to his Instagram.”

  Doing as she says, I place the call on speaker and tap the icon on my phone, and type in his name. He just posted fifteen minutes ago. It’s a picture of the two of us lounging on his couch. My eyes scan the caption.

  @JASEANDREWSOFFICIAL - “Happy Valentine’s Day to the love of my life. For those of you who don’t know what it feels like to love and to be loved, I feel sorry for you. Take the leap. You won’t regret it.”

  I don’t even attempt to wipe the tears that race down my cheeks. I love him.

  “You’re crying, aren’t you?” Carrie asks.

  “Hush,” I say, laughing.

  “Go pee on a stick or two. I’ll wait here.”

  “I miss you.”

  “I know. I miss you too, but I’m here for you. Now go.”

  Doing as she says, I place the phone on the bed, and grab two of the boxes that claim to guarantee early detection. In the bathroom, I carefully unwrap each package and read the instructions. Both are the same. Pee on the stick, replace the cap, wait three to five minutes. Pulling up my big girl panties, well, in this case, I pull them down, with shaking hands, I pee on three different sticks, capping them and placing them on the counter. Finishing my business, I wash my hands and shut the bathroom door.

  “I’m back,” I tell Carrie.

  “Tell me what your plans are for tonight.”

  “Dinner.”

  “What if the test is positive?”

  “Dinner and an announcement that’s going to change our lives.”

  “For the better. A baby, Sam. You might be having a baby with the man you love. That’s amazing.”

  “And scary as hell,” I admit.

  “Are you upset? I mean, if the test is positive, are you upset about it?”

  “No.” I mean it. I might be freaked out, but it’s more about how Jase is going to take the news. Sure, we’ve talked about kids, just briefly, but hypothetical talk is a hell of a lot different than reality.

  “He’s not going to be either.”

  “You don’t know that.”

  “I do know that. He has twenty million followers, and he just professed his love for you to all of them. He’s going to be fine with it. In fact, I’d go as far as to say that he’s going to be thrilled.”

  “I hope so,” I whisper. I know in my heart that she’s right, but the fear of the unknown is strong. We’ve only been together a couple of months. It’s too soon.

  “Sam, it’s time. Take me with you,” Carrie says, her voice calm and soothing.

  “Here goes nothing,” I whisper.

  “It’s all going to be fine.”

  I nod, even though she can’t see me. Pushing open the bathroom door, I walk to the sink. As soon as I look down and see the word positive, a plus sign, and two pink lines, the tears begin to fall. A sob breaks free from my chest.

  “Congrats, sweetie,” Carrie says, choking up on her own emotions. “You’re going to be a mommy.”

  “I-I’m going to be a mommy,” I echo her words. “I don’t know how to tell him.”

  “You are going to tell him, right?” Carrie questions.

  “Yes. I’m going to tell him tonight. He deserves to know.”

  “You good?” she asks.

  “I am,” I say truthfully. “Regardless of how tonight turns out, I’m going to be a mom.”

  “You’ve got this, Sam, and he’s going to be thrilled. Call me with details.”

  “I will. Thanks, Carrie. I was freaking out.”

  “What are best friends for?”

  Ending the call, an idea pops into my head. Pulling up the internet browser on my phone, I hope like hell I can pull off what I have in mind in just a few hours.

  Chapter 11

  Jase

  The moment I picked her up, she was acting differently. I don’t know if she somehow caught on to my plans for the night, but she’s making me nervous.

  “Dinner was delicious,” Sam says from her seat next to me in my car. “Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome.” Reaching over the console, I lace her fingers with mine. “You feeling okay?” I ask her.

  “Yes.” She’s quick to reply. “Fine. Just tired, I guess,” she says, and I know she’s lying.

  Instead of calling her out on it, I let the silence drift between us as I get lost in my thoughts. I realize that I’m terrified that she doesn’t want this, doesn’t want me. I know that it’s soon, but when you know, you know, and if there is anything in this life that’s certain, it’s the way I feel about her. My love for her.

  Pulling into my garage, I shut off the engine. She’s staying with me tonight. At least, I hope she still is. “I just need to grab my things from my car. I’ll meet you inside,” she says, reaching for her handle.

  “I can wait for you,” I tell her.

  “No, really, go on in. That cheesecake needs to be in the fridge,” she says, indicating the to-go box full of dessert in my hands from the restaurant. We were both too full to eat it there, so we brought it home. That’s playing into my hands perfectly if I could just figure out what’s bothering her.

  “You sure you don’t need any help?” I ask her.

  “Promise.” She stands on her toes and kisses me on the cheek. “I’ll just be a minute.”

  Heading into the house, I drop the cheesecake off at the fridge and then rush to the living room. Grabbing the ring box from its spot behind a frame on the mantel. I remove the ring and slide it into my pocket. I knew I wanted it to just be the two of us when I asked her. I had to leave it here so that I wouldn’t change the course of my plan.

  “Come here, you.” I hold my arms open for her when she walks into the living room. She do
esn’t hesitate to come to me as she wraps her arms around my waist. “Where are your things?” I ask her.

  “Oh, I left them in the laundry room. I’ll grab them before we go to bed.”

  She usually brings them all the way into the house, and I try not to think too much about it. I’m letting every little action or move stress me the fuck out. I can’t wait any longer. The suspense is killing me.

  “Do you know how much I love you?” I ask, peering down at her in my arms.

  She nods. “I love you too.” Her voice cracks.

  “Sam.” My voice is thick with emotion. “I don’t ever want to know what my life looks like without you in it.”

  “It looks like your past.”

  I nod. “I only want to look toward the future. I see a wedding, those babies we talked about.” I place my hand over her flat belly, and she bites down on her bottom lip. I can see the emotion welling in her eyes. “I want to watch those babies grow and give them a safe place to thrive. I want to sit on a porch swing and watch our babies’ babies grow. I want all of that and everything in between. I want the good times and the bad times, and I want the love and the laughter. All of it, I want you by my side.” Taking a deep breath, I drop to one knee.

  “Wh-What are you doing?” she asks. Her tears are now freely falling from her eyes.

  “Samantha Wilson, will you spend your life with me? Will you help me create our future as husband and wife? Will you marry me?” Reaching into my pocket, I pull out the ring and hold it up for her.

  “You want to marry me?” she sobs.

  “More than anything.”

  “I-I need to tell you something.”

  A knot forms in my gut. I knew something was off. “Okay.” I can barely speak the word as I climb to my feet and lead us to the couch. “You can tell me anything,” I say, steeling my resolve.

  “I’ll be right back.” She stands and takes two steps before turning to look at me. “Don’t move.” With that, she rushes off toward the laundry room.

  My hand is sweating from the fist I have around the ring I just offered her. I don’t know what she has to tell me, but nothing could make me change my mind about how I feel about her. Whatever it is, we’re going to work it out. Together.