Stroke It (A Standalone Sports Romance)

by Ivy Jordan

“I didn’t mean to intrude,” Xander said, sliding back into his seat between the girls.

  “No way, I’m so glad you’re here. I’ve been thinking about you, but just couldn’t find the time to make it back up that mountain,” I excused.

  Xander rolled his eyes and looked over at Taylor with a grin. “Couldn’t find the time. Yeah, more like was too much of a sissy boy to make the trip again,” he teased. I was grateful for his new choice of words with Bailey at the table taking in everything he said. She was like a sponge, soaking it all in, and I didn’t need her going back to her mother’s saying daddy’s a pussy. The last two months had been going really well, and I didn’t want anything to ruin it.

  “I’ve been busy,” I claimed, placing the bowl of fried potatoes on the table and taking my seat.

  Bailey didn’t waste any time grabbing a chocolate chip pancake from the pile and two slices of bacon. “I don’t want any potatoes. I like Taylor’s potatoes, but not yours daddy,” she said so sweetly. Wow.

  “Okay,” I gasped, trying to express the pain her words inflicted upon me. She just giggled, not interested in how I felt. She was a strong little girl, doing what she wanted, and saying what was on her mind, just like her daddy.

  “You have a good time in Miami?” Xander asked.

  I started to ask him how he knew but realized that was stupid. He knew everything, always had, always would. I never had to worry; Xander was always watching my back, somehow.

  “It was good. Sold the house,” I explained.

  “And, Isaac?” he questioned.

  “He and Maddie are doing great, still madly in love,” I chuckled.

  “Looks like they aren’t the only ones,” he pointed out, looking across the table at me and Taylor.

  Bailey made a howling noise, excited that Xander was teasing us. “You’re in love,” she laughed.

  Taylor told him all about the trip to Disney World, with Bailey interjecting every other word to tell her own side of things. Xander’s eyes were wide and filled with love. It was obvious he enjoyed the two girls fawning for his attention.

  After breakfast, Xander pulled me aside. “Let’s go hang out on the porch,” he smiled, guiding me to the front door.

  I worried he had something bad to tell me, possibly bad news about one of our brothers. I took a seat in the wicker chair outside the door, and Xander took the one across from me. His eyes were serious, staring into mine as if they were searching for something. I grew nervous about what he was ready to say.

  “I’m proud of you,” he smiled, sending relief flowing through me.

  “Thanks,” I sighed, grateful that he’d taken the time to listen to me on the mountain side.

  “Staying was the right thing to do. I knew you’d make the right decision, never doubted you a second,” he beamed.

  “I doubted myself, plenty,” I admitted.

  “What changed your mind: Taylor or Bailey?” he asked.

  “I would’ve stayed for either,” I grinned.

  “That’s what I thought. Taylor’s a good girl. Tommy would be proud to have you in the family.” His mention of Tommy choked me up. I’d thought about him over the last few months, wondering what he’d think. I kept telling myself he’d be happy, but it was good to hear from Xander.

  “So, now it’s your turn,” I joked, shrugging off the emotion building in my throat.

  “My turn?” he looked surprised.

  “Yeah. You need to find a woman and settle down now, maybe start your own family,” I stated.

  “Oh no. Not me. I’ll never settle down,” he insisted.

  I laughed, leaning back in my chair and staring at my old buddy. “That’s what I said just a few short months ago. I’m thankful every day that I was dead wrong.”

  Epilogue

  Two years later

  Taylor

  I chased Bailey around the house as she giggled. I finally caught her as she jumped onto her bed, pinning her beneath my arms, and smothering her with kisses all over her face. I couldn’t imagine what my life would’ve been like with her, without Elijah. It is perfect.

  “Are you girls ready?” Elijah called from the other room.

  “Almost. I just have to get this little girl’s hair pulled up,” I called back, staring into Bailey’s big bright eyes as she continued to giggle.

  “Why do I have to wear my hair up?” she asked.

  “Because, it is a fancy dinner, and we want to look like princesses, don’t we?” I asked, giving her a playful smirk.

  She sat up and handed me the brush and the ponytail holder she’d hidden behind her back. I brushed out her long hair, amazed at how fast it was growing. She was starting kindergarten this fall, growing up too quickly. It made me wish she was small again, and even think about possibly having one of my own that would have the same crooked smile as Elijah and Bailey.

  “Who is the dinner for?” Bailey asked as I twirled her thick hair into the fabric coated rubber band.

  “It’s for all the SEALs your daddy served with,” I explained.

  “And, your brother?” she asked.

  She’d asked about my brother a lot in the last few weeks; why, I wasn’t sure. I knew bringing the pictures of him from my house to Elijah’s had brought up questions, but her interest was piqued beyond its usually curiosity.

  “Yes, my brother served with all of them too,” I smiled, fondly remembering Tommy’s smile.

  I was looking forward to the evening, to meeting the men Elijah considered his brothers, ones that Tommy considered brothers as well.

  Milton would be there, and he’d told me how excited he was on his visit Friday to my office. I’d picked him out a suit earlier that week, and he surprised me by announcing he was moving to the States, to live with his son. I was happy for him, and I knew that was best. I was going to miss the old man though, and I knew my work week would take so much longer to finish without our long talks.

  Elijah appeared in the doorway of Bailey’s room just as I finished her hair. He wore a dark navy suit with his medals pinned to the jacket, and matching pants with a white stripe flowing down the leg. He looked so handsome my eyes started to water. I pushed against the corners of my eyes, refusing to show up with stained black eyes. “You look amazing,” I gushed, moving towards him for a quick kiss.

  “You both are stunning,” he beamed, his eyes moving slowly from me to Bailey.

  Elijah seemed nervous as he pulled into the restaurant parking lot. There were cars in nearly every spot, unusual for the small local place. We found a spot in the back, and he opened my car door, and then Bailey’s, before offering an arm to me and a hand to Bailey to escort us inside.

  He pulled open the doors, allowing me and Bailey to enter first. The restaurant was packed, and as we took a few steps towards the hostess stand, everyone in the place stood and clapped to greet us. I was blushing, unsure of what to do. Why are they clapping for us?

  Elijah took my hand and guided me and Bailey to the center of the room. Everyone’s clapping subsided, and the room grew quiet as Elijah commanded their full attention.

  He turned to me, his eyes filled with emotion, and sweat beading up on his top lip from nerves. “Taylor, tonight is when we are surrounded by everyone we love, and everyone that loves us, or loved the ones closest to us,” he started, and I watched him swallow hard. My skin started to crawl with anxiousness, and my eyes wandered around the room at the many unfamiliar faces, mostly SEALs, and then landed on Milton. He smiled wide, his eyes dancing on mine as Elijah pulled back my attention.

  “You are the most important woman in my life,” he stopped and looked down at Bailey with a warm smile. “One of the two most important women in my life,” he corrected. “I don’t want to let another single day go by without making you my wife. This is the family I’ve always wanted, and this is the life I never knew I deserved. You and Bailey have made me the happiest man in the world, so please say yes, and let me know it’ll never end,” he gushed, his voice cracki
ng on every other word.

  “Yes,” I exclaimed, instantly wrapping my arms around his neck. I felt Bailey squeeze in between us, her tiny squeals of excitement creating a wild stir in the room. Elijah leaned down, lifted her into his arms, and gripped me tightly as he held us both. Everyone cheered, and I knew that even if Tommy wasn’t here, that the men who loved him were, and even though my dad was gone, Milton stood there smiling, reminding me of how precious life is, and that I wanted to spend every second surrounded by those I love.

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  This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places and incidents are products of the writer's imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locales or organizations is entirely coincidental.

  Copyright © 2017 Ivy Jordan