by Casey Diam
Getting on the next flight like I’d hoped did not happen. None of them had been non-stop and not only were the tickets twelve hundred dollars, but the fastest they would get me there was around the same time that my original flight was scheduled to land.
Even knowing that waiting was the logical thing to do, the next few hours was the longest of my entire existence, and I prayed I would get there on time.
When it was finally time for my flight at five p.m., I got WiFi on the plane so I could keep in contact with Gabby.
I stared at the last message I’d gotten from her an hour ago.
Gabby: Holy duck! I just had my first intense contraction. This was way different.
Gabby: Duck
Gabby: Damn it. Duck, not . . . son of a . . .
Despite the nerves running through me, I couldn’t help but smile.
Gabby: 5cm. Halfway there. Doc says I have a few hours to go, so I’m going to walk around outside a little bit longer and enjoy the fresh air. Your brother and Averie are going to get me a smoothie (smiley face)
The anxiety I felt before melted away, but I knew it wouldn’t be long before it came right back. She might have a few hours to go, but I was stuck on this flight for the next three.
Releasing a breath, I recalled those breathing exercises I’d done with her over the summer, and for the next three hours, I tried to remain calm.
Gabby kept updating me, and as soon as the plane touched down, I called her.
“We’re at seven centimeters.”
I made it, and she wouldn’t be doing it alone. Although she wouldn’t exactly be alone either way. Last week, she’d told me that she wanted Averie in the delivery room for support as well. At least if I passed the hell out from seeing her in that much pain, she would have someone else there to hold her hand and coach her through it.
“I’ll be there in about half an hour—tops.”
Racing out to the front as soon as I was able to, I spotted Will’s truck parked out front under the lights, waiting for me. Hopping inside, I tossed my duffel onto the back seat before releasing a breath.
“You okay?” Will asked, putting the truck in drive and rolling out onto Airport Road before turning onto 82-W toward Alpen Springs.
“Yes. No. I’m so fucking nervous.” I scrubbed a hand over my face and through my hair.
He grinned. “The anticipation is the worst. Here, I picked up some food. I figured you wouldn’t have had time.” He pointed to the paper bag on top of the dashboard from Johnny Joe’s.
“Damn, how’d you know? I’m starving.” I grabbed the bag and inhaled the burger inside in about two minutes.
After a moment, Will shook his head. “I can’t believe you’re turning me into a grandfather before I’m forty.”
I chuckled. “Yeah, let’s hope history doesn’t repeat itself eighteen years from now because I won’t be ready to be a grandfather then. That’s when I’m planning to retire with a massive empire so I can live my best life.”
He laughed. “I’m glad you have it all planned out. You know, I always worried about you, all the drinking you used to do, and I’m saying used to because I’m guessing you don’t have time for that anymore—”
“I can’t even remember the last time I had a beer. It was probably the last time I was here with the guys.”
“Well, all that worry was for nothing because you ended up becoming an amazing young man. I should have always known that’s how you would turn out since you are my offspring and all.” He grinned. “But seriously, Ryker, you’re so driven and smart in everything that you do, even with this baby you’re about to be a father to, you’re twice the man I was at your age. And I can’t tell you just how proud I am of you. We might have had our heads up our asses for the past few years, but I’m glad we made it to a place where we can actually talk as father and son. You don’t know how happy you’ve made me these past few months.”
I swallowed and blinked away the tears forming in my eyes, feeling strangely emotional.
“I don’t know what to say to that. Thanks?”
“You don’t have to say anything. You just need to hear it and believe every word of it.”
“Got it.”
At the intersection, he turned onto Sheppards before making a left into the parking lot of the clinic.
I hesitated before asking, “Would you mind if I changed my name to yours?”
He glanced at me as he came to a stop in front of the clinic’s entrance. “You’re being serious?”
I nodded.
He smiled. “You don’t have to ask.”
Chapter 48
Gabby
Sitting on the bed with my legs crossed, I eased my way through another contraction as Averie’s hands pressed against my lower back.
Ryker’s almost here, I told myself while I drew in steady breaths, focusing on the lavender essential oil next to me. The door opened, and Ryker walked through, completely throwing me off my breathing, but I didn’t care. A joyful tear escaped my eye.
“Babe,” I muttered and then winced.
“Hey.” He raised a hand in front of him and exaggerated taking a deep breath, reminding me to breathe. I followed suit, breathing with him as he walked toward me and settled on the edge of the bed.
“Okay. Okay,” I said once my muscles relaxed. He wrapped his arms around my shoulders and kissed my forehead.
“How are you doing? Do you need me to do the nipple stimulation thing to speed up this up now that I’m here?” he whispered.
“Babe!” I laughed.
“Just asking.”
“Thank you, but I don’t think my body needs any more encouragement.”
He looked up as Averie walked over to Ash. “Averie, thank you. Ash, you need to marry that girl.”
As Averie’s cheeks flushed, I pushed Ryker’s shoulder. “Oh my God!” As soon as the words left my lips, another contraction started. My fingers sank into his bicep.
“Here, I’ll show you what I was doing,” Averie said to Ryker, rushing over. “Your hands are bigger.”
Not even ten minutes later, my contractions became unbearably close together and so strong I had a hard time breathing around the pain. Knowing it wasn’t time yet, I slowly breathed through them with Ryker’s hand in mine.
Averie placed a soothing wet towel on my forehead, and I could smell the lavender again as if she’d placed a drop on the cloth. Focusing on the scent and Ryker’s touch, I got through the next hour with my mom there murmuring reassuring words every so often.
Not long after that, the doctor and two nurses came in and told me it was time, which was both a blessing and a curse. My body felt hot and cold at the same time, and I was shaking. My mom kissed me on the forehead and walked out to give us privacy. And I loved her for that, because my best friend took her spot on one side of the bed, and Ryker stayed on the other.
I hummed as another contraction took ahold of me, and on the next one, I began to push.
I started to regret not having an epidural, that maybe I couldn’t do this, maybe I couldn’t push hard enough, but the motivation came when the doctor glanced at the monitor and said, “Okay. One last big push, are you ready?”
I drew in a deep breath and nodded, putting everything into that last one, and when it felt as if my entire body was about to shut down, a baby’s cry filled the room.
My heart stopped and tears streamed down my face.
Oh my God.
“Look,” the doctor said.
My baby.
I glanced up at Ryker, at the emotion apparent on his face as tears dripped from eyes that remained glued to our baby. Even Averie was crying.
The doctor set the baby on my chest, sending an overwhelming sense of happiness, relief, and pride through me. “Hi, Chase.”
“He’s so gorgeous,” Averie cooed.
Smiling, I looked up at Ryker again as his hand caressed my shoulder. He leaned down and kissed my cheek, whispering, “I love you. You did so good.”<
br />
Two hours later, and I was in utter bliss with Ryker lying on the bed next to me, my baby snuggled against my naked chest.
“Can I hold him?” Ryker asked.
“Of course,” I said softly, not wanting to disturb the baby. It was after one in the morning, and I was exhausted, but I’d been pushing myself to stay awake, trying to soak in as much as I could.
Ryker stood and pulled his T-shirt over his head, dropping it on the foot of the bed. He took Chase into his arms, and my eyelids grew heavy with sleep as I watched him walk around the room with the baby resting on his chest.
The cutest, most adorable thing I’d ever seen.
Chapter 49
Ryker
I looked away from the digital piece I was working on and to Gabby, who was sitting behind me on the couch, nursing the baby.
“What?” Gabby asked, glancing at where I sat on the floor with my back against the seat cushion.
“He’s a natural. It’s fascinating,” I told her, even though I was just admiring her and I also really wanted to hold Chase again, but instead of telling her that, I joked, “I’m kind of jealous that I have to share these now.” I stroked a finger on top of her breast. “It really isn’t fair.”
She chuckled. “You’re such a dork.”
Setting my iPad down, I got on my knees and kissed the top of Chase’s head. He ignored me, his eyes still closed as he sucked. “You’re lucky I love you,” I whispered to him. “Don’t tell your mom, but it’s taking everything out of me not to steal this nipple from you.”
Gabby laughed again. “Stop.”
“What? I can tell he doesn’t like sharing them either.”
“That’s because they are his now. You realize that there’s milk coming out of them, right?”
“I know, but maybe I should try it, just to make sure the taste and the temperature is good enough for him.” I was joking, but my cock lengthened, effectively joining the conversation.
No fun times right now, I reminded my dick like I had any control. This was Gabby’s doing, all without even trying.
“You are way too much for me right now.” She smoothed the pad of her thumb down Chase’s face, her feet jerking in contentment as she nursed our son.
Son.
God.
I was a father.
Chase arrived a week ago, and I’d been so thankful that Gabby’s parents had been allowing me to stay at their house. It was crowded, especially with her room also being the nursery, but we’d been making it work.
“Are you ready to go back?” Gabby asked, lifting a hand and combing it through my hair.
I shook my head, placing a finger into Chase’s tiny hand so that his fingers curled around mine. I swore this baby had my entire heart, which was why every time I held him and thought about having to go back to college and football, my heart cracked in two. I honestly didn’t want to go back.
I stared at his gorgeous little face. How could I leave him?
“I can’t leave, Bunny.”
“What? You have to.”
I shook my head.
She didn’t understand. I’d just met my reason for breathing, for living. And after what I went through not having my dad when I was young, how could I turn around and do that to my own son?
“Hey,” Gabby said gently, cupping my face and nudging my chin up. “You aren’t really leaving, at least not forever, it’s just for about four months, and you’ll see us at Christmas, and before you know it, we’ll be right there with you, going to your games and cheering you on. You should get to have everything you ever wanted, I know you and how happy that game makes you, so I’m not going to let you give up on something you’ve been working toward your whole life, something that one day, Chase might want to do, although he might be too busy snowboarding to try it out.”
I grinned, shaking my head as she continued, “Seriously, though, going back so you can work on becoming a professional player is not only your future but also for Chase’s. A couple of years from now when they’re calling your name at the NFL drafts, you’re going to look back on this moment and realize going back was the best decision you ever made for him. If my staying here for a few months will be too long for you, then I don’t know, we’ll figure it out, I’ll go back with you. We’ll search for apartments online today.”
She was dead serious, but I couldn’t do that to her either. She deserved to be happy and to have everything she ever wanted too.
“No, you’re right. It’s only a few months. I love you.” My eyes filled with tears as they lowered to Chase. “Both of you.”
I kissed her, savoring her taste, her warmth, her scent, and Chase’s like it was the last time I would get to do this for a while, and I guessed it really was after today.
I leaned back as I felt Chase’s little fingers curled tighter around one of mine. I smiled. My little football player. “See how he’s gripping my finger?”
Gabby looked down.
“He’s going to be a natural. That’s definitely a football grip.”
“Oh my gosh, it so isn’t,” she chuckled, adjusting the baby-blue beanie on his head. “He just loves you.”
“I could watch him all day.”
Chapter 50
Gabby
Five weeks later . . .
With my body spread out on the floor and my arms lax at my sides, my yoga mat was being used as a mattress instead of a place to work out. Six weeks post-partum, and I didn’t know if I was ready for more than the hikes I’d taken around Alpen Springs with Chase.
“What if I break something inside me?”
“Is that out of fear or you just not being ready? Yesterday, you were excited to find out if you’d be good to jump back into more intense stuff, and today, you got the okay from your doctor.”
“I know. Ugh. I just don’t know if Pilates and resistance bands are going to get me where I need to be three weeks from now.”
Averie smiled. “You’re joking right? Dude, your legs have more muscles than mine. You were literally doing squats in the delivery room.”
I laughed. “That was to help with the contractions, that doesn’t count.”
“You know what?” She uncrossed her legs where she was sitting and picked up her phone. “I have an idea.”
“You’re going to work out with me?” I grinned.
Her eyebrows rose. “Another idea.”
“I’m telling you that, once you start working out, you’ll be hooked. It’s so addicting. Anyway, what’s your idea?”
“You know how you were doing that YouTube documentary thing about your journey to the Olympics? How about you start doing it again, but add your struggles and workout videos. Basically, this new exciting journey of rediscovering yourself and your passion. I think it could help other moms and could be really inspiring.”
“You think so?”
“Yes.”
I quirked an eyebrow. “But look at me, I suck.”
“Yup. And what’s really going to make it work is day one, starting here, right now, letting everyone see your struggle, your fear. And I’m not going to say if but when you freaking go to the Olympics, this is gonna be huge, you should totally do it. Also, if you’re looking for sponsorships, this is what’s going to get them for you. Imagine these companies seeing you still pushing this hard for your dream after having a baby. They’re going to want to be a part of that. Who wouldn’t?”
I jerked my head and chuckled. “You’re a genius.”
“You haven’t heard the best part yet.”
“What’s the best part?”
“A workout app.”
“There’re thousands of those, no one cares. What’s going to make mine different?”
“You. Your journey. An Olympic gold medalist. I know. I know. You don’t know what’s going to happen a month from now or if you’re going to make the team, but I can feel it. I just—trust me.”
I bit my lip and inhaled. “One thing’s for sure, you do know how to motivat
e a girl.”
As she did a little dance, I laughed, effectively waking Chase from his nap. “Oh crap, let’s discuss while I feed my cute little baby. I don’t think your phone camera is going to cut it, I can hit up Lee and see if he’d be interested, he’s really good at video edits.”
She did a little dance again, and I shook my head.
What was my life like before my best friend? Seriously, do I even care?
“Oh my gosh. Ryker got his jersey redone. He just posted a pic of him and Ash.”
She showed me the picture of the Haigen imprint on the back of the jersey. Ryker had his arm slung across his brother’s shoulders, and Ash’s face was as priceless as the comment below the picture, which read: “He said yes so I changed my last name.”
“Oh my gosh, they’re such a mess,” I said, picking up Chase from his cradle and rocking him in my arms.
“I know. People love it, though, they literally got over a hundred thousand likes in less than half an hour.”
Chapter 51
Gabby
Two weeks later . . .
“You just gotta gafeel it,” Hunter said as I looked at the jump that was about half the size of the one I would need to hit at the event.
I inhaled a few deep breaths, shaking my head and trying to clear my mind as I thought about my brother’s advice. Go for it and feel it out.
The second Olympic qualifying event was in one week, and the next three all within the next month and a half.
I’d been training on the fake jumps at the Olympic Training Center and at the foam pit for the past few days, and it was time for the real stuff.
I knew I was going full speed ahead, trying to hit all the big jumps in one day, but I had such a short time before the event, it had to be done.