by Ryan, Kaylee
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.
“I got you something,” she says, holding a small red bag.
“Babe, I thought we said no gifts?” I ask her.
“You just offered me a ring the size of Texas, is that not a gift?”
“No. It’s a promise and a token of how much I love you. Besides, you didn’t take it.”
“I want to, Jase. I just— You need to hear what I have to say before I take it.”
“No.” I shake my head. “Forget everything else and tell me. Do you want to be my wife?”
She nods. “More than anything.”
Opening up my hand, I reach for her and slide my ring onto her finger. “Will you marry me?”
Her eyes dart to the bag as more tears stream down her cheeks. “Yes.”
The word is barely spoken before I’m pressing my lips to hers, wrapping her in a hug so tight I’m sure she’s struggling to breathe. “I love you,” I say, releasing my iron grip. I cradle her face in my hands. “I love you, and I will no matter what, until the day I take my last breath.”
“Open it.” She hands me the bag and wipes at her cheeks.
Removing the tissue paper, my hand dives into the bag and pulls out something that feels like jersey material. Holding it up, it’s the smallest football jersey I’ve ever seen. It’s dark blue and looks exactly like a mini practice jersey.
“Turn it around.”
Turning it around, my name is embroidered on the back. Why is she—? I drop the jersey and lock eyes with her. “What does this mean, Samantha?”
“Keep digging, player.” She nods toward the bag.
Reaching into the bag, I feel a small hard object wrapped in tissue paper. Slowly, I unwrap it, not sure of what it is, and what I find has my chest heaving. “We’re pregnant?” I say, my voice gravelly.
“Yes, and if you want to take it back, I understand, but I want this baby, Jase.”
“Take it back?”
She nods sadly. “The proposal.”
“Are you fucking kidding me?” I growl. I toss the test and the jersey to the floor and lean over so that there are mere inches between us. “I want you, and I want this baby. There is nothing in this world I want more. You’ve made me a husband and a father all in one day.”
“Fiancé,” she corrects with a blinding smile.
“We’re really having a baby?” I ask in awe of the situation.
“Yes. I wasn’t sure how you would feel about it. I was so nervous to tell you.”
“I could tell something was off, but I never would have guessed that this was the reason. I want this.” I place my hand over her heart. “And I want this.” I place my hand over her belly. “I love you.”
“I love you too.”
I hold her in my arms and let the realization wash over me. She made me work for it, but play-by-play, I won her over, and now she’s given me two of the greatest gifts. Her heart, and a piece of both of us—a tiny human that we created together. Life doesn’t get any better than this.
“Jase?”
“Yeah, baby?”
“You’re telling Royce,” she says, and we both fall into a fit of laughter.
Thank you
Thank you for taking the time to read Play by Play. Are you ready for the Riggins brothers? Royce’s story, Layer by Layer releases September 1, 2020.
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Website: http://www.kayleeryan.com/
More from Kaylee
Anywhere with You | More with You
With You Series:
Anywhere with You | More with You
Everything with You
Soul Serenade Series:
Emphatic | Assured
Definite | Insistent
Southern Heart Series:
Southern Pleasure | Southern Desire
Southern Attraction | Southern Devotion
Unexpected Arrivals Series
Unexpected Reality |Unexpected Fight
Unexpected Fall | Unexpected Bond
Unexpected Odds
Standalone Titles:
Tempting Tatum | Unwrapping Tatum | Levitate
Just Say When | I Just Want You
Reminding Avery
Hey, Whiskey | When Sparks Collide
Pull You Through | Beyond the Bases
Remedy | The Difference
Trust the Push
Entangled Hearts Duet:
Agony | Bliss
Co-written with Lacey Black:
It’s Not Over | Just Getting Started
Can’t Fight It
Cocky Hero Club:
Lucky Bastard
Riggins Brothers Series:
Play by Play / Layer by Layer
Acknowledgments
To my family:
Your support means the world to me. Thank you for always standing by my side. You make it possible for me to do what I love.
Reggie Deanching:
This image! Thank you for all of your patience as we sifted through galleries of images. I’m excited to finally have one of your images on my covers.
Quinn Biddle:
Thank you for doing what you do. You brought Jase’s story to life. Best of luck to you in all of your future endeavors.
Tami Integrity Formatting:
Thank you for making the paperbacks beautiful. You’re amazing and I cannot thank you enough for all that you do.
Lori Jackson:
I love this series, and the covers. Thank you for being patient with me, and bringing my vision to life. I can’t wait until we reveal the rest of them. Thank you so much for everything.
Lacey Black:
You are my sounding board, and I value that so very much. Thank you for always being there, talking me off the ledge and helping me jump from it when necessary.
My beta team:
Jamie, Stacy, Lauren, Erica, and Franci I would be lost without you. You read my words as much as I do, and I can’t tell you what your input and all the time you give means to me. Countless messages and bouncing idea, you ladies keep me sane with the characters are being anything but. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for taking this wild ride with me.
Give Me Books:
With every release, your team works diligently to get my book in the hands of bloggers. I cannot tell you how thankful I am for your services.
Tempting Illustrations:
Thank you for everything. I would be lost without you.
Julie Deaton:
Thank you for giving this book a set of fresh final eyes.
Becky Johnson:
I could not do this without you. Thank you for pushing me, and making me work for it.
Marisa Corvisiero:
Thank you for all that you do. I know I’m not the easiest client. I’m blessed to have you on this journey with me.
Kimberly Ann:
Thank you for organizing and tracking the ARC team. I couldn’t do it without you.
Bloggers:
Thank you, doesn’t seem like enough. You don’t get paid to do what you do. It’s from the kindness of your heart and your love of reading that fuels you. Without you, without your pages, your voice, your reviews, spreading the word it would be so much harder if not impossible to get my words in reader’s hands. I can’t tell you how much your never-ending support means to me. Thank you for being you, thank yo
u for all that you do.
To my Kick Ass Crew:
The name of the group speaks for itself. You ladies truly do KICK ASS! I’m honored to have you on this journey with me. Thank you for reading, sharing, commenting, suggesting, the teasers, the messages all of it. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for all that you do. Your support is everything!
With Love,
Kaylee Ryan