Keeping Score

by Alyssa Kale

  “You are so sexy.” He’s rubbing his hands over my swollen belly, lovingly watching me, and giving me everything I want. “I need you,” he says as he gently lifts me up and guides me down on top of him.

  “Ahhh,” I moan, half sounding like I’m in pain, but I’m not.

  “Are you okay? Am I hurting you?” He’s concerned, but I shake my head as I continue lowering myself onto him. “You. Feel. So. Good.” He breathes between each word.

  I nod in agreement.

  When my stomach starts getting in the way, he moves us to my bed and tells me to get on all fours. Knowing this is probably the best and most comfortable position for me being nine months pregnant, I do what he says.

  He guides himself back into me and pounds in and out until both of us reach climax.

  I scream at the same time he lets out a half moan, half grunt when he empties himself into me.

  When he pulls out, I lie down on my side right where I am, in the center of the bed, and he follows suit, spooning me from behind.

  Both spent and breathing heavy, he whispers, “I love you,” one last time before getting up to clean himself and then me before we drift off to sleep.

  “Ahhh, shit.” I wake up with the most terrible pain I have ever felt in my life.

  “What’s wrong? What is it?” I hear Braxton wake up beside me.

  “I think it’s a contraction. Can you grab my notebook and phone please?” I point to the nightstand near where he’s lying, and he sees the notebook and pen I’ve laid there for times such as these. I’ve had a couple cases of false alarms.

  Another one comes about five minutes later, and I write down the start time and push the stopwatch on my phone. The contraction lasts about forty-five seconds. It’s right there on the verge of when the doctor told me to go in, but I decide to wait a bit longer to see if they’re consistent.

  Braxton rubs my head. “Do you need anything? Water?”

  “Water would be nice, please,” I tell him as another one hits.

  For about an hour, Braxton paces as the contractions are coming in every four to five minutes and lasting nearly sixty seconds each round.

  It’s about two in the morning, but I call Kendall.

  “Hello,” she says groggily. “Is everything okay?”

  “It’s time.”

  When I say this, I see Braxton spring into action at the same time Kendall perks up and says, “I’m on my way.”

  We’ve planned for this. This was what we planned on. She promised she’d keep her ringer on loud and would be at my door in minutes once I made the call. What we did not plan on was a third person being here.

  When Kendall arrives at my door, Braxton is already leading me to his truck. Kendall just looks at me knowingly as she runs into my bedroom to grab my bag I packed for the hospital.

  When we’re in Braxton’s truck, I call my doctor’s line to let the on-call nurse know I’m in labor and heading to the hospital.

  39

  * * *

  BRAXTON

  It’s been just over two months now, and Sophie has settled very nicely into motherhood. I never had my doubts. Sophie named the baby Nolan, after Nolan Ryan. It couldn’t be more perfect. He couldn’t be more perfect.

  I’m on my way home from spring training today. I got just over a few weeks with the two of them before I had to leave. I wanted to move them into my house before I left, but given she was only about four weeks postpartum, I thought it was bad timing to even bring the subject up. She and Nolan needed to spend some quality time together, and I just prayed the paparazzi left her alone. I did tell Kendall she could be taken to my place if security became a concern, and she had all the instructions on how to do that.

  Apparently, that didn’t need to happen, because I’m currently on my way to her apartment from the airport.

  Before I can knock on her door, it opens, and there she stands, beautiful as ever, with a newborn sleeping in her arms. He’s grown so much in the month I’ve been gone.

  “Hey there, little guy,” I whisper and rub the bottom of his foot, needing to touch him but hoping not to wake him. “And how’s Momma doing?” I ask, not forgetting about her in the slightest.

  “Good. I just got him to sleep, so if you wake him up, I’ll cut you.” She points her finger at me in warning, and I don’t dare even try to disturb him. He’s so peaceful. “I’m going to put him in his crib and pray he stays asleep. I’ll be right back.”

  She walks down the hall to his room, and I follow. Nolan’s room is decked out in all baseball gear. When she told me that’s what she wanted to do for the nursery, I was able to pull some strings and get a ton of Aces gear and old baseballs just for this nursery. And she did a fantastic job decorating it. Perfect room for a perfect baby.

  When she lays him down, she stares for a second, admiring him and hoping he doesn’t wake up all at the same time. She reaches down for the baby monitor and flips it on. She got a high tech one with a video monitor so she can see him, not just hear him like the old-school ones.

  She checks the app on her phone to make sure it’s working then walks away slowly and as quietly as possible.

  When we make it back into the living room, she folds herself into my arms for the best hug in the world then leans up on her tiptoes to kiss me.

  “Man, I’ve missed you,” I say after backing away from our kiss.

  “I’ve missed you too,” she says before letting go to saunter off into the kitchen.

  She grabs a glass of water and chugs it. “Would you like anything? Water, coffee? That’s about all I’ve got.” She laughs.

  “No. I’m good,” I say honestly. “I just want to be here with you.”

  She smiles and leans against the counter. “How was the flight?”

  “Too long. I was so ready to get back to you.” I grab her into another hug and kiss her like my life depends on it.

  “I was ready for you to be back too.” She sighs. “This feels good.”

  “Mmm, it does.” We stand there for a few minutes before I let go to guide her back into the living room so we can sit down.

  “Are you ready for opening day tomorrow?” Sophie asks.

  “Yes. I wish you could be there though.”

  “I know. Me too. I’m just not ready to take Nolan to a big event like that yet, and I for sure am not ready to be away from him.” She looks away, embarrassed that she feels that way.

  “Hey, I didn’t say that to make you feel guilty. Don’t. Nolan is only eight weeks old. You’re still not even fully recovered from giving birth yet.” She nods, and I continue. “Plus, I know you’ll still be watching.”

  “Oh, you know I wouldn’t miss it for the world.” She smiles.

  “I know.” I push a strand of hair behind her ear that had fallen from her messy bun.

  She snuggles up to me on the sofa, and we end up sprawling there, her body half on top of mine, and everything just feels right. Perfect.

  As we begin to doze off in a little nap while the baby’s asleep, like we’ve learned to do since he was born, I drift off thinking back to the day I had to leave for spring training.

  The day has come. It’s a day I’ve always looked forward to—until now.

  Spring training.

  We go to Phoenix for a month to get ready for the upcoming season. Don’t get me wrong; I love spring training and always will, but this time is different. This time, I’m leaving behind people I love. My—almost—family. They’ll be my family eventually, and we all know it.

  I’m standing in Sophie’s apartment trying not to get emotional. “I’m going to miss you two.”

  “We’ll miss you too,” she says then looks away, trying not to cry.

  It’s been an emotional few months. Her ex sold the sex tape to TMZ, and they posted it, and true to her word, she released who the man was in the video, and his dad cut him off. He still got money from selling the tape, but most—if not all—went to the loan sharks. He’s basically ruined, and lu
ckily you can’t really see anything X-rated of Sophie from the angle of the video. Thank God.

  It was still rough though, because she had just given birth and her hormones were already crazy, but she was also too busy to really focus on it. Eventually, some other scandal popped up with some celebrity, and Sophie’s sex tape basically vanished.

  I finally let go of her, even though I really don’t want to. “I have to go.”

  “I know,” she says softly.

  “I’ll see you two in about six weeks. Okay?”

  “Okay,” she whispers, trying not to cry. “Sorry. I’m emotional. My hormones are all out of whack.” She chuckles slightly to keep herself from crying.

  “Don’t apologize.” I kiss her on the forehead then passionately on the lips. Then I look down into her arms and grab Nolan from her. “I’m gonna miss you, little guy. You be good to your momma, okay?”

  He squirms a little but looks up at me with his baby blue eyes. I love on him for a second before handing him back to Soph. “I love you.”

  She smiles but with sad eyes. “I love you too. Have fun and be safe, okay?”

  “Always.” I turn around and walk out the door to my truck.

  Before I drive out of the parking spot, I look over at her door, and she’s still standing there, watching me leave. I wave once more, then leave my heart in Texas.

  40

  * * *

  SOPHIE

  The Aces have made it into the playoffs, and if they win tonight’s game, they go into the World Series. I haven’t gotten to go to a single game this year, because I just couldn’t bear to leave Nolan behind, but Kendall talked me into leaving him with her. Just for tonight’s game. Thankfully, it’s a home game, so I’m not having to fly with him anywhere or anything.

  When I make it to my seat, this time in the WAGs—wives and girlfriends—section, there’s so much excitement in the air. The Aces haven’t played in a World Series game since the ’70s, so this is an exciting night.

  The other women introduce themselves to me, but I’m in such a haze I know I won’t remember their names. Most of them are stuck up and were probably jersey chasers at one point, so I choose to just keep to myself this game.

  We’re in the bottom of the ninth and behind by one point. We just need two runs to win and we’re off to the World Series. The managers have placed the batting order just right. Brax is one who can usually hit a homerun when the bases are loaded, and, at this moment, they are. We know it. And the players on Seattle’s team know it.

  Braxton positions himself at home plate and breathes. The entire stadium is quiet. Or maybe I’ve tuned them out. The pitcher throws the first pitch, and the umpire yells, “Striiike!”

  I can hear my heart beating in my ears. I’m on edge. That’s two outs, and if he strikes out, Seattle goes to the World Series, and Clarence does not. This all falls on Braxton, and I can see the stress.

  And then it happens. The perfect pitch gets thrown to him, and the sound it makes when it hits the bat is deafening. And I know exactly where it’s going. Into the crowd. I scream and yell, and the crowd is screaming and yelling too.

  The announcer is yelling “Hooomerun! The Clarence Aces are going to the World Series, Folks!”

  I’m excited as I watch Braxton round third base and head into home, where his team waits for him, cheering. When he gets there, he gives some high-fives and man hugs but quickly makes his way out of that crowd and over to the stands where I am.

  He climbs over the barrier that keeps us away from the field and scoops me up to kiss me. I should be embarrassed, as we’re in a packed stadium with thousands of people watching and cameras on us from every angle, but the adrenaline keeps the embarrassment at bay. I don’t feel any other emotions aside from excitement, joy, and love.

  Before I know what’s happening, Braxton lets go of me and takes one step back to get on one knee.

  Tears start streaming down my face as I realize what’s happening.

  “Sophie,” he starts, “I just got my team to the World Series, but the only thing I want to celebrate is that I get to call you mine. You’ve given me everything I never thought I could have in this lifetime, and I don’t want there to be another day without you and Nolan by my side. Will you marry me?”

  I can’t speak. I just nod, and the crowd screams and cheers, but they’re muted compared to what’s going on in my head as he slides the gorgeous ring on my finger.

  Holy shit. Braxton just got his team to the World Series, and instead of celebrating with them, he chose to propose to me. Did that just happen?

  The next day, I wake up to crying coming from the living room shortly before Braxton walks in my door with a not very happy Nolan. “Sorry, I tried to calm him down so you could sleep, but I don’t have the right equipment.”

  These last few months, Brax has really stepped into a daddy role. He changes diapers and rocks Nolan to sleep, and he would feed him if he could. It’s really very sexy seeing a man hold a baby. Especially a man as strong and built as Braxton.

  He hands Nolan to me, and I immediately prep to feed him. It’s past time, and I can feel it.

  “Do you want me to grab you some water?” he asks.

  “Yes, please.”

  When he walks out of the bedroom, I take a second to admire the ring he placed on my finger last night. I still cannot believe that happened. I’m engaged.

  When he’s back with a glass of ice water, he leans down and kisses me then touches the top of Nolan’s head.

  “Thank you,” I say.

  “Anytime, babe. Thank you.”

  “For what?” I ask, truly not knowing what he’s thanking me for.

  “Saying yes,” he replies as he grabs my left hand and touches the ring on my finger. “You’ve made me the happiest man alive.”

  I blush. “You’ve made me the happiest woman alive, but do you know what will make me happier?”

  “What?”

  “You, winning the World Series.”

  “Even if we lose, babe. This will go down as the best year in my book.”

  “Me too, Brax. Me too.”

  EPILOGUE

  * * *

  SOPHIE

  Three years later

  “Do you have everything?” I ask Braxton for the thousandth time.

  “Yes, babe,” he replies—again with the same answer. “I have all the paperwork and your overnight bag in the car, just in case.”

  “Okay. Thank you. Sorry.” I rush through the other words I seem to keep saying today.

  Today is the final adoption day for Nolan. We had to wait a year after we were married to even start the paperwork for stepparent adoption. I’m also eight and a half months pregnant with our baby girl, and the doctor said it will be any day now that I go into labor. It would be just my luck to go into labor during the final moments of the adoption.

  Luckily, that does not happen. We walk out of the courthouse a complete family on paper. Nolan had my last name, because there was no way in hell I was giving him Jared’s, but now he is Nolan David Lee. David is my dad’s name, and I thought it was fitting.

  “Thank you, babe, for making me the happiest man alive. This is the best day of my life,” Brax says before he leans in for a kiss.

  “I thought the day I said yes to marrying you was the happiest of your life?”

  “Keeping score, are we?”

  I laugh and nod.

  “Well in that case, you saying yes to being my wife, then marrying me, then letting me become legally Nolan’s dad, then winning the World Series with you by my side are all the happiest days of my life. In no particular order.” He smiles at me, and my heart soars.

  “I love you, Braxton Lee.”

  “And I love you, Sophie Lee.”

  THE END

  Acknowledgements

  First and foremost, I want to thank YOU. Thank you for taking a chance on this book. I know that taking a chance on a first-time author is a huge leap and you took that cha
nce, so thank you.

  Kendall - Thank you for the shove I needed. This book was just an idea I wanted to hand off that you talked me into writing myself. Thank you for your advice, your critiques, and your support. It means so much to me that even though you are an author yourself, you supported my tiny dream to have a book published. Love you.

  Andrea - Gaaaaah YOU are the MVP. Thank you for taking this book and making it so much better than I ever could’ve imagined. You were one of the first people to take a chance on me in this industry and words will never be able to fully express how thankful I am for that. And here we are, so many years later doing what we love.

  Jennifer - You’ve officially returned the favor and pushed this baby bird out of the nest. Five years ago I did it for you and here we are now, flipping the tables with me freaking out about this and you on the sidelines cheering your heart out, all while publishing yourself because that’s what you stand for. Everyone has a seat at the table, and I think we show everyone that when we publish a book in the same week ♥. I love you, my heterosexual lifemate. So thankful you’re in my life.

  Stacy - Thank you for beta reading and not telling me my book was shit—even though, at the time, we all knew it was. I love you. I wouldn’t even be in this industry if it weren’t for you pushing me to read Fifty Shades. From just two fan girl readers, to bloggers, to now professionals in this industry… there is no one else I’d rather do this life with than you. Love you.

  P.S. TAG you’re it! It’s your turn.

  Emma - Thank you for your words of encouragement from across the pond. I’m so thankful you’re my friend.

  Kayla - Thanks for taking me on and making me look like I somewhat know how to form a correct sentence when we all know I suck at that lol.

  Karin - Thank you for proofreading my book and overall just being a great friend! You can move to Texas now ;)

  My husband - I love you. That’s all.