Page 44

Chapter 43

Shawn

W e beat Dallas by twenty, and I have never been so pumped. I search around the court for Lee, and I see the big group over by the back exit. I run over, hugging them all, apologizing for my sweat and thanking them all for coming.

“Hell of a game, son!”

My dad says as he pats my back and my eyebrows shoot up. In all the years I’ve played this game, I don’t think I’ve heard him say that once to me. I smile and pull him into a hug.

“Thanks, Pops.”

“For sure, your future in the league will be nothing short of greatness playing like that.” Mr. Harris chimes in.

“Thank you, sir,” I say, turning around to give him a handshake. Lee comes up, snuggles up under my arm, and I look down at her.

“Hi, Sunshine!”

She smiles up at me before replying.

“You got ‘em!

“Yeah, I did, baby.”

“Hey, Books!”

A reporter yells from the side, pulling me out of my moment with Lee. I do my best not to groan outwardly. I tried to avoid it the entire game - the shouts, the name calling, the questions at halftime, but now it is inevitable. Excusing myself from our family I go to where the reporter has a camera and microphone out.

As soon as I come up, they fire away.

“How does it feel to blow out the team that you grew up watching?”

“Um, I will always have love for Dallas, but my home is in the Six. I love it there.”

“Oh, that was a rapid change. What do you love so much about Toronto?”

I stop and look back at my girl. Nodding back over to the group the camera and reporter, track my gaze as I point.

“My girl,” I say with a smile, and I see Lee’s jaw drop.

“Oh, you’re in a relationship. How do you find the pressure of balancing a personal life with your rising career in the league?”

I laugh.

“Yeah, I’m taken. I think you make time for the things that matter most.”

I wave Lee over. She looks behind her to see if I meant someone else before she looks back at me. I nod and wave her over again. She slowly walks up to us, dragging her feet like she doesn’t want to be here as much as I do.

“Hi, what’s your name?” They ask Lee.

“Um, Hi. I’m Ainsley Harris.”

“Hi Ainsley, so you’re in a relationship with Shawn Salisu?”

She looks at me, and I nod, encouraging her to continue.

“Guess you could say that…”

She smiles and holds her hand up, showing off her ring.

Reporters swarm around us, hammering us with all kinds of questions.

“How long have you been together?”

“Is that why you weren’t at warm-ups?”

“What do you do, Ainsley?”

I smile, my eyes never leaving hers.

“I have loved this girl since I was 10 years old. She lives in the Six, she makes beautiful art, and before you all jump to conclusions again. Yes, that is why I was in Dallas several weeks ago getting a ring from an old friend that is also an amazing custom jewelry designer. Don’t you think her work is good?” I look down at the ring Lee is admiring.

Lee examines her ring, holding back her hand to fully take it in. Then laughs before looking at the reporters.

“I personally think it’s stunning!” She adds.

The reporters join in the laughter as I lean down to kiss Lee. I pull away, and I hear Lee’s stomach growl.

“Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to go get my fiancé some food and enjoy the rest of my night with our family.”

They all give us their congratulations as we head off towards our families. Hopefully, that puts things to rest for a while with the media, and they go back to reporting on actual sports-related material.

I look at them all, sticking out in the crowd in the black and red gear I sent them.

“So you all want to meet at Buca di Beppo’s?”

Lee claps. “Yes, please, I could eat a whole family-sized portion of pasta!”

Our parents look at her in surprise and laugh. Lee and I share a silent look, and I know she hasn’t told them about the baby yet.

“Okay, you all head to your cars and tell your drivers to meet us there. Lee and I will meet you there. She is coming with me.”

They all nod and make their way to the exit. Lee looks at me as we walk towards the locker room.

“Thank you for having them all here. I needed that.”

“Of course, baby. I’m glad you got to celebrate with them. I thought Nora was going to hunt me down if I didn’t let you see her soon.”

Lee stops and looks down as she stretches her neck from side to side.

“Yeah, well, about that reunion…I may have told her about the baby…”

“What?” I swing back around and look at her.

“How did you tell her? It just slipped out, and no one else heard y’all?”

She shrugs and starts walking back toward the locker room like it was no big deal.

“Yeah, kind of. We went to the washroom and…well, you told my brother, so after I told her I went to the doctor, she asked about it…it just made sense to tell her. Honestly, the girl could have brought down the entire building with her scream, though.”

A laugh comes bubbling out of me at the thought.

“Sounds about right. Well, I’m glad you got that moment with her. I’m sure she is so excited.”

“Oh…yeah, about that. She may or may not have asked to move in with us?”

“What? No fucking way! I’m not cleaning up after two babies!” I state.

“Yeah, yeah. Well, she can come up anytime she wants to visit. She has lots of Auntie duties now.” She shrugs.

Ugh, thank goodness I have some boys to hang out with in Toronto because those two together are something else.

“Okay, fine. Auntie Nora is going to be a pain in my ass.”

“Sure is, but you’ll love her for it.”

“Okay, let me shower off, and we’ll head to meet the family. Do you want to tell our parents at dinner about our little nugget?”

She smiles and nods so sweetly up at me.

“I think that would be fun, don’t you? Seeing all the reactions at one time and it’s so hard to get them all together during the season.”

I nod my head, completely agreeing with her.

“Sounds perfect, Sunshine! I’ll text Nora, so she can record their reactions.”

She claps, clearly getting excited to tell our families. I turn around as she smacks my ass.

“Perfect! Now get going. I can’t wait!”