Page 7

TEN YEARS LATER

“ Looking good, Ellie! Jameson, keep your eye on this one.”

I lean against the porch railing, soaking in the perfect Saturday afternoon scene before me. Luke is playing catcher while our nine-year-old daughter winds up for another pitch, and our seven-year-old son grips his bat like he’s in the World Series. Meanwhile, Willie, our German Shepherd, lies alertly at my feet, his tail thumping happily against the porch boards whenever the kids’ voices rise with excitement.

My heart feels so full it might burst.

It still amazes me, how much has changed in the past ten years. Moving across the country, building this beautiful home just outside the city, starting our family—and now Luke’s retirement. His decision last year surprised a lot of people—he was still playing incredible ball—but he was ready. Ready to be home more, to never miss another one of the kids’ recitals or science fairs.

The change looks good on him. Really good.

The sound of a car door slamming pulls my attention to the driveway, where my brother is climbing out of his SUV, manuscript pages tucked under his arm. The second my kids spot him, practice comes to a screeching halt.

“Uncle Aiden!” they shriek in unison, abandoning their positions to race toward him. Willie bounds off the porch to join the welcome party. Aiden catches the kids in a bear hug, his latest book draft somehow staying perfectly intact. My brother is retired from baseball now too, but he has the same endless energy he’s always had—especially when it comes to his niece and nephew.

“How’s my favorite shortstop?” he asks Jameson, then turns to Ellie. “And my star pitcher?”

“Hey man! Perfect timing,” Luke says, walking over to join them. “The kids have been dying to show you their progress.”

My phone buzzes, and I glance down to see a message from my publisher. The author of the romance novel I just finished narrating is thrilled with how it turned out. A warm satisfaction spreads through my chest. I’ve scaled back my workload over the years—family comes first these days—but I still love bringing stories to life. Especially now that I know exactly how it feels to live your own happily ever after.

“You’re going to stay for dinner, right?” I call out to my brother as I descend the porch steps. “I want to hear about this new book you’re working on.”

Aiden smiles warmly at the mention of his latest project. Ever since he retired and started writing children’s baseball stories, he’s found a new spark. It’s been incredible watching my brother transform from the guy who used to dodge responsibility with jokes into someone who’s inspiring the next generation of players. He’s still single, which feels strange sometimes, especially when I see how amazing he is with my kids. I’ve stopped myself from pestering him about it, but I hope he finds his own love story soon.

“Only if you promise not to make those healthy cookies again,” he says, shooting me a grin.

“Uncle Aiden, stay!” Ellie tugs his arm. “You can be on my team.”

“Teams?” Luke raises his eyebrows. “I thought this was just practice.”

“Come on, Dad.” Jameson bounces on his toes as he looks to his father. “We need a real game. Please?”

Within seconds, we’ve divided into teams—Luke and Ellie against Jameson, Aiden, and me. Our makeshift baseball diamond takes up most of the backyard, with the Bay visible in the distance, the water glinting in the afternoon sun.

Ellie steps up to the plate first, and Luke gives her an encouraging nod as she settles into her stance. When she connects with his pitch, sending the ball sailing over our heads, Luke lets out a whoop of pure joy. We scramble after it, but she’s already rounding second base by the time Aiden scoops up the ball. Luke beams with pride as she slides dramatically into third, and despite him being on the opposing team, my heart leaps—that chiseled jaw of his is even more devastating when he’s being an adoring father.

These are the moments I dreamed about when we were still long-distance dating, when Luke and I were trying to figure out how to build a life together. Back then, this all felt like an impossible fairy tale. Now it’s just our life—not perfect, but so much better than anything I could have imagined.

The game stretches on, full of diving catches, close plays, and endless trash talk between Luke and Aiden. Willie briefly derails the game by snatching the ball mid-play and leading everyone on a chase around the yard. Finally we all collapse onto the grass, pleasantly exhausted. Aiden gives into our kids’ request that he reads his current work-in-progress to them, and while he reads from his manuscript pages, I settle against Luke’s side. He traces his fingers lazily along my lower back, and when I look up into his eyes, he looks back at me with such affection that I almost blush.

Luke leans in close, his breath warm against my ear. “Got any plans later tonight?”

“Actually, yes,” I whisper back, trying to keep a straight face. “I have a very steamy rendezvous with an extremely hot man.”

“Lucky bastard,” he murmurs, his fingers pressing gently into my hip.

“No.” I bite my lip. “I’m the lucky one.”

A shiver runs through me as I think about the night ahead. I lean in to steal a quick kiss, but it lingers just a bit too long.

“Mom! Dad!” Ellie’s exasperated voice breaks through our moment. “You’re not even listening to Uncle Aiden’s story!”

Luke and I break apart with a laugh, both offering sheepish apologies. I settle back against Luke’s chest as Aiden clears his throat dramatically and continues reading.

“Coach watched the new kid step up to the plate,” Aiden reads, his voice dropping to the storyteller whisper that my kids love so much, “and he knew right then that everything was about to change...”