Page 131 of False Start

I was plating some hamburger sliders and chicken tenders — which blessedly didn’t make me want to hurl — when a familiar face strode through the suite entrance.

“Giana?”

I couldn’t hide the surprise or joy in my voice as I set my plate aside just in time to receive a fierce hug from Kyle’s curly-haired friend and agent. She squeezed me so tightly, I felt every inch of her now rather large baby bump, and she beamed up at me when we broke away, her smile dazzling.

“I’m so sorry it took me this long to get up here,” she said. “Between the pre-game interviews, fielding requests for meetings with Kyle from possible sponsors, and the fact that I waddle more than walk these days…” She shook her head, still grinning. “But it looks like you’re settled in! Is everyone being nice?”

“Yes,” I answered, which wasn’t a lie. A few of the wives had come to introduce themselves, and no one had been anything but kind. “I’ll admit that Sebastian and I are sticking to ourselves, though.”

“Perfectly understandable. It’s all new, after all,” Giana said, and she waved to where Sebastian was behind us in the seats.

My son looked ready to climb over those seats to get to the food I was holding hostage.

I told Giana I’d be right back, plated a hearty portion of veggies and fruits along with his slider and nuggets, and delivered it all to him along with a water bottle. Once he was set up and watching the second quarter, I rejoined Giana at one of the cocktail tables.

“Do you want to sit?” I offered, noting how she was rubbing her lower back.

She waved me off. “Trust me — nothing feels comfortable right now. Sitting, standing, walking, lying down. It all sucks. Of course, you know this already,” she added with a smile.

“How far along are you?”

“Thirty-one weeks.”

I let out a low whistle. “Won’t be long now.”

“I’m ready. Don’t get me wrong, being pregnant has been cooler than I imagined it would be. I’m cute as hell with this little bump,” she added, smoothing her hands over her stomach. “But I’m ready for this baby to be on the outside. It’s Clay’s turn to carry them around for a while.”

I chuckled. “I bet you can’t wait to meet them.”

Giana softened at that. “You have no idea. Well, I guess you do, actually.” She shook her head. “I hope this little boy or girl has his eyes. And his smile.” She paused. “But I truly hope they donothave his smart-ass attitude, or I’m in trouble.”

A roar broke out on the field, and Giana and I turned to the television screens just in time to see the end of a monster run from the Seahawks. We were within twenty yards of scoring now, and Giana and I moved to stand behind the seats so we could watch the field through the glass.

Two plays later, it was touchdown, Seattle Seahawks, and the game was tied.

I ran down to celebrate with Sebastian, made sure he was okay, and then kept my eyes on him as I rejoined Giana. There was a family sitting in the seats next to where Sebastian was, andanother little boy maybe a few years older than him was pointing to the field and explaining things just the way Kyle had been. Sebastian was all ears, eager to learn like always.

God, I loved him.

I absentmindedly ran a hand over my stomach, which looked more like bloat than anything else right now.

Sebastian would be a big brother soon, and it filled my heart just as it made my eyes brim with tears.

“Okay, I need to get back down there before halftime,” Giana said once the noise had died down a bit. “But the whole reason I came up here was to see howyouare doing.”

She smiled softly, petting my arm.

“I’m…” I blew out a breath. “Wow, I’m not sure how to answer that.”

“It’s been a bit of a whirlwind, hasn’t it?”

I nodded. “One summer, and my life has completely changed. I’m not sure what all Kyle has told you…”

Giana held her hands up. “He hasn’t said much, and I don’t pry. I just ask that he lets me know things that I need to know as his agent and publicist. But obviously, I know that you two just reconnected, and that not even two months later he was asking all of us to get on a plane to help him pull off a proposal.” She raised a brow. “I never thought I’d see Kyle Robbins weak for anyone, but girl, he isfeeblefor you.”

My cheeks ran hot as I looked down at the floor.

Then, I filled her in on everything Kyle hadn’t.