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The crack of my bat making contact with a ball was the most beautiful sound. One of my favorites, quickly followed by the roar of the home fans when they knew a home run was happening. Tossing my bat in the air, I took off for first, quickly passing second. As I rounded to third, I spotted her.

I stopped dead. I’d truly never seen anything more perfect than Millie leaping out of her seat and cheering for me. Any doubt I had about being in love with her vanished. I loved that girl so hard it warmed my blood and powered me through my day.

The ball was way out in left field, caught by someone in the middle of the bleachers, my home run was safe, but I started jogging again just in case. The last thing she saw before I disappeared into the dugout was me blowing her a kiss.

W e won ten to six and sailed into the postseason top of our division, which meant we had a couple of very welcome days off before the NLDS games began.

The usual scrimmage of players, family members, sports reporters, Lions coaches, and staff rushing through the corridors seemed to have doubled in size compared to last night’s game.

Sprinting past the locker rooms before I got pulled into an interview, I headed straight for the spot I knew Millie would be waiting with Radley.

“There’s today’s MVP,” she cheered.

“Why, thank you.” I grinned back, leaning in to kiss her cheek and taking a second too long to do so. “Enjoy the game?”

“Yeah. It was great, you guys were awesome.”

“Where’s Lux?” asked Radley.

“Coming, he was talking to Coach as I came out, but he won’t be long,” I replied, right as Millie covered a huge yawn. “You tired, Baby Mama?”

She had to be tired when she missed the opportunity to roll her eyes at me whenever I called her that.

“Yeah. A little. It’s been a while since I was awake this late.”

“You guys go, we’ll see you when we get home. We won’t be far behind you.”

“Are you sure?”

My hand hovered over her belly. I still liked to give her the opportunity to refuse my touch, but she never did, and for half a minute I got to feel the life we’d made together.

“Yes, of course. Go home. I’ll let Lux know,” I added .

“Come and see me when you get back.” Millie lifted on her tiptoes and kissed my cheek.

“Try and stop me.”

I waited until they’d walked out of the main atrium, safely guided by Radley’s security, before making my way back to the locker rooms. I found Lux jogging down the corridor to the spot I’d left.

“The girls went home already, I said we’d see them there.”

I could almost feel the weariness on his face, it had been a long season already—even if we were pumped for the next month.

“Cool. Let’s get the hell out of here then. Shower at home?”

“Deal. It’s just us two. Parker’s taking Scout home, and Ace is heading to Payton’s. I need to grab my stuff, meet you at the car?”

Jupiter was keeping the media entertained, and I rushed past, grabbed all my things, and rushed back out until I reached the parking lot, quick enough they didn’t notice me. My phone had been buzzing in my pocket for the last five minutes, and I pulled it out while I waited for Lux.

I should have known who it was.

SIMPSON FAM CHAT

Lucas: Favorite son strikes again. Nice game, buddy

Riley: Tanny, was that Millie? The girl on the close-up on the jumbotron next to Radley Andrews?

Holiday: Yes, that’s her

Riley: Ooh, Tanny, she’s cute. You’re going to make a very gorgeous baby

Mom: That’s what I’ve been saying

Riley: We know, Mom

Lucas: Favorite child makes a favorite grandchild. Ry, best warn our kids they’re getting relegated

Mom: I’m going to knock your heads together. No one is a favorite, I love you all equally

A smirk grew wide as I typed out my response

Tanner: Except me, Mom. You love me the most, right?

“ H ey,” Lux called out as he approached the car. “Ready?”

“You bet.”

It took less time than usual to get back to the apartment, and we found Radley on the couch watching The Tonight Show.

“Where’s Millie?”

“Getting ready for bed.”

I was tempted to go next door and find her but decided to shower first. It was close to two hours since we came off the field and I didn’t think she’d appreciate how ripe I was turning.

It had to be against the building fire safety code, but we’d taken to leaving the stairwell doors on the latch so we could all come and go as we pleased. At least during the day, before Radley’s security locked everything .

“Mills?” I called out, following the sound of the television. “Millie.”

The apartment was an exact mirror image of ours, yet it couldn’t look more different.

The same incredible view, only of north Manhattan, but with ours, you knew four guys lived there, just like you could tell this place was girls only.

It was all cashmere throws the color of the beach, and pale couches I wouldn’t want to spill anything on.

I found Millie fast asleep, thick dark hair fanned around her, hand tucked under her cheek. She looked like one of those retro Calvin Klein ads, but way more beautiful.

I’d never seen her asleep before, her face completely relaxed and absent of the scowl she usually shot my way. Although the scowl had been much less present these days, replaced by a smile I thought would take me years to earn. Who knew I’d only have to get her pregnant?

I debated leaving her, and while the couch looked super comfy, it wasn’t enough for a full night’s sleep.

She barely stirred when I scooped her up and carried her through to her bedroom.

I hadn’t been here since the day she’d moved in when I’d found her fully dressed in the bath.

Just like the rest of the apartment, it looked completely different, and I discovered where all the books she couldn’t fit into the main room had gone.

“Thanks, Tan,” she mumbled as I placed her on the bed and pulled the comforter over her.

“No problem.”

What to Expect When You’re Expecting was open on her nightstand. I probably should have got up and left her to sleep, but a large yawn had me sitting back on the bed and propping myself up against one of the seven hundred pillows she kept on it.

“What are you doing?”

“Shh. Just reading,” I replied as she snuck under the crook of my arm. With my other hand, I reached around and placed it on her swollen belly. The bump seemed to have gotten bigger since this morning. “Says right here the baby can suck its thumb.”

“Mmm. That’s nice.”

I glanced down at her, eyes closed with her thick lashes resting on her cheeks. I don’t think I’d ever experienced my heart on the brink of bursting, but I hastened a guess that the tightness in my chest right now was close enough.

“Hey, Mills, you ready to admit you love me yet?”

“No,” she whispered, “but I like that you’re comfy to fall asleep on.”

Yeah, I’d take that.

For now.