Page 44 of Just One: Box Set

Chapter Seven

A ndre leaned back in his seat, glancing at the intense look on Amy’s face as she watched the Atlanta Force take the field.

Tonight was everything—the final match that would determine who took home the MLS Cup.

Phillip had worked tirelessly after his injury, pushing his body to become stronger, faster.

Watching him play again brought pride swelling up in Andre’s chest. He knew Amy wouldn’t complain either; Phillip’s injury, while a nightmare at the time, had rekindled the love between them in a way no one had expected.

His gaze shifted to Harley, her rounded belly making her discomfort obvious. "How are you holding up?" Amy asked their pregnant sister-in-law, glancing at her swollen stomach.

Harley groaned, resting her hand protectively over her baby bump. "Like a whale. This wasn’t supposed to happen until after law school."

From across the room, Harley’s best friend, Jackie, tossed a grape at her. "Well, when you and Archer play hide the hotdog as much as you do, what did you expect? Didn’t you pay attention when I showed you how to put a condom on that banana?"

Harley’s face flushed deep red, and she buried her head into Archer’s chest with a shy giggle.

"Is that why you’re the master at covering me up so fast?

" she mumbled, as Archer chuckled and kissed the top of her head. Carter, Jackie’s husband, smirked and leaned over, planting a hard kiss on Jackie’s lips.

Their love story was legendary, a whirlwind that went from drunken kisses to a rushed wedding and undeniable chemistry.

Andre shook his head, chuckling at the chaos that always seemed to surround his family. "Jesus Christ, Phillip is an animal on the field," he muttered, sitting beside Amy as she cradled Collin in her arms. "He hasn’t given up that ball once."

Amy leaned against Andre, her voice soft. "He’s determined. Say hi to Uncle Andre, little buddy," she cooed at her son, holding him out slightly.

Andre grinned, reaching out to ruffle the baby’s hair. "Damn, you’re growing like a weed."

"You really shouldn’t cuss around him," Damon, his brother-in-law, laughed from the other side of the room. He pressed his hands onto Allison’s shoulders, gently massaging. "But with Cross blood, it’s probably inevitable."

It was strange, Andre thought, how their families had all merged. His sisters had fallen for Harley’s brothers, intertwining their lives even more. And if things went the way Andre hoped, Calli would soon be part of this tangled, messy, beautiful family.

The roar of the crowd pulled him from his thoughts, and he looked up to see Phillip score another goal. At this rate, the MLS Cup was theirs. The energy in the stadium was electric, and he quickly typed out a message to Calli.

Andre: Yeah… she’s pacing like a cat on a hot tin roof right now.

Amy jumped up, her eyes wide with excitement. "Oh my God… they’re going to do it." She turned to Andre, grabbing his arm. "Put your phone down and watch the love of my life win another damn cup!"

Andre muttered under his breath but stuffed his phone in his pocket. "Alright, alright, I’m here," he grumbled, shifting his attention back to the game.

Just then, the final whistle blew, and the stadium exploded into cheers. The Atlanta Force had pulled it off, winning the MLS Cup for the second time. As the players celebrated on the field, hugging and cheering, Amy’s eyes caught something on the screen.

"What’s Phillip doing?" she asked, her brow furrowed as she glanced back at Damon, who was grinning like he knew something she didn’t.

Phillip’s voice boomed over the speakers, echoing throughout the stadium. "Amy! I know you can hear me up there, baby. We did it! We won the cup, and I couldn’t have done it without you."

The crowd erupted in applause as Amy’s hand flew to her mouth. Her eyes were wide, shimmering with tears.

Phillip continued, his voice trembling slightly with emotion. "Amy Hunt—the mother of my son, and he’s a damn cute boy, folks," he joked, earning more cheers and laughter from the audience. "I can’t see a life without you, and I don’t want to. Amy Hunt, will you marry me?"

The stadium fell silent for a moment, the tension palpable. And then, the giant screen lit up with the words, Will you marry me?

Amy nodded, tears streaming down her face as she pressed her hand to the glass. The joy in her eyes was unmistakable.

"Thank fuck," Phillip’s voice rang out again, making the crowd burst into laughter. "Oops… sorry, folks. I think she said yes. Wait right there, baby. I’m coming to you."

The announcer took over the microphone as the camera followed Phillip disappearing down the tunnel, and all eyes turned to the room where Amy stood, trembling with happiness.

After what felt like an eternity, Phillip burst through the door, dropping to one knee in front of her.

Damon slipped a small black box into his hand as Phillip held it out to Amy.

"Amy Hunt," Phillip’s voice wavered as he opened the box, revealing the glittering diamond inside, "I love you more than anything in this world. Please do me the honor of becoming my wife."

Tears fell freely down Amy’s cheeks as she nodded. "Yes," she whispered, her voice thick with emotion. The tears dripped onto Collin’s blanket as she held him close.

Phillip slid the ring onto her finger before standing and leaning in to kiss her, careful not to crush their son between them.

He pressed his forehead against hers, his voice soft but filled with awe.

"Winning the MLS Cup again is unreal. But hearing you say you’ll be mine forever…

Fuck, Amy, that’s worth a thousand of these trophies. I love you."

Andre watched, his heart swelling with pride as his family crowded around the couple, hugging and congratulating them. He pulled Amy into a tight embrace, whispering, "Congrats, sis. You deserve every bit of this."

Amy smiled up at him, her eyes still glistening. "I love you, Dre. And you’re next, big brother. You know what they say—the bigger they are, the harder they fall."

"No, dumbass," Andre chuckled, shaking his head, "that has nothing to do with age."

"Whatever,” Amy smirked, squeezing his arm. "You deserve happiness too. Don’t let a good one slip away."

His phone vibrated against his leg, and Amy raised a brow. "And maybe that secret you’ve been keeping is something worth holding onto. Don’t mess it up."

"I won’t," Andre promised, slipping away to give Phillip a hug before heading out for the night.

Once inside his truck, he pulled out his phone and saw a message from Calli.

Calli: I watched it on TV. They aired the whole thing. That’s what I want… someone to make a grand gesture. To prove how much he wants and needs me. Is it wrong to feel a little jealous that my cousins are all happily married already?

Smiling to himself, Andre started the engine and hit the call button.

"Dre?" Calli’s surprised voice filled the cabin. "You’re calling me? We always text."

Andre let out a small laugh, the sound rich in the quiet truck. "I think we’re ready for stage two of our relationship," he teased. "Plus, I couldn’t wait any longer to hear your voice."

Calli clicked her tongue. "So, this is a relationship? We haven’t even been on a date."

"Let’s fix that. Dinner tomorrow night," Andre suggested, his voice low and firm. "It can be casual or sexy. Your call."

"I don’t know," Calli murmured, her voice hesitant. "It feels safer behind the phone."

Andre’s tone dropped to a growl. "Calli, I like you. And yeah, dating is hard nowadays, but we’ve got to take a chance. How about I bring my best friend and his girl? Double date, no pressure."

"Fine… But I'll meet you wherever you choose. That way, if taking this to the next level is a mistake, I can bolt, and we can go back to only seeing each other at family events."

"Like the engagement party." Andre sighed. "Alright, I agree. But if it goes like I think it will. You've got to be my date to your cousin and my sister's engagement party."

Calli hummed, the sound hitting Dre right in the crotch. He shifted uncomfortably as he pulled into his ranch three-bedroom house and killed the engine. "That's one hell of a way to tell our family we've been talking."

"Calli." Andre shoved open the door and stalked toward his front door. "We've been sexting a lot the last week. If it all goes well tomorrow night, I hope sexting can turn into sex well before the party next weekend."

"Jesus." Her voice was breathy as she responded. "You don't play fair."

"Baby… those photos you sent me of your naughty side had me jerking off like a middle school boy. In fact." He slammed the door and tossed his keys onto the table. "I'm hard as a fucking rock right now."

"Really?" Calli's voice squeaked. "From what?"

"Thinking about your pictures." Andre plopped down on the sofa and unbuttoned his jeans. Shoving his hand inside, he wrapped his fingers around his swollen cock and squeezed. "If I told you I was touching myself thinking about it, what would you say?"

Her breath hitched, and the sound made Andre close his eyes. "I'd say it would make me hot."

"I'm at my house, sitting on the couch. My pants are unfastened, and my fingers are wrapped around the raging boner I've got. God damn, just thinking about touching you makes my body tense with anticipation."

He heard her whimper through the phone. "Where are you, Calli?"

"In my bed." She whispered her words.

Andre shifted on the couch, shoving his pants down to his feet. "Put me on speakerphone, baby. We’re doing this."

"Doing what?" The husky sound she made sent electric shock waves through his spine.

"You know exactly what we're doing. What are you wearing, Calli?"

Her breath came out in pants as she tried to speak. "A t-shirt and panties."

Andre licked his lips. "Slid your hand inside your panties, Calli. Tell me how wet you are for me."

"Dre." She groaned his name. "I've never—this isn't something I've done."

Andre could hear the worry in her voice, making him hesitate. "Do you want to stop? Baby, I won't ever push you to do something you're uncomfortable with."

"No… It's just—god, why is this so embarrassing?" Calli snorted into the phone. "Sorry. Andre, I need to be honest with you, and if this changes how you feel about me, then I get it. A lot of men run when I tell them my secret."

Andre's mind raced with a thousand possibilities, but nothing could have prepared him for what she said next.