Page 66 of Learn the Play

“Yeah. Um, yeah, everything’s fine. I thought you might want to know that we’re having a girl.”

I reach over and place my hand on her thigh, letting her know I’m right here. Supporting her in the only way I know how.

“A girl?” he asks. I can hear the emotion in his voice. “That’s great, Bellamy. You’re feeling okay?” he asks.

“Yeah, I’m doing great.” She glances over at me. “Reid takes great care of me.”

“Good. That’s good.” He clears his throat.

“So, that’s all I wanted to tell you.”

“Thank you for telling me. Can we—” he starts, but she cuts him off.

“Sorry, bad service, I gotta go,” she says, ending the call. “I’m going to hell, aren’t I?” she asks.

“No, you’re not going to hell. It’s going to take time to build that relationship,” I remind her.

“Yeah,” she agrees. “How are we going to tell everyone else?”

I shrug. “Text message?”

My girl smiles. “Sounds good to me. Do you mind if we add Amanda to that?”

“Of course, we’re adding Amanda. She’s your best friend.” Grabbing my phone, I pull up a new message and add the guys, their wives, plus Sloane, Amanda, and Bellamy to the message.

Me: It’s a GIRL!!

Instantly, the replies start rolling in.

Landry: Uncle Landry will buy her a pony. Congrats, my man.

Baker: Congrats, brother.

Knox: Hell, yeah.

Foster: She’s going to have you wrapped around her tiny finger.

Sloane: Congrats, and we all know she’s going to have ALL OF US wrapped around her finger. Just like Camden does now.

Corie: I’m so happy for both of you.

Amanda: I’m glad I didn’t bet Reid it was a boy. Congrats, I’m so excited for both of you.

Rowan: Our family is growing. Congratulations.

Me: Thank you. We’ve got pictures. We’ll show you soon.

Bellamy: Thank you.

I glance over at my girl. She’s smiling down at her phone, and my heart expands in my chest. I was right. Today, we’re definitely on the edge of something irreversible. It’s my love for my girls. Nothing will ever change that. I open my mouth to say the words, but her phone rings.

“It’s Amanda.”

“Answer it.” Leaning over the console, I kiss her temple before putting the truck in Drive and pointing us toward home.

Dropping to the mattress in my hotel room, I sling my arm over my eyes to block out the light and groan. Tonight’s game was brutal, and we walked away with a loss, losing by one point. One single missed field goal, but that’s football. You win some. You lose some. I’ve been lucky enough to be part of a team that wins more than it loses, but those losses hit hard.

Grabbing my phone, I make a video call to Bellamy. I know she’s probably in bed, waiting for me to call, and I don’t want her to wait up any longer than she needs to for me to say goodnight. I don’t know what it is, but I won’t sleep when I’m away from home if I don’t get to talk to her. My dream girl has become my addiction.