Page 89 of Learn the Play

“Yes. Of course, I want to hold her.” He stands and rubs his hands on his pants before bending down and taking Coral from her arms. He stares down at her in wonder, and I see the moment something changes in him. “I’ll do better,” he tells her, his voice low, but we all still hear him. “I promise you, I’ll do better,” he tells my daughter.

Bellamy bursts into tears, and her dad looks panicked.

“It’s okay,” I assure him. “They’re happy tears.”

He looks at Bellamy. “Yeah?”

She nods before burying her face in my chest.

Coach holds on to Coral for the longest time, until Candice steps up and tells him to stop hogging her. He laughs and hands her over. Each of our parents, and even Cliff, gets a turn to snuggle our baby girl before they step out and send in everyone else.

The room is packed, just like my chest. It’s full of love and a giddiness I’ve never felt before. I’m certain the guys would give me a hard time if they could hear my thoughts. Well, maybe not Daddy Sin. He’s been in this very moment. Although his looked different, the outcome was still the same. He’s a dad, just like me, and it’s life-changing.

“I love you, Mrs. Montgomery,” I whisper to Bellamy, and Landry and Knox argue over who gets to hold Coral next.

Bellamy peers up at me. “We’re not married yet,” she reminds me.

“That’s one play I can’t wait to learn,” I tease, and I bend to press my lips to hers. One day soon, when we get into the groove of being parents, she’s going to be my wife. In my heart, she already is. But one day soon, she’ll be Bellamy Montgomery, and I have a very sneaky suspicion my eyes will be leaking then, too.