Page 74 of Liam (Preston Brothers #4)

Addie

We get to the ballpark before anyone else, and so I lead us to the bleachers, exactly where the Prestons sit, and we share a bag of Starbursts while we catch up on everything we haven’t mentioned in our daily text exchanges or phone calls.

“Dayna’s picked up a new hobby since you’ve been gone,” Griffin says from beside me.

I turn to my other side and face Dayna. “Another craft?”

She nods. “Candle making.”

“Nice!”

“You know what my dream is, Addie?” Griffin says, and when I turn to him, he’s looking out at the empty field ahead.

“When we eventually buy a house, I’d like to build a little crafty cabin in the backyard, just for Dayna.

She can get away from the kids when she needs to and just… relax. Be in her space.”

“Griffin,” I coo. “ That’s your dream?”

“To see my wife happy?” He shrugs, turning to me. “That’s any decent man’s dream.”

“No,” Dayna says. “That’s a good man’s dream, and that’s exactly what you are, Griffin Sabler.”

I pout. “I want to be both of you when I grow up.”

“Speaking of…” Dayna nudges my side, then motions toward to the entrance of the park. “There’s your man.”

The twins walk side by side, Lincoln carrying all the gear while Liam carries Benny on his back.

“You ever mistake Lincoln for Liam?” Griffin asks me.

“Absolutely not. I don’t know how anyone could.”

“They’re identical twins, Addie,” Dayna laughs out. “Not just biologically, but actually identical. ”

I shrug. “Not to me.” I watch Liam look up at the bleachers, his teeth showing with his smile when he spots me.

I wave. He waves back. Then he lowers Benny onto his feet and hands him something.

A second later, Benny’s running toward us.

I get up, meeting him at the fence. He has a hat in one hand and sunscreen in the other.

“From Uncle Twinny.” He beams up at me. Then points to his jersey, then to mine, adding, “Hey, we’re matching! ”

“I know.”

“It’s too big for you,” he laughs out.

“That’s because it’s your uncle Twinny’s.” I dab his nose, smiling when he does. “Tell him I said thank you.”

“Okay.” He leans back, shimmying his shoulders, and of course, I do the same. He laughs at that, before racing back to his uncles.

I sit back with my foster parents and immediately slip on the hat, then the sunscreen.

“Did you ask him to bring that?” Dayna asks.

“No. He always does it when I’m out in the sun. I think he’s afraid I’ll burn alive.”

Griffin chuckles. “You know what you got there, Addie?”

I smile as I face him. “A good man?”

“A great man.”

Soon enough, the Prestons begin to arrive, and I introduce Dayna and Griffin to them all.

But… they’re not the ones I’m nervous to introduce.

And, going by the way Roman climbs the steps as he approaches us, I’m not the only one nervous.

I hug Roman a little longer than necessary before finally releasing him and turning to Griffin.

He’s already on his feet, his smile wide, and more importantly, genuine.

I introduce them, even though they’ve known each other for years.

Turns out, I had nothing to be nervous about because Griffin and Roman hit it off with baseball talk, and Dayna—she’s just happy to be here.

Logan shows up with a giant speaker, and behind him, Lucas walks onto the field with Chicken on a leash. Chicken—who’s dressed in a bright blue and red tutu and a Prestons jersey.

“Y’all are actually crazy, you know that?” Lucy laughs out. “Wait, is that Katie’s tutu?”

Logan chuckles. “She ain’t wearing them,” he tells her. “Look at her.”

I look down at the fence line where Katie and a little boy are playing with a dump truck, loading it with rocks, her frilly skirt and shoes left discarded beside her.

Lucy sighs. “I guess this is what happens when she has eleventy-three uncles, huh?”

The final game of the season starts, and none of us really pay attention until Benny’s up to bat. The cheers that come from our section are so loud it’s ridiculous, and everyone here knows it.

“Wow,” Griffin chuckles, nudging my side. “There are more people here than our games. Better atmosphere, too.”

“That’s what I told Roman, and he didn’t believe me.”

Roman leans forward so he can look past Griffin and tells me, “Damn, I miss watching you play. I bet you’re so good now.”

“That’s because I’ve had two of the best coaches ever.”

“All right, Benny!” Logan cheers, his hands cupped around his mouth.

Benny walks up to the plate, the bat rested on his shoulder. He doesn’t get into position right away. Instead, he points the bat toward us.

“Here we go,” Aubrey murmurs.

A second later, music plays from the massive speaker behind me, and my eyes widen when the song starts. “No.” I turn, facing the entire Preston family. “No, you guys!”

Cameron and Leo put their arms around each other’s shoulders, swaying as the familiar song leads up to the chorus. Mia shakes her head, laughing. “Look at Benny!” she shouts over the music.

Benny is still at home plate, holding the bat in the air, a hand at either end, his hips swinging from side to side. Before I know it, before I can stop it, it feels like the entire universe shouts, “Sweet Addie-line!”

“Buh! Buh! Buh!”

I turn to Roman. “Did you know about this?”

His shit-eating grin gives him away.

Dayna links her arm through mine. “Addie!” she laughs out. “What is happening?!”

I shake my head. “It’s the Preston Effect!”

“Buh! Buh! Buh!”

Benny strikes out.

Lucas lets Chicken off the leash.

All the kids laugh as they rush the field to chase her.

The lyrics of “Tiny Dancer” get replaced with “Baby Baker,” shouted with the same enthusiasm.

And Tom Preston invites us all back to the lake to celebrate… life , I guess?