Page 50

ONE YEAR LATER

You would think after spending the last year with a professional baseball player, I’d be used to the energy of a packed stadium, but the air at the All-Star Game was different, filled with excited anticipation and awe.

This game might not affect any team’s standings, but fans packed into the Dallas stadium, ready to cheer on the best in the league.

Including my man.

I smiled as I surveyed the crowd, proudly displaying the Seda name stamped across my back.

In fact, we had an entire cheering section for Cam and the other two Hawks playing tonight.

Damien’s sister and her wife sat on the other side of our group, all five of their girls ready to cheer for their uncle.

Ollie and Brianna sat together, wearing matching jerseys for Parker.

They’d become close friends over the past year, especially since Brianna filed for divorce.

When she had to sell her house, Ollie offered her a room in her condo, and they seemed to enjoy living together.

In Cam’s unofficial cheering section, I sat with Emilia, Victoria, and Adam, as well as Cam’s parents.

I’d met them in passing over the years, but when we first flew out to Texas so they could meet me as Cam’s girlfriend, I was terrified.

Not only did they remember me as Victoria’s best friend, but they had high standards for their son.

After a lifetime of never being enough for my mother, I convinced myself they’d see right through me, wishing Cam had found someone better to spend his life with.

But just like their son, they exceeded all my expectations.

His parents welcomed me right into the fold.

Where I viewed our shared history as a negative, it thrilled them, already knowing how much I loved their granddaughter.

After years of being alone in the world, I finally had a family, and it was all thanks to the man about to take the field.

I couldn’t lie and say there weren’t days I missed my mother.

At least, I missed the idea of who she could have been—the relationship we missed out on.

In the year since we last spoke, she’d only reached out a handful of times, each message more belligerent than the last. In my mother’s twisted mind, she probably thought I’d cave, guilt and shame eating away at my resolve.

If anything, it had done the opposite, especially now that Cam showed me love didn’t have to be conditional.

These people were my family, the ones I counted on during life’s highs and lows.

There was no more room in my heart for someone who only saw me as a pawn.

As I turned to Victoria, ready to talk to her more about our newest idea for the Sunshine Academy, a voice called out above me. “Excuse me, miss? Someone asked to see you before the game.”

I furrowed my brow. “Everything okay?”

“Oh yes.” The attendant smiled back at me. “But please, we’d appreciate it if you came quickly, and bring Miss Emilia.”

“Do you know anything about this?” I turned to ask Victoria.

She just shrugged, but a smirk teased the corners of her lips. “Nope. Guess you’re going to have to find out what’s going on.”

I narrowed my eyes at my best friend and business partner.

Despite the rocky start to our dream, the Sunshine Academy was thriving.

We had a waiting list three months out for our flagship location, and were scouting new ones to potentially open next year.

And the best part? I got to spend every day with my best friend.

There was no one else I would have wanted to take on this challenge with, and I was forever grateful Cam pushed me to chase this dream.

When I stood, I grabbed Emilia’s hand, and we followed the attendant to the lower part of the field.

I kept waiting for someone to tell me what was going on, but the attendant remained stoically quiet as we took the elevator down to the locker rooms. As soon as the doors opened, Cam’s grin greeted us on the other side.

Emilia took off, leaping into her father’s arms. He happily caught her, pressing a soft kiss into her hair.

“Hey, Em. Having fun so far?”

“It’s so cool!” she exclaimed. “I got to meet so many players!”

At seven, Emilia had become obsessed with baseball, even asking her first grade teacher to start an after-school softball program.

Cam fully supported the idea, and during the off-season, he volunteered to show the girls some tricks.

He’d done so well, the school asked him to continue the program, but that all depended on Emilia and if her tastes changed in the future.

But right now, her dad was her hero, and Cam loved every second.

After he set her back on her feet, Cam’s hand found my hip and pulled me in close for a kiss. It was a simple touch, yet I inhaled slowly, savoring his mouth on mine. I’d never get enough of it. He pulled back, brushing his fingers along my jaw. “Need a favor, menace.”

“Okay…”

“We had someone lined up to throw the first pitch, but they had to back out.”

“Oh!” I exclaimed, pulling out my phone. “Do you need me to text Adam? I’m sure he’d love to do it.”

Cam shook his head. “Another time. Tonight, it’s all you.”

They probably heard the laugh that barreled out of me on the space shuttle. “Me?” I squawked incredulously. “Have you lost your ever-loving mind? I can barely throw the ball to Emilia, and she moves in closer for me.”

“It’s true, Dad,” Emilia added in from our side.

Cam shifted closer to me, his fingers finding my chin and tilting it up. “Are you telling me there’s something my girl can’t do?” He leaned down and pressed his lips to mine. “Because I don’t believe that.”

“Cam, as much as I love your undeserved confidence in me, this is a professional baseball game with millions of people watching.” I fumbled for my phone again. “I’ll text Adam. He can fill in, and we can forget about this ridiculous idea of me pitching in a professional stadium.”

“If that’s what you want.” Cam shrugged, his tone too casual to be real. “I’m disappointed. My girl never backs down from a challenge.” He took Emilia’s hand and sauntered away, but not before calling out over his shoulder. “It’s okay, I won’t tell anyone you’re scared of throwing a ball, menace.”

“I’m not scared!” I bit back, even though I was terrified.

It was one thing to make a fool of myself in our backyard; it was another thing to make an ass of myself in front of millions .

Plus, I had to live with the baseball community for a long time, thank you very much.

I did not want to be the girlfriend who fucked up the All-Star game for the next ten years.

Cam laughed as he looked down at Emilia. “She sounds pretty scared to me.”

The man was baiting me. I knew he was. The rational part of me was already heading back to my seat, telling Adam to get his butt down here before the game began.

But Cam knew me too well—he knew I’d never back down after he issued a challenge.

I let out a frustrated groan before I stomped after him.

Cam paused when he got to the tunnel. “You’re making the right choice, baby.”

“Just remember…” I leaned in closer, but instead of kissing him, I flicked his nose. “If I embarrass myself, I am going to make the rest of your life miserable.”

He laughed as he looped his arm not holding Emilia’s hand around me. “As long as I get you forever, baby.” Cam’s face turned serious as he looked down at me. “I’d never set you up for failure, Hadley. You can do this. It’s just one throw, and then you can head back to the stands.”

Maybe it was the adrenaline, or Cam’s unwavering faith in me, but I believed him. He was right—it was only one throw. How hard could it be?

On second thought, this was a terrible idea. The moment I stepped out under the stadium lights, I could feel every set of eyes turn toward me, probably asking themselves what I was doing out on the field. Yeah, join the club.

Damn Cameron and his sexy-as-hell grin. I was going to tease and torture him for hours when we got back to the hotel tonight. The assistant coach reviewed all the steps with me before I headed toward the pitcher’s mound, careful not to disturb it too much.

I expected to see a catcher on the home plate, waiting for me to toss him the ball. Instead, Cam’s sure smile greeted me. “What are you doing?” I asked.

“Did you think I’d let anyone else catch for you, baby?” His eyes twinkled as he looked up at me. “C’mon, Hads. Show off your skills for everyone to see.”

I rolled my eyes, but a blush still filled my cheeks. I might tease him, but I loved Cam’s confidence in me. It bolstered my own, making me feel like I could conquer the world with him at my side.

An announcement echoed through the stadium, but I couldn’t hear it over the pounding in my ears. Instead, I toyed with the ball in my hand, focusing on the glove in front of me. Throw the ball into the glove . How hard could that be? Answer—really fucking hard.

I started to wind up my throw when a sudden flash of movement made me pause, and Emilia came bustling up to my side. “Wait,” she said, taking the ball from my hand. “That’s the wrong one. You need to use this one.”

I stared down at the one she handed me, already noticing that the weight was off. I turned it over and frowned. Someone had torn the stitches, leaving a wide hole instead. “Hold on, this ball’s busted?—”

But as I looked up, I saw Cam kneeling in front of me, taking my free hand in his. My heart leaped out of my chest, trying to connect words to the sight in front of me. “Are you…?”

“Yeah,” Cam laughed. He took the ball from my hand, squeezing the sides until the opening was large enough to reach inside.

He pulled out a beautiful diamond ring, a princess cut with a halo of smaller stones surrounding it.

“I’ve spent the last couple of months trying to find the right place to ask you to marry me, Hadley, but nothing seemed right.

Not until I came to practice one day and looked out over the stadium.

I fell for you the first time you came to my game, cheering for me despite claiming to hate me. ”

“I wouldn’t use the word hate.” I smirked.

“You definitely did, but it doesn’t matter. Once you were up in those stands, I realized I always wanted you at my side, wanted to cheer you on like you did for me.” Cam slipped the ring out of the box. “Baseball might have been my first love, but you are my forever. So please, baby. Marry me?”

“Of course!” I squealed as I leaped into him, arms going around his neck, kissing him with every ounce of love in my body. Cam held me tight against him, like he never wanted to let me go. But as soon as my senses came back to me, I remembered where we were and jumped off him.

I held my hand out, and Cam slipped the ring onto my finger, beaming brightly down at me. “What do you think, menace? You ready to spend the rest of your life with me?”

“I’ve never been ready for anything more, sarge.”