Page 31 of Stealing Forever (Bridge Point Bears Baseball #1)

With a small, final wave in Declan’s direction, I turn and go back to my seat, lowering my baseball cap further while I avoid Addison’s watchful eye.

The heat is blistering, making me grouchy, or maybe that’s a certain ex-fiancée that keeps lodging her way beneath my skin. Her snide comment from earlier echoes through my mind as I attempt to smooth my hair, the humidity making it more unmanageable than it already is.

I know I should play nice with Sailor’s mother, but I have no interest in speaking with her. It’s hard to be around a bully, especially one who’s an adult. But in less than twenty-four hours she’ll be gone, and I’ll be able to process everything that’s transpired this week.

Things have been moving so quickly with Declan, and being forced to work through the situation with Addison while still trying to figure out what we mean to each other, has been a challenge, to say the least.

This morning she cornered me in the kitchen while Declan was packing things into his truck, and suggested that I stay behind.

“There’s no need for a nanny today, Hailey,” she sneers, waving her hand dismissively in front of me. “You can take the day off. Perhaps some time for yourself wouldn’t be a bad option—you could stand to get your hair done.”

For a second I’m too stunned to speak, then my brain catches up. She’s such a vile woman. “Oh, Declan already told me I wasn’t on Sailor duty today! I’m going to the game because he wants me there, not because I’m required to be there.”

Then, he walks back into the house and straight to me, kissing me on the side of the head. “Alright, I’m headed out. See you there, sweetheart.”

Declan glares in Addison’s direction, before walking out.

I resist the urge to laugh.

“I wonder what people must be thinking,” Addison snarks the moment my butt hits my chair. Having Sailor between us isn’t nearly as big of a buffer as I need for this woman.

Just a few more hours and she’s gone.

I know better to engage, but at this point, I relent. “About what?”

I wonder if she can hear the exasperation in my voice.

More of the team’s family and friends start filling the seats in our box, saying hi to me as they pass by. It’s satisfying that no one is saying a word to Addison, though.

Yes, I can be petty sometimes.

“Well, it’s obvious Sailor is my daughter. She looks just like me. It doesn’t take much for people to put two-and-two together. And since you’re here, I can’t imagine the things that must be going through their head about you .”

This. Horrible. Woman.

“I’m sure they’re not thinking anything, Addison. I’ve met these people several times. They know I’m Sailor’s nanny.” And something to Declan , but I don’t add that in.

She cackles like the witch that she is, rolling her eyes. “Yes, the nanny . So funny how you were hired to care for our daughter, and now you’re sleeping with him .”

Her insinuation flares something ugly inside me, and I’m about to fire back, when Sailor’s sweet voice says, “Mama, I have cotton candy, please?”

Both mine and Addison’s attention pulls to Sailor, and it’s only then that I realize she’s looking up at me, tugging on the hem of my T-shirt.

She called me mama again.

She called me mama in front of her mom.

With wide eyes I look up at Addison, who’s seething. Her cheeks have turned red, whether from anger or embarrassment I’m not sure, and she looks like she’s ready to reach right over Sailor’s head and throttle me.

Ripping Sailor’s hand from the bottom of my shirt, Addison completely pretends like the question wasn’t directed at me and says, “Of course you can, sweetie.” Then, over Sailor’s head, she shakes her own, lowering her voice as she looks me dead in the eyes and spits, “You’re a fucking whore. First you steal my fiancé, now my kid?”

Guilt slams into me, knowing that’s exactly what she thinks. In her mind, I’m the villain, and in mine, she is.

It’s a sad, disappointing way for two women to view each other—we should be coming together over our mutual love of Sailor if nothing else, but I know from many years of studying people, children, and families, that we have a long road ahead of us before we ever get to that point.

A response is on the tip of my tongue when suddenly Declan’s laughter radiates through the stadium. My head whips up to the Jumbotron, and I find his handsome face broadcasted across several screens.

Excitement clashes with the sadness and soon my stomach explodes with butterflies. I’m in love with this man, and I love his daughter like she’s my own.

The realization hits me hard.

Grinning like an idiot, I watch as Coach Declan Lane flashes across the screen, accompanied by music and several shots and videos of him coaching the Bears, before it changes back to the interview of him.

“Coach Lane,” a female voice booms across the stadium. “You’ve had quite a big season already and it’s just beginning!”

“You can say that again,” Declan agrees, nodding along with a smile on his face.

“What would you say the highlight of it has been thus far?”

“Watching the Bears take home that opening weekend victory is up in the top three, for sure.” The pride radiates off of him through the screen, making it palpable throughout the stadium. Everyone seems to be focused on the coach's words.

“Top three?” the interviewer asks with curiosity. “You’re talking about that viral video, aren’t you? What’s it sitting at now? Twenty-two, twenty-three million views?” she teases. “Is that your number one highlight of the season so far, Coach Lane?”

Declan shakes his head. “Nah, Ma’am, you’ve got it all wrong. It wasn’t the videos, although, I guess that’s not entirely true.” Declan grins—no, beams at the camera. “My top highlight of the season so far was what you can call a curveball in my personal life. I never saw it coming.”

My heart begins to thunder, mouth slightly agape as I watch the screen intently.

“And that was?” she eggs him on.

At this point I’m at the edge of my seat, wondering where he’s going with this. It has something to do with me, and part of me is nervous as hell.

Okay, all of me is nervous as hell. My palms sweat, my foot bounces against the concrete in anticipation.

Staring directly into the camera, he tells the world, “I hit a home run in love and fell for my dream woman, Hailey Shea.”

My jaw hits the floor.

Cheers erupt through the stadium along with a collective round of aww’s , but the rumble of excitement in our VIP box screams the loudest. At the same time, I hear Addison curse with a whole slew of profanity, and not subtly, either.

Red and pink hearts pour onto the screen as the music from earlier starts to play again, quickly fading into a different song as a new Bears player is featured.

I stare at it for several seconds, completely speechless and in a trance, until my focus shifts, and I scan the field for Declan.

He loves me, too?

Declan loves me.

And he just broadcasted it in front of thirty-thousand people and God knows how many viewers across the country.

“I’m going to prove it to you, sweetheart.” His words from earlier play back in my mind.

My eyes keep scanning the field and the dugout. Standing, I look everywhere I can think of, but come up empty. Where is he?

More cheers erupt around us, coming from the stands closest to the VIP box, and instinctively I follow the energy. Turning, and tuning Addison out as she whines, “You’ve got to be kidding me.”

Taking the stairs two at a time, Declan gallops down them, his eyes never wavering from me. I blow out a shaky breath, completely frozen in the middle of the landing.

“Daddy!” Sailor squeals, but for once, her mother does something right and holds her back.

Declan doesn’t stop until we’re chest to chest and he’s crowding my space. My back bumps into the railing at the same time his hand tangles in my hair. With his other hand, he uses his finger to push my hat up, so he can see my eyes.

Searching them, we stand there staring at each other, neither of us saying a word, just lost in the moment.

I can’t believe he just did that.

I can’t believe he’s not on the field right now—the game is literally starting without him.

Finally, as the unmistakable sound of a ball connecting with a bat ricochets through the stadium, he rumbles, “Hi.”

His thumb brushes back and forth against my cheek, as I burst into laughter. “Hi.”

“I’m not usually one for big, publicized gestures, but seeing as we’ve gone viral twice, I thought we could do it one more time, for old time’s sake.”

“Well I certainly think you’ve succeeded. That was….I’m not even sure I have words for what that was right now. I’m still trying to process. You love me, Declan?” I still can’t believe it.

Me .

This phenomenal man loves me ?

“More than I ever imagined loving anyone in my life,” he tells me earnestly. “I know it’s been alarmingly fast, Hailey, and this might scare you off, but?—”

“No,” I cut him off. “It’s been fast, but at the same time, it’s been tortuously slow.”

“Understatement on the torture part, sweetheart. I’ve wanted you for a long time, I just needed to step out of my own way and allow myself to love you. And I really hope you start to believe how much you mean to me, since I just confessed my feelings in front of thousands of people.”

“I love you,” I proclaim, wanting him to know without a doubt that his feelings are reciprocated.

“God, I’ve been wanting to hear that for too long.” Taking my mouth with his, he kisses me eagerly, and once again the crowd around us goes crazy, no longer focusing on the game, but on the coach.

The cheers continue and his tongue swipes into my mouth as he deepens the kiss, claiming me for all to see. Pulling apart, we both smile into it, and Declan lifts his fist into the air in a victorious motion.

“I love you too, sweetheart. Unfortunately, though, now I have to go coach these goofballs. But mark my words, when we get home?—”

Pushing up on my tiptoes, I kiss him again, then lower my voice to make sure he’s the only one who will hear me. “When we get home you’re going to coach me through a home run. How’s that sound, Coach Lane?”

“It sounds like the beginning of a beautiful season, sweetheart.”