Page 80

Sam

I pitched for shit. I barely made it through five innings.

I left the game with a tie after pitching my way out of a bases-loaded situation.

I sat in the dugout through the rest of the game, watched my reliever take the win, and replayed the meeting repeatedly in my mind.

I understood why Tom would be resistant to my request for guardianship, but at the end of the day, if an emergency happened while I was with him, I would need to be able to sign off on treatment.

In minutes, a stranger walked into Crew’s life and had more rights than me.

There was nothing I could do to protect him.

Tom and his mother raised no red flags, but my heart was half-broken.

I hadn’t had time to talk to Kelsey after the meeting.

I took a cab directly to the stadium, and she returned to the hotel.

When I left the game, I sought her face in the crowd, and she made a heart shape with her hands. Fuck, I needed that.

“What’s going on with you?” Carlos asked.

“We met Crew’s father this afternoon.”

“Fuck. What’s he like? ”

“He wasn’t a dick, so that was a relief. But he lives here, and we’re in Boston.”

“He plays hockey. Are you sure he’s not a fuck boy?” Carlos asked.

“We couldn’t find anything on him. He just signed a contract for three years, so in the best-case scenario, we travel in the winter, and he would travel in the summer.”

“There goes your relaxing winter vacation,” Carlos said in commiseration.

We’d had many discussions about winter plans.

Pitchers and catchers start early in the spring; we had been discussing an island vacation since March.

It’s hard to remember the bitter cold of those first spring games in August when the sun is beating down on you, but if you’re lucky enough to play October baseball, you’re ready.

“Yeah. And we requested that I be added as guardian, and that’s denied until Kelsey and I are married.”

“As a father, I hear that. But knowing you, I can see where that stings. You’re going to marry her, right?”

“Without a doubt. But if I proposed now, would she feel pressured?”

“Kelsey’s brought out a side to you I’ve never seen. But I think you should be talking to her about that; you guys communicate; it’s your thing.”

“I don’t know. I always thought I would wait until the end of the season and plan a surprise proposal. But at the same time, I don’t want Tom to think I’m not serious about either of them.”

“I say you go for it, but whatever you do, can you at least make it to the seventh inning next outing? It makes my job a little easier.”

I showered and skipped the post-game stretching; I’d probably pay for that tomorrow, but I needed to see Kelsey. When I saw her after the game, you would have thought it had been days. She collapsed into me, and I held her like I never wanted to let her go.

“Have you heard from them?” I asked.

“Yeah, he did well. He’s been sleeping since the fifth inning.”

“I wish I could have slept through that shit show.”

“Everyone has a bad day. But I hate that what happened today led you to have a bad night.”

“You guys are my everything.”

“We aren’t going anywhere,” Kelsey said as she got into the passenger seat of the rental car.

“Well, I didn’t love the denial of guardianship.”

“It’s only temporary,” Kelsey said. “I don’t think it was unreasonable. Once we’re married, then we’ll make the change.”

“I always thought I’d plan an elaborate proposal, find a way to surprise you. But Kelsey, if you’re ready, I’ll bring you to Vegas tonight.”

“Vegas is a no for me, sorry to say. I’m not getting married without my family there.”

“How about New Year’s? On an island somewhere?”

“As long as you understand, my family can’t afford it.”

“As long as you understand that you get whatever you want, and whoever you want can come.”

“Is this a proposal?” Kelsey asked.

“Let’s call this a promise. But if you wanted to get Monica to line up some wedding planners to interview them, she’d appreciate the heads-up. But you deserve so much more than a rushed car ride proposal.”

“You don’t think this is too fast?”

“The short answer? No, everything about this feels right. The long answer? I don’t want you to regret anything about our relationship. Not now, not fifty years from now. ”

Kelsey reached across the center console, “We’re going to have a good life, Sam. It’s just starting quicker than we planned.”

“What about school for you, Kels?”

“I don’t think this year is the best timing. Looks like I’ll be traveling to Colorado a lot this winter. That won’t give me much time to study.”

“How do you feel about that?”

“What? How do I feel about being able to be home with my son and not worrying about making my rent? Add in crawling into bed next to my best friend every night. I think it’s an even trade.”

“Well, traveling with the team might get old fast. Would you be okay at home with the kids?”

“I was raising Crew alone and prepared to continue to do so. Do I like sleeping alone? No. But even if I have to sleep alone, I know I’m not alone. Does that make sense?”

“I didn’t know what I was missing until I met you.”

“Me neither,” she said as I parked in the hotel parking lot. “Let’s go relieve Tom and Patty.”