Page 24

“This one’s gorgeous, Cooper,” Gabby says as she twirls around in the kitchen.

It’s spacious, I’ll give it that, but the location isn’t exactly what I’m looking for…and neither are all the nail holes in the walls from the previous owners. Honestly, I think I’m after a new build at this point.

The realtor, a dude named Paul that Troy recommended, gave me the addresses and had his assistant unlock them for me ahead of time to give me privacy to look around. I appreciate not having someone hovering over us, and even more, I appreciate not having someone talking baseball stats with me the entire time we’re looking around.

Gabby drives while I navigate from the passenger seat to the next one and the next, and I text Kaylee to see if she knows of any new builds in the area.

Kaylee: Yes! My brother is in real estate development in the off-season, and I can check with my sister-in-law to see what spec homes are currently available.

I thank her profusely for the help, and she texts me a handful of addresses shortly after that, telling me her sister-in-law, Kate, happened to be on site and unlocked a back door for us to check them out as long as we promised to turn the handle lock on our way out.

Done and done , I texted back, and we drive toward the first address.

On the way there, she pops a question completely out of the blue. “Are you excited to start your new job?”

I press my lips together and nod. The more I’ve thought about it, the more excited I’ve become. I’m at a point where I’ve finally wrapped my head around the fact that this is real. It’s actually happening.

“Are you excited for your senior year to start?” I ask.

She sighs and stares out the windshield. “I am.”

“What’s wrong?”

“I’m just a little scared, I guess,” she says.

“Of what?”

“Of things changing between us. I’ll get busy with classes, and you’ll get busy with your new job. Then I’ll be working an internship that hopefully leads to something full time, and who knows if I’ll even find something here in town? What if we lose this dynamic between us?” she asks.

I glance over at her, and then I reach over and grab her hand. I squeeze it in mine. “We won’t lose the dynamic, Gabby. We can’t. When it’s this strong, it’s impossible for it to be any other way.”

She nods, but she’s quiet the rest of the trip.

The community Kaylee sent over is gated, so I read the gate code to Gabby once we arrive. A large iron gate swings open, and she drives slowly through the neighborhood as we look at the mansions in here. They’re spaced apart so every lot is enormous—perfect so I can put up some batting cages in the backyard—and they’re situated on a hilltop with a view of the Strip not so far away in the distance.

We pull into the driveway of the first address Kaylee sent, and Gabby squeals. “Oh my God, Cooper, this is freaking incredible!” Gone is the melancholy mood that fell over us for a beat, a reminder that we can talk about the fears, but ultimately that’s all they are. Fears. We just have to hold hands and conquer them together as they plow across our paths.

I have to admit…the curb appeal of the first house is pretty fucking sharp. The driveway and sidewalk leading to the front door are white travertine, and the entire house is a pristine white. Desert landscaping is already planted, and it looks like it’s close to being finished and nearly move-in ready. I click the link Kaylee sent me and read the features aloud.

“This one is six bed, eight bath, and fifty-five hundred square feet. All the bedrooms have ensuite bathrooms. They’re putting in a pool out back along with an outdoor kitchen and a full basketball court, and inside there’s a gourmet kitchen, upstairs and downstairs wet bars, dedicated office spaces with custom built-ins and bookshelves, an exercise room, and a huge two-story fireplace in the living room.”

“Isn’t that a little…big for you?” she asks.

“It’s ridiculously huge for one person, but I’d like to have space for when my mom comes to visit or my brother and his family,” I say. “And, you know…I’d like this to be a permanent move, so I want space to grow into should the right time come.” I chance a glance over at her, and her eyes are sparkling as she catches my drift.

I can see us in this place just from staring at the imposing black security door, and as we get out of my truck and walk around the house to the door Kaylee said would be unlocked, I get the sudden feeling like I’m already home.

Maybe it’s the Gabby effect, of listening to her oohs and ahhs with each new feature we discover, or maybe it’s because I really can see myself moving into a place like this with her.

As we walk through the house, that feeling only intensifies. Everything in the place is black, white, and gray, a perfect balance of monochrome that just somehow works. Despite the cold, raw colors, the place is filled with warmth.

And then we step out onto the balcony off the primary bedroom upstairs.

Holy shit.

I stare out over the hills and into the distance, where I have a perfect view of the entire Strip from Mandalay Bay on one end all the way to the tall tower of the Stratosphere at the other end. It’s fucking magical in the daylight. I can only imagine what this view would look like at night.

Included in that view is the House, the nickname for the brand-new stadium built for the brand-new team.

I guess this one will be close to work.

“Wow,” Gabby breathes beside me.

“What do you think?” I ask.

“I think it’s too much, but I think it’s absolute and total perfection.” She glances inside at the primary suite. “I can see myself spending a lot of time here.” She winks over at me, and I chuckle.

“Sold.”

“And bonus, it’s close to my dad’s place, too, and not too far from campus,” she says.

I pull her into my arms. “Total bonus.” I drop my lips to hers. “And there’s a market within walking distance in case it’s three in the morning and I’ve had a few drinks and I’m running low on Slim Jims.”

She giggles.

I glance around again. “I’ll just text Kaylee and let her know I want this one.”

“Don’t you want to look at the others?” she asks.

I shake my head. “Not really, but I did promise I’d lock the doors, so we can go check them out.”

The other two she sent me are beautiful homes, but my gut instinct was right. The first one is the one , and I let Kaylee know that immediately while Gabby drives us back toward the Strip.

Me: I want the first one. I locked up the other two, though.

Kaylee: Your decisiveness is out of character. [wink emoji] Glad you’ll be close. I’ll let Kate know.

Another one comes through before I get the chance to reply.

Kaylee: She said it’ll be ready to close by September thirtieth. Does that work?

Me: I need to be back in town the first of September, but Troy said I can stay with him.

Kaylee: You can stay with us, too. If you don’t mind twin girls who don’t give a shit if you’re in the bathroom.

Me: Thanks for the tempting offer, but I’ll stick with Troy.

Kaylee lets me know that Kate will be in touch with the paperwork. I text Troy next to let him know I found a place but that it won’t be ready until the end of September, and his reply comes quickly.

Troy: The offer to stay with me is still on the table. I have plenty of space.

I thank him, and he tells me that a draft of my contract is waiting in my email.

My chest tingles with anticipation as I quickly open it and scroll to the number on the bottom line.

My eyes widen.

It’s more than I thought…and yep, I can definitely afford this place.

Ninety million over three years.

The next three years of my life, I’ll be playing baseball again.

I’ll be thirty-six when the contract is up.

Three years is enough time to build a brotherhood. To lead a team. To give this everything I’ve got.

I forward it to my agent for a quick review.

“The contract for my new job is in my email,” I say nonchalantly even though excitement courses through my veins.

“And?” Gabby asks.

“And I think I’m about to start the adventure of a lifetime.” She glances over at me with her sunshine smile, and that pretty much seals the deal.