Page 31

CHAPTER

SEVENTEEN

EMMA

Being at the game meant more to me than I’d realized when I booked the ticket.

It wasn’t just about showing up; it was about showing him I’m here.

For him. For this baby. For us. He’s shown up for me in ways no one else ever has.

He deserved to see someone in the stands just for him.

I wish I’d realized it days ago, but I’m here now, and that’s what matters.

I’ve seen Archie play before, but this time was different. Now that he’s mine—now that we’re real —it’s like I felt every hit in my own bones. Every time he pulled himself up off the ground, I had to remember how to breathe. And when they won? God, the happiness on his face was everything.

But it’s been almost two hours since I saw him after the game.

I’ve been scrolling the team’s feed, screenshotting every glimpse of him.

And even in the photos, grinning with his helmet under one arm, there’s still something else there.

A shadow behind his eyes. A weight I’m just starting to notice.

I’m getting anxious to see him, so I put my phone down and head into the bathroom. Wouldn’t hurt to brush my teeth, hair, and maybe do a quick wash of my face .

My phone buzzes. FaceTime.

“Hi, baby,” he says, and my chest immediately loosens.

“Hey. Did you have fun?”

“Emma!” someone calls from behind him—blond, tall, and full of charm.

“Hi, um … Ace?”

“Aston,” he corrects with a wink. “The better-looking twin.”

“Oh no.” I laugh. “Definitely Archie’s brother.”

Archie pushes him aside. “Go away,” he mutters, half amused, half feral. He steps into the hotel bathroom and closes the door for privacy. “I’m coming to get you.”

“I can just meet you there,” I offer. “I’ll call while I walk?—”

“Emma.” His voice drops into something low and resolute. “You are not walking anywhere alone. Not in a strange city. Not at night. I’m coming to get you. Be ready.”

I swallow hard. That tone. It should annoy me, but it doesn’t. It lands somewhere deep. Safe.

“Okay,” I say, quieter now. “I’ll be downstairs.”

“Damn right you will.” His eyes soften. “Can’t wait to see you, darlin’.”

When we hang up, I stare at my reflection. Heart fluttering, lips curved into a smile I didn’t know I was wearing. He’s stubborn, yeah. But he’s mine. And this caveman thing? It’s kind of hot.

Looking in the mirror, I run my fingers through my hair. I’m not sure why I’m starting to feel worried about how I look. Overall, I’m a confident gal. But meeting his parents? This is a big deal.

I swipe on some lip gloss, grab my coat, and head for the lobby.

Ten minutes later, I step outside just as Archie rounds the corner with another guy—I think it’s his brother Aiden—striding toward me like he’s afraid I’ll vanish if he blinks.

“Hey—” I start to say, but he cuts me off by pulling me into his arms, lifting me off my feet .

“You shouldn’t be out here alone.” His voice is rough against my ear. “Couldn’t relax, knowing you were walking.”

“I was fine?—”

He pulls back just enough to look at me. “Don’t care. You’re mine. And you’re carrying my baby. That means you don’t get to be fine out in the dark. Not on my watch.”

I should bristle. But I don’t. Because the truth is, it’s been a long time since someone cared enough to be this … intense about me. My parents have always erred on the side of caution, but this is different. It’s Archie. He doesn’t smother. He shields.

“I’m glad you came,” I whisper.

He brushes his lips over my forehead. “I’m glad you came.”

“I should have made this plan days ago?—”

“All that matters is you’re here now.” He holds his mouth to my skin a beat longer than usual and then presses his forehead to mine. “I’m the luckiest motherfucker alive.”

“Hate to break this up, but Mama is going to lose it if we make her wait any longer to meet Emma.”

Archie releases me and sets me down. “Aiden, this is Emma. Emma, this is Aiden.”

“It’s so nice to meet you, Aiden. Archie talks about y’all all the time.”

“Nice to meet you too, Emma. The family is pretty anxious to meet you, so we’d better get back.”

“Ha! Anxious is an understatement. I think they’re more excited to meet you than they are about my win.” Archie looks down at me with an expression I can’t read.

“You okay?” I ask softly.

“I am now.” He glances at me. “You showing up tonight? That meant everything, Emma. You don’t even know.”

As we walk, Archie tells me bits about the game—how the second quarter nearly gave him a heart attack—and I laugh. But I don’t miss the way he rolls his shoulder. He took a few good hits earlier, one that had me gasping from the stands .

The walk is short, but he stops a few strides before his hotel’s entrance.

“Okay. Fair warning. My family. I know they’re a lot,” he says. “Loud. Physical. All up in your business.”

“Sounds like you.”

He smirks. “Exactly. They’ll love you. Just … be warned. My mom might cry. My brothers will flirt. And my dad’ll probably try to feed you.”

“Bring it on.”

Archie holds the door open for me. We walk into the building and take the elevator up to the seventh floor. As we exit the elevator, we see Liam Pitz coming out of a room.

“Griff! What up, man? Aiden, as always, excellent to see you.” He walks up to us and gives Aiden one of those bro hugs and pounds his back.

“Pitzy, good to see you too, man. Congrats on the win.”

“Thanks. It was a good game.” He turns toward me and Archie.

“Emma, this is Liam Pitz, my roommate and teammate.” As Archie says the words, I hear a falter in his voice but ignore it, just as Archie does as he slaps that big, beautiful smile on his face.

I hold out my free hand. “Hey, Liam. I’m Emma. It’s nice to meet you.”

“My guy!” Liam says, giving Archie a backslap before turning to me. “So, this is the Emma. Hi, I’m Liam.”

Liam’s grin is genuine as he looks at me and then to Archie. “Man, look at you. Championship ring and a beautiful girl. I’m happy for you.”

When Liam goes to hug Archie, I try to step away, but Archie squeezes my hand. Won’t let go. My heart tugs a little, and I’m not sure why.

“You heading out to party?” Archie asks him.

“Yeah, I just wanted to say goodbye to my parents before they leave in the morning. I assume you’re taking Emma to meet the family?”

“Yep, and we’d better get in there before they all pile into the hallway,” Aiden chimes in.

“Okay, y’all have fun. Emma, nice to meet you. Take care of my guy here.”

“I’ll do my best.” I feel a little heat spring to my cheeks when I smile at him.

I do want to take care of Archie, like he takes care of me. And these last few days apart have made me realize just how deep my feelings have gotten for him.

Liam walks over to the elevator as we walk down the hall. Aiden pulls out a card from his pocket and unlocks the door. I can hear people on the other side talking. Loudly.

Once we’re inside, the volume hits me like a wave. Laughter, voices, movement—it’s a lot.

“We’re back!” Aiden calls out.

A shorter-than-me blonde woman comes barreling toward me. “Emma! Oh my word, aren’t you pretty? Archie, those pictures you sent me did not do her justice. I’m Alicia, and I couldn’t be more excited to meet you.”

She wraps me in her arms, so I let go of Archie’s hand to return her embrace.

“Hi, Mrs. Griffith. I’m happy to meet y’all too.” I turn back and look at Archie, who has the biggest smile on his face.

“No, no. Call me Alicia. Mrs. Griffith is my mother-in-law, but even she won’t let you call her that. Come meet the rest of my boys since you’ve already met Aiden.”

A tall, middle-aged man with brownish hair stands from the couch. “Emma, it’s so nice to meet you. I’m Archie’s dad, Shane.” He leans in to hug me.

I’m not used to all the hugging. My family isn’t all that touchy-feely.

“Nice to meet you, Shane.”

“These are the twins, Ace and Aston. ”

They both stand and take turns hugging me.

“And this is Austin, and Jesse is the baby of the bunch.”

“Mama, I’m not a baby.” Jesse shakes his head as he leans in to hug me. “Nice to meet you, Emma.”

“Nice to meet all of you.” I feel and see Archie’s tattooed arms come around my waist, and he kisses the back of my head.

“All right, now you can all settle down. Let’s give her a minute to breathe.” He places a kiss just under my ear.

I catch his mom’s eye, and she has her hands together, covering her mouth, but drops them when I smile at her.

“Emma, would you mind if I felt your stomach?”

The question stuns me a little. It’s really just been me and Archie, and the realization that there are other people excited about the baby hits me full force.

“Oh, of course!”

Archie’s arms drop, but he steps to my side when his mom comes up to me.

She places her hands on either side of my stomach. It surprises me how tender it feels. How real. Her hands are gentle.

Her voice cracks. “This is just a miracle. Hi, baby. I’m your Mimi, and I’m going to love you so hard. I already have your room ready at the ranch. We’re gonna have so much fun together.”

I look up at Archie, and he has a soft smile on his face when he looks at me. I feel tears starting to form so I bite down on my bottom lip to try to keep from full-out crying in front of his family.

“Okay, sweetheart, let’s let the girl go.” Shane comes up behind her and places his hands on her shoulders. “She gets emotional about the grandbaby thing,” Shane says with a wink.

She stands and wraps an arm around his waist. “Shane, that’s our grandbaby in there. Can you believe it?” She swipes at a tear running down her face.

I’m overstimulated, but oddly … comforted.

Archie steps closer. His eyes hold mine. It’s almost too much— this wave of love that feels so different from what I grew up with.

When she pulls away, I have to blink fast to keep tears from spilling. Archie’s arms come around me again like a shield.

He moves me to the sofa, where we take a seat. Archie places his arm around me, and I notice him shift uncomfortably again.

“You okay?”