“Your dad still doesn’t like me.”

Jesus. It’s too damn bad the crowded interstate doesn’t have room for me to pull over and calm her shit. Better yet, some hidden spot on a dirt road would be nice, so I can fuck the worry right out of her pretty mind.

“He doesn’t hate you, for the hundredth time. Calm your shit.” I take hold of her hand where she’s strumming her fingers nervously on the console and give it a reassuring squeeze.

“It’s just—”

I cut her off before she can continue finishing her sentence. “I told you I haven’t had time to talk to him. He’s silent when he’s around the stadium, and before you go off again on how you’ve connected with Mom and Rowe, but my dad still hates you, think about this. You don’t hear me complaining about not being able to sit around and talk with your family. I wasn’t flipping out when you told your dad, even though he’s threatened me twice. You're talking nonsense.” I’m going to love watching the baby grow inside of her, but shit, she’s an emotional wreck already.

“You ass, my family loves you.” Justice reaches over and slaps my chest. “It’s not all easy when you men are all testosterone driven and barking over a game.”   

“You are freaking out over nothing, babe. There’s nothing else I can tell you to ease this.” I flip on the blinker and take the exit toward the foothills to my parents’ home and make a mental note in all caps to see if there’s a book on how to not lose your mind over a pregnant woman’s crazy talk.

She doesn't have a thing to worry about, yet she is. About driving me nuts sitting over there fraying those tight-as-fuck legging things or whatever the fuck women call them.

I’ll never figure out why she’s so insecure when it comes to my dad. I can only chalk it up to him being silent and only talking when he needs to. When it’s come to her and me, he’s only ever offered support to me, basically kicking me in the ass. I debate on telling her it was my dad who told me to forgive and not bring up the past, but I keep that to myself. It’s a sacred moment between my family and me, one that propelled me in the right direction of life. A moment I’ll never forget.

She fidgets with the damn wrapped package all the way up the winding steps to my parents’ funky-ass colored home to the point it drives me nuts, so I take it from her hands. She goes to knock on the door, but I catch her wrist before she has the chance to.

Her tiny wrist easily fits in my palm. “Stop. Be you. Where’s the confident woman I know? They’ve always loved you just as I have.”

I bend down, kissing the top of her head, and then open the door. The scent of Mom’s homemade lasagna nearly knocks me on my ass. Today’s grueling practice and the constant worry in the back of my mind about Justice’s stalker has had me exhausted and wrung out. I’ve never look forward to a bye week more than I am the one coming up. Christ, I need it, and so does she.  

“Justice, come look at this.” Rowe frowns as she looks from me to Justice. “What did you do to her, asshole?” She snatches her hand and has her trailing down the hallway before I can get a word out.

“I haven’t done a thing.” Christ, it’s a wonder the population is as large as it is if this is how every pregnancy goes.

I’m left standing with a silver wrapped package finished off with light blue ribbon, all the while my parents are staring at me. Mom's lips are trembling; Dad’s looking at me like I’ve done something wrong. High emotions are all around me. We’re having a baby, not moving to China, and yet here I am starting to experience some of the panic Justice felt earlier. Like I’ve been called down to the principal's office, and even though I’ve done nothing wrong, I’m sweating bullets. My fingers dig into the package, sweat breaks out on my brow, and I think I’m going to puke. Even after all the safe sex talks, the ‘you’re going to be in the spotlight and we all know men think with their dick’ talks. Jesus, how old am I again?

It’s not until my mom pats my dad on the back that I ease a bit. Justice and Rowe come back from wherever they went. Justice is at my side, and the world seems alright. Yet it’s not.

I take a seat at the table instead of heading into the kitchen and raiding the fridge scouring for the leftovers from the night before. Dad picks up on it right away.

“What’s going on?” His fingers clench tightly around the longneck beer bottle.

“You are in so much trouble,” Rowe sings out, picking up on Dad’s voice.

Ironically enough, it’s Justice who takes over. Funny how I’ve been calming her down, but now at this moment when I’m staring my father in the eye, I’m ready to bolt.

“We have something for you. First, though, me being busy is no excuse for not talking to you sooner. I’d like to apologize to you for running off all those years ago.” Justice nudges the package across the table.

“Apology accepted.” Her sigh is the only reason I don’t nudge her under the table and have her look at me, so I can tell her I told you so.

Dad quirks an eyebrow before dragging the package closer to him. The ass takes his time unfolding the edges of the wrapping paper, winding me up more. He used to do this on Christmas morning. Told us it was the best way to learn how to be patient. It didn’t work then, and it isn’t working now.

Justice briefly glances my way, my eyes telling her this is his way. She’ll see what I mean come the holiday season. The man is quick on his toes but slow as fuck with everything else.

When I glimpse back up, Mom and Rowe are hovering over him. He picks through the tissue paper before pulling out the tiny shirt. I watch as he reads the same words Justice’s family did. He tilts his head to one side then the next before his eyes go glassy. He doesn’t say a word, and I know exactly why. Rowe is reading the same message over his shoulder. She gets out each word, then strings them all together, completing the phrase.

“Wow, wait.” She throws up two fingers. “One, that is too small for me; and two, I’m already a Diamonds fan.” Goddamn, I love her. Doesn’t have a clue about the tension coursing through my veins, and yet she says the right thing to settle me down.

I chuckle as I watch Mom lean over and whisper in her ear. I can’t hear what she says. Have a clue, though, and I’m right when I notice the moment Rowe understands the meaning that’s meant for Dad and not her. She slaps a hand over her mouth, remaining silent. Mom more than likely added on that she needs to wait for Dad to speak.

But he doesn’t speak. Instead, he stands from his chair and rounds the table. He passes me and goes straight to Justice. He holds his arms out wide open until she stands. I’m not the crying type, except when it comes to her and my family. When my dad takes Justice in his strong, understanding, and all-loving arms, I lose it.

He whispers into her ear. She nods, and her tears match mine. When Dad pulls back, he wipes away his own tears and slaps me on the back.

“Boy, I’m too damn young and good looking to be a grandpa.”

“Wishful thinking, old man.” I rise and hug the hell out of him. I guess I didn’t know what to predict coming into this. My life has been all about the game and how far I could take myself. This is more than I could ever want out of life.

Mom and Rowe rush Justice, nearly knocking her back onto the table. And for the Blake family, it’s tears all around.

“I’m an aunt. Oh, my God, I’m an aunt. The asshole did it!” Rowe exclaims.

Mom and Dad both scold her for her language and don’t bat an eye when she takes an extra piece of garlic toast at dinner.

“Justice, did I ever tell you that I swear our boy Liam was born with a football under his arm?”

“No. Tell me more.” Justice and I sat through this conversation a long time ago, yet she still urges my mom on.

“It was his favorite toy. He was never obsessed with superheroes or Legos. He was born to play.”

Dad gets in on the conversation. “And have you ever heard about a little princess who stole my heart the first time I met her? Hell, she even made me take off my jersey.”

Dad glances over to Rowe, and she grins. “I hated football until Shrek came into my life.”

We all get a good laugh out of that one.

“More importantly, both of my kids have always been happy and healthy, and that’s all I wish for the two of you. However, another football player would be a bonus.”

I sit back and watch my family interact. Mom and Rowe jump all over Dad on his comment about having another football player in the family. I don’t care what we have as long as our baby comes into this world healthy as can be.

“I’m kidding.” He finally gives in, throwing both of his hands up in the air, sighs, and stuffs his hands in his pockets. A sly grin spreads across his face. “How about if I speak the truth. Being called Grandpa will be the biggest accomplishment of my life. It sits alongside being called Dad, and it will outshine every single trophy or award on our mantle. You did good, son.”

Lots of people take life for granted. Hell, I do every day. I’ll continue to do it. This moment here is being stored away.

I watch with a blessed eye as Mom leans her head on Dad’s shoulder and hooks her pinky with Rowe’s. Justice leans into me, and I know I’m right where I’m supposed to be. Life is good.

* * *

I cut the tension in the room, my hands going for the ultrasound wand. I still can’t believe they’re going to use this object shaped like a corn cob. I wave it around like it’s a lightsaber and then pretend to compare it to my own dick size. It does the job, easing the tension lines on Justice’s brow, and her giggles escape. I’ll for damn sure be making certain the doctor sterilizes or sleeves this torture device before using it.

“Are you kidding me?” she asks. “Stop, it’s embarrassing enough to get in this damn gown.”

“They are putting a damn wand up your love taco.” I use the term from one of the romance novels she was reading the other night.

Justice gives me a sideways glare, adjusting herself on the table, the crinkle of the scratchy paper filling the room. “I knew it. You finished “I Shaved My Legs For This” without me, didn’t you?”

“You were sound asleep.” I raise my hands in the air in surrender. “The light was blinding me.”

“Hopeless,” she mutters, shaking her head. We’ve found little hobbies to entertain ourselves in the slices of time when we have nothing to do besides worry. There’ve been more pink potted plants and lingerie showing up in the matter of a week, and her dad has stopped her from seeing any of them. It seems the asshole is stepping up their game. They keep this shit up, and I’ll be glad if her dad backs off his promise and shoots them in the fucking head.

So yeah, I finished the damn book.

Jesus, if my teammates ever found out, I’d be tossed from the NFL in a blink of an eye, no matter how I rose from an injury.

Justice opens her mouth to give me her wrath, but I’m saved by the swinging door as the doctor walks in. I was ready for the comeback, blowing the end of the storyline. I’ll save that tidbit for tonight when she crawls into bed with her e-reader.

“Justice, how are you?” The doctor extends his hand all the while looking at me. “This is?”

“Liam, the father,” she replies.

“Nice to meet you.” I stand and shake his hand. “I’m Doctor Asten.”

Sweat breaks out on my neck. I’m not comfortable with another man sticking a wand up my woman. However, Dr. Asten is nothing but professional as he goes about his business and explains the procedure in detail to us. When the room fills with static noise accompanied by a steady whoosh, I crumble.

“That would be the baby’s heartbeat,” he says methodically. The man does this every day, hears them all the time. To me, it’s as if my heart syncs in tune with my child’s.

It’s only the squeeze from Justice’s hand that keeps my heart from pounding out of my chest.

“Strong and steady.” Dr. Asten adjusts the wand, making the picture clearer. “All of the measurements seem to coincide with a May fourth due date.”

This moment right here, I can’t even begin to explain it. Doesn’t even compare to a game-winning touchdown, records broken in record books, or leading my team right down the turf. Not a damn thing can or will come close to hearing that heartbeat and finding out that May will be here before we know it.