Epilogue

“What do you think, princess?”

A smile tickled my lips at my dad’s use of my childhood nickname. I’d likely be forty years old and he’d still go on calling me princess. There was something comforting about it so I never commented.

I reached over and wrapped an arm through his and rested my head against his large arm. “It’s great, Dad. Thanks for the tickets.”

Opening Day was being celebrated in style at the Warriors’ stadium. Every fan was presented with a t-shirt upon entering the park and the sea of team colors was mesmerizing. From my place in one of the executive boxes, it was even more impressive. I’d worn a long-sleeve white shirt and decided against the freebie tee for the one I’d worn in—featuring Justin’s name and number.

A detail my father hadn’t missed.

“’Course, your boyfriend—” he choked the word out, “could have probably done the same.”

I squeezed his arm and looked up into his eyes. “I like it better when you do it. It’s better this way, Daddy.”

He smiled and gave a brisk nod before swallowing hard.

I was his little girl—his princess—and while he was starting to come around on the idea that I was dating, he was having a harder time knowing it was a major league star. Justin was new to the Warriors but his fame and reputation proceeded him. He didn’t have glaring screw-ups on his record—no fist fights, drunken displays, or high-profile scandals—but to my daddy, he was still a long-legged pro-athlete. Nice guys, but all of them too much of a risk for his darling daughter.

Not that I was giving him much say.

He actually hadn’t voiced his concerns, but I knew they were there under the surface all the same.

“How’s that going?” he asked cautiously, glancing down at me. “Does he—does he make you happy? Treat you right?”

I nodded and unexpected tears sprang to my eyes. I sniffed them back. “Very happy. He’s amazing.”

Daddy dropped a kiss to my forehead and patted my shoulder as he wrapped his arm around me. “Good. It wouldn’t be good for the team if he were to suddenly…go missing.”

I snorted. “I didn’t realize you were a part-time mobster these days. Geeze, things sure have changed while I’ve been in Florida.”

My dad chuckled and squeezed me close. “For you, princess, I’d go mobster in a heartbeat.”

“Very sweet, Daddy. But don’t worry, you won’t have to with Justin.”

***

Opening Day was a monster success. Justin was the star of the show and with every picture perfect pitch, I was on my feet, screaming and hollering like the outcome of the game depended on it. He matched his career-high strikeouts at eighteen and had everyone in Oklahoma City—and beyond—buzzing with what the future was going to hold now that he was on the Warriors, joining a beefed-up lineup of stars.

The phrase World Series was tossed around liberally.

After the game, I waited outside the team locker room, wearing a VIP badge courtesy of my daddy. The media was still going crazy over the thrilling win. I hung back, pressed against a wall, drinking it all in. A few other wives and girlfriends were waiting in the wings and as I watched them out of the corner of my eye, I wondered if that would be my future. There hadn’t been a day since Justin left Florida that we hadn’t spoken on the phone. We texted each other constantly. I had no doubts that he was close to breaking things off with me. But at the same time, the practical side of my brain knew that keeping our relationship going when the season started was going to be a challenge. To say the least.

Justin’s schedule would involve a lot of travel and there’d be times I couldn’t go with him.

While I was still mulling it all over, the locker room doors opened and a flood of team staffers and the players came filtering out. They all wore happy—but exhausted—smiles and waved to the crowd gathered there. I pushed up onto my tiptoes to see over the sea of media and caught sight of Justin as he exited, walking shoulder-to-shoulder with Cody Wright. Two of the best pitchers in the league. A quiver of nerves shivered in my stomach when I saw my daddy come up next to Justin and pat him on the back. It quickly faded when both men glanced up from their quiet conversation and found me in the crowd. They smiled and at the look in Justin’s eyes, all anxiety fell to the wayside.

It was all going to be all right. No matter what happened next, I knew we’d do our best to make it work and find time for each other despite the challenges.

My father veered off to address the press and Justin waved as he headed the other direction to his own press event.

The postgame conference took longer than normal, but that was to be expected for Opening Day. Forty-five minutes later, the crowd had died down and Justin found me. He wrapped me up in a tight embrace and kissed my lips—not even a tiny bit worried about who might be watching.

“Hi,” I said breathlessly when we parted.

He chuckled and stroked a loose strand of hair before tucking it behind my ear. “Hey, baby.”

“How was the game?” I asked.

Justin’s face fell. “I thought you were watching…”

I laughed. “I was watching you. You’re just fun to look at.”

He leaned in and something sparked in his eyes. “Likewise, baby.”

I went still as thousands of sensations danced over my skin. I quickly glanced around, hoping no one was watching us. Although we were fully clothed, Justin had a way of making me feel like we were doing something completely naughty with a single look.

“You sure you aren’t too tired from putting up all those strikeouts on the scoreboard all night long?” I ventured, walking my hands up his chest.

Justin’s lips found my ear. “Not a chance, baby.”

I took his hand and shivered as our fingers intertwined. I knew exactly what his perfect fingers were capable of, and I was more than ready to get him alone.

***

“I got something for you,” Justin said, reaching into the inside pocket of his jacket once we were situated in his new, dark SUV.

My stomach lurched. I certainly hadn’t been expecting a gift. After all, it was his big day, not mine.

He pulled out a slim box and handed it to me. “It’s not much,” he said as I took it from him.

I arched an eyebrow and slipped the ribbon away. A set of silver keys and a black key fob were nestled in a layer of white batting. “What are these for?”

Justin grinned. “They’re copies of my house keys. The smaller key opens the garage. The larger the front and exterior doors. The fob gets you past the security gate.” He picked them up and pressed them into my hand. “I want you to come live with me once you graduate.”

His words sent my heart skating in little happy circles. “Really?”

“I know you haven’t decided on where to go once you’re done with school. I thought I’d make the choice a little easier. Sweeten the pot, so to speak.”

I rolled the keys through my fingers, imagining what it would be like to go home to the gorgeous Moroccan-style mansion Justin had purchased shortly after arriving in the city. I never imagined myself living in a big fine home with my pro-ball player boyfriend.

I glanced up at him. “What does this mean though?”

Justin smiled and cupped my face with one of his perfect hands. His fingers twined through my hair and he gently pulled me close. “It means that I love you and that I can’t imagine living thousands of miles away from you for one minute, much less the rest of my life.”

My lips parted and all attempts to speak instantly failed. My mind raced through his words. “I—I don’t know what to say…”

“Say yes, Grace, tell me you wouldn’t want it any other way,” he prompted with another grin. “That’s all you have to say, baby.”

I nodded. “Yes! Of course. I love you.”

“Come on, we have some lost time to make up for. Four days is way too damn long.”

I giggled and wrapped my hand around the set of keys as he revved the engine to life and ripped out of the stadium lot. I wasn’t going to argue.

* * * *

~ T H E E N D ~

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