Thanks to the Warriors’ loyal fans, Carson, Ty, Donovan, and Solomon had made it out of the bar unhindered. Ty ended up spending the night at Carson’s apartment after Sadie called a cab back to Mobile. Barbi and Erika came by that afternoon to check on Carson and see how they could help.
“Kelly just texted,” Barbi told Carson. “Jason is still at the hospital. He doesn’t want to press charges even though he has a broken nose and two broken ribs.”
Carson thanked her and looked at Ty. “Twitter and Facebook are on fire.”
“Yeah.” Ty scrolled through his cell. “Did you see the posts about Sadie, too?”
“Welcome to small-town Alabama,” Erika offered.
“Jason knows he’s busted,” Barbi said. “And if I know anything, once this story circulates for a few days, he’ll get chased out of Fairhope.”
“Jesus Christ.” Carson started pacing. “I want Jason’s head on a fucking platter.”
“Getting biblical on our asses?” Ty asked. “Street justice, bro. Bet the bastard disappears by tomorrow.”
Even if he did, Carson planned on making his life a living hell. But for now, all he wanted was to talk to Sadie. “Sadie won’t accept my calls or answer my texts.”
“She’s probably at the hotel. Maybe I should drive over…” Barbi started.
“No,” Carson disagreed. His girl hated to be crowded. “All we can do is wait.”
Barbi looked shocked. “You? Wait?”
“I promised to be a better man for her, Barbi.”
“This isn’t the right time. We need the old Carson to rear his ugly head,” she said.
“What do you want me to do?” Carson asked, willing to try anything at this point. Concern was eating away at his gut. But goddamnit, he was a simple man, sworn to protect the ones he loved.
“Call the hotel,” Ty directed.
Carson dialed the Royale. “Sadie Reynolds’ room, please. This is Carson Savage.”
There was a pause, and then Blake, the concierge, got on the phone. “Good evening, Mr. Savage.”
“Blake—I’m glad you’re still at work. Did Sadie Reynolds check out of the hotel today?”
Blake cleared his throat. “Two hours ago, I’m afraid.”
“Did she leave any messages?”
“Only one,” Blake sounded uncomfortable.
“For me?”
“Yes.”
“What did she say?”
“She’ll call as soon as she can.”
Carson closed his eyes, grief blooming inside him. “Thank you, Blake. Good night.”
“Good night, Mr. Savage.”
“Well?” everyone asked in unison.
“She’s gone.”
“Where?” Ty pressed.
“Fuck if I know,” Carson snapped.
“Wait!” Barbi said. “I have a text from her.”
“What does it say?” Carson rushed to her side.
“Returning to South Carolina. Will call when I can.”
“Don’t worry,” Ty said. “I have a plan.”
“What?” Carson doubted Ty could come up with anything he hadn’t already thought of.
“Remember my little Christmas present last year? The Gulfstream G550 I have part ownership in?”
“You have a private jet?” Barbi asked.
“Yes.”
Barbi shook her head. “Unbelievable.”
Ty grinned. “Your itinerary, Mr. Savage.”
Carson glanced at the screen and then back at his best friend. “Thank you, Ty.”
He grabbed his keys and wallet off the breakfast bar, climbed into his Jeep, and drove as fast as he could to the Mobile Regional Airport. Sadie wasn’t going anywhere without him.
Sadie mindlessly perused the shelves in the magazine store in the Memphis airport. Her flight had been delayed out of Mobile. Now she was delayed in Memphis for more three hours, waiting for her connecting flight to South Carolina. Unfortunately, the queasiness that had started in the cab hadn’t gotten any better. She’d already had a ginger ale and two bottled waters, hoping to settle her stomach.
It didn’t surprise her, though. Stress always went straight to her stomach. Forced to resort to using an over-the-counter remedy, she checked the first aid section in the shop. Nothing stood out until she knelt to see her options on the bottom shelf, where she eyed pregnancy tests.
She picked one up and read the instructions on the back of the box. She’d missed her period, but didn’t think anything of it. Traveling seemed to interfere with her regular cycle. She paid for the test and headed to the closest bathroom.
She locked herself inside the stall farthest from the door and opened the box, which contained two individually wrapped tests. After she finished peeing on the stick, she waited impatiently for the results. Two pink lines appeared in the result window, indicating she was pregnant. Sure she’d done something wrong, she quickly tore open the second foil packet and followed the instructions precisely.
Two minutes later, she received the same result. Whether she liked it or not, Sadie knew she was pregnant. She felt it—the subtle change in her body—her moodiness—how desperately she missed Carson.
Closing the lid to the toilet, she sat down, burying her face in her hands, crying silently. What the hell was she going to do?
And what about Carson? She stared at the beautiful ring on her finger and remembered his declaration. If we never get any further than this, I want you to have this ring, to wear it, to remember this moment by. To know how much I love you. That I’m ready to drop to my knees and beg you to marry me. I won’t yet—not until you’re ready. But I can’t keep my feelings a secret any longer. You complete me, Sadie. You drive me crazy. And I’ll be damned if I’ll ever let you go again.
He loved her. She loved him. And this tiny, precious spark of life inside her belly was the perfect expression of their love. But she’d left him, again. After promising she wouldn’t. Drying her eyes with a big glob of toilet paper, she opened the stall door and stepped out. No one else seemed to be in the restroom. She walked to the closest sink and turned on the cold water, checking her face in the mirror. Considering what she’d been through, she didn’t look too bad. Maybe a bit exhausted, but nothing a cold splash of water wouldn’t cure.
She washed her hands and face, then smoothed her hair and applied some lip balm and blush. Then she walked back into the main part of the terminal to await the arrival of her connecting flight.
As she searched for a seat, someone called her name.
“Sadie?”
She whipped around, her heart filled with every sort of emotion. “Carson? What are you doing here? How did you know where to find me?”
He looked equally exhausted, like he’d been beaten down too many times. “Funny what a pretty face and a couple hundred dollars gets you.”
Sadie shook her head. “You used your good looks and money to bribe someone to find out about my flight?”
“Sure did, Kitty Kat.”
“And now that you’re here, what do you have to say for yourself?” Every fiber of her being wanted to run into his arms and whisper in his ear that he was going to be a father.
“Take the ring off, Sadie.”
She couldn’t believe it. He’d come all this way to take the ring back? She pulled it off and sadly offered it to him. It might as well have been her heart, because that’s how it felt.
As she waited for an explanation, Carson simply fell to his knees in front of her. “I’m sorry, sweetheart. But the bastard deserves to suffer—to feel the same pain you endured for so long.”
Sadie’s hands shook as she reached for his face, cupping his cheek.
“I’m an imperfect man. Jealous. Ambitious. Protective. And so in love with you that, if you want me to, I’ll get on the flight to South Carolina with you and never look back. I’ll leave the Warriors and find a new team. Live wherever you want.”
His words lit her body on fire. He’d finally reached that point where he would consider her career above his own. All she wanted was Carson. To marry him. To return to Fairhope and start a family. “Carson…”
“Wait, sweetheart. Let me finish. Okay?”
She nodded.
A small crowd of curious bystanders had started to gather around them. “Is that Carson Savage?” someone asked.
“Yes,” a woman answered. “He sure is.”
“I love you, Kitty Kat. I really do. And it hurts whenever we’re apart.” He covered his heart with his right hand. “Marry me, Sadie. Please.”
Sadie couldn’t block out the noise from the people, the muted gasps and the anticipation on their faces. Then she gazed at Carson, his complete disregard for himself, as he stayed on his knees on the hard tile floor for the whole world to see.
“It’s tomorrow,” she whispered. “So I can say yes.”
He shot up, whooping like a teenager, picking her up and twirling her around. When he set her back on her feet, he kissed her silly. “Give me your hand, sweetheart.”
After he slipped the ring back on her finger, the crowd applauded. Flashes went off and several people begged for his autograph. “Not tonight,” he said gently. “I’m getting married.”
“There’s one thing,” she started.
“What, sweetheart?”
“I don’t want to leave Alabama. I don’t want you to quit the team. I have options here. Good ones. You were right all this time. I’ve missed my friends. I’ve missed our town. I want to move home.” The idea of starting that business with Leonard popped into her head. It would change everything for her—give her the professional freedom she’d always dreamed of having. “And Leonard and I could start our own company.”
“You’re amazing, Sadie. If you’re sure, then nothing would make me happier.” As he picked up her carry-on and started to escort her away from the gate, she stopped him. “I have something else to tell you, Carson.”
He stopped and looked at her. “You didn’t change your mind, did you, Kitty Kat?”
“No,” she said, motioning for him to come closer.
He did.
Then she whispered in his ear, “I’m pregnant, Carson.”
He dropped her bag and tugged her into his arms, kissing her again and again. That’s when Sadie finally realized, home was wherever Carson was—and now that included their unborn child. Their future. The beginning of the new life she’d always wanted.