Page 89 of High Baller

"I said no to marrying Trey because I wasn’t ready, and right now, I'm not ready for a baby either. The baby will be here, and he'll be on the road, and I'll be all by myself."

"You will not be by yourself,” Calvin assures me while throwing the positive tests in the bin. “I'll be there, so will Finn.”

I tap my fingers nervously on the counter. This is not happening right now. "What time are we leaving?" We have a flight to LA, then we both booked time off, as it's the last game of the season, and Trey’s having a party.

"In an hour. Have you got everything?"

"Yeah," I answer as I drink my tea.

"Sky, be happy about this. I mean, you have a sexy as hell man as your boyfriend, you're going to have the cutest babies in the world, and you have a cookbook coming out,” Calvin tells me, which does make me smile.

I do have everything that I could wish for. Maybe I didn't want a baby just yet, but perhaps the timing is perfect and I just don't know it.

It sounds so weird that I have a cookbook coming out. One night, Trey had some friends over, and he showed them my folder. One of them took it to show his wife who’s an author of some sort. She spoke to a few people, and the next thing I know, its Trey calling me telling me that they want my recipes to be turned into a cookbook!

I got Dave to check over the final copy of the book, Derek had a look too, and when they both said it was good, I signed on the dotted line. In four short months, my baby, my cookbook, will be out for the world to see.

"You know what? You're right,” I say, and place my cup on the counter. “I think it was the shock that scared me. Trey’s going to be thrilled. I'll tell him after the last game." Now that the panic is over, I can smile and look at the bigger picture. Trey and I one happy family.

Trey

"Will you tell him this idea will work and Sky will say yes?” I ask Calvin in frustration, as Derek’s been telling me that my idea is terrible and Sky won't like it.

"Your idea won't work, do you not know Sky?" Calvin tells me, and I hear Derek laughing harder.

The last time I asked her to marry me, I took her to one of the best restaurants in Seattle, got a band to play music, I did everything right, and she said no. So, this time, I want it to be so perfect that she'll say yes.

I knew the moment I saw Sky in the bar that she was going to be my wife one day. The more I saw her, the deeper I was falling for her. She's the perfect girl for me, and I can't wait to make her Mrs. King.

"What's wrong—"

"Trey, you're thinking too hard about it. In a word, what does Sky say to you?" Calvin asks me, and I think for a moment.

"She likes things simple—"

"Ding, ding, ding! We have a winner!” Calvin laughs. "You know she doesn't like all the big, grand things."

I grin like a crazy person. I've got it. I'm overthinking this whole thing. I don't need a big party or the fancy restaurant, I just need to keep it simple, and that's what I'm going to do.

Derek stares at me as I continue to smile. "You have an idea.”

"I do, and I don't need anything that I have planned. I'm going to be one happy man. When she gets home, I'm just going to ask." I walk out to the garden as the planner gets things ready for the party this afternoon.

Sky said that she needed to talk to me before the party, but my Ma wanted to take her to the stores this morning. She wasn't too happy about it, as she said it was important and couldn't wait, but Ma wouldn't take no for an answer.

Madison finally said sorry to Sky about everything, which took her long enough to do. I'd told Madison to apologize, or when Sky’s around, she's not welcome in my house. That finally got through to her, and my family is happy once again.

I hear laughter coming from inside the house, and the three of us turn around as they all come out to the garden.

"You look happy.” I lean down and give Sky a kiss.

"Because I am,” she says, looking up at me. “Can we talk?"

I pull Sky away from the group, far enough for them not to overhear us, but still close enough so that they don't follow to know what's happening either.

"Yeah, I wanted to talk to you, too."

"Me first," Sky rushes out.