Page 93 of The Lockdown Mann

“Jesus. Oakley. I know that had to be tough. How did it go?”

His head drops back against the couch, eyes closed. “I feel like we broke our baby girl’s heart. There were a lot of tears and confusion. It’s why I wanted to spend as much time with her as possible—her mama too. We wanted to make sure she knows we both still love her, that we both still love each other, and that things will always be okay with Ree and me.”

I turn and reach for him, cup his cheek with my hand as our foreheads kiss. “I’m so fucking proud of you, Oak. And you’re a good dad, the best. Tiana will always know what it’s like to be loved by both her parents. You’re not your mom.”

“Thank you,” he whispers. “That’s what I keep trying to tell myself. I’m not going anywhere; I’m never going anywhere.”

I pull back slightly so I can look at him. “She’s lucky to have you for a dad, and she’s a great kid. She’ll be good.”

“Yeah. We’ll make sure she is. Ree and I talked, and we don’t think it’s a good time to tell her about us. I don’t want to tell her that her parents aren’t together and then drop the ball that I’ve already moved on. I know it’s a lot to ask, but are you okay with keeping us a secret for a little while longer? We can consider telling her at the end of the season, like was the original plan for telling her about me and Ree.”

I don’t even need to consider my reply. It’s automatic, said with my full chest, when I say, “Yes. God, yes. I would never want to rush things and hurt her. I adore that kid.”

He smiles, then surprises me by moving over and straddling my lap. My hands immediately move to his hips, my body welcoming the weight of his. Christ, this feels good. He feels good. Better than anything in my life has ever felt.

“I adore you,” he tells me. “I more than adore you, actually.” Oakley cups my face, his skin warm, hands strong. “I’m in love with you, Des. So fucking in love with you. I think a part of me always has been. I fell that night on the beach, and you’ve had a hold of me ever since.”

My heart nearly punches its way out of my chest. I never thought I’d hear those words from Oakley. I sure as shit never thought I would hear them first. “I love you too. You had me at sixteen, and you got me now. I was always meant to be yours, baby.”

Our lips crash together with the promise of a future together on our tongues, a future that was set into motion eleven years ago on a beach in another state when I set eyes on Oakley Manning for the first time.

The Lockdown Mann…my lockdown man. The one whose hold never truly let me go, and never will.

EPILOGUE

Oakley

June

“You ready?” Des asks Tiana, the two of them holding hands.

“Yep!” she replies.

“One, two, three!” Des yells before they run and jump into the pool together.

We’re all having a cookout at Tiana and Serena’s place, the house that I shared with them for a good part of Tiana’s life. I moved out in January, getting a place of my own. It’s the first time in my life that I’ve had my own house, even though I still spend a lot of my free nights with Des—sometimes at his place and sometimes at mine.

We didn’t tell Tiana about us until March. Before that, she just knew he was Daddy’s best friend, whom she happened to love too. I was surprised at how easily she took it. Kids are resilient, though. They can navigate situations a whole lot better than many adults give them credit for—hell, even better than adults can handle them themselves.

I just explained to her that over the months, Des and I had fallen in love. Serena, the incredible woman that she is, was there beside me, showing our daughter that she supported me. Tiana asked about three questions, and then that was the end of it. She just said it was cool and how much fun she has with me and Des together, and that was that.

“Mom! Dad! Get in!” Des calls to his parents, who are in town visiting. My dad is here too, sitting with Des’s parents and Sanaa and Evander, the group of them talking. Serena, Juju, and Hunter are in the pool with Des, while I man the grill.

“Sweetheart, we’ve been summoned.” Des’s dad stands and holds out his hand to his wife. They’re both great people, but it’s funny how different they are from Desmond. Though I guess people would say I’m different from my father too. He’s quiet, more introspective, but then, we’re both the kind of men who love big, and once we’re in, we’re in.

His parents head over and get into the pool a lot more calmly than Des and Tiana did—and with a lot less splashing.

I can’t help but stand there and watch them all for a moment, surprised at all the ways my life has changed.

I can’t pretend it hasn’t been an interesting time in the league. Two football players dating has never happened before, but we’re lucky, and they’re accepting it, even if it’s only because of the lawsuit that would come if they didn’t.

Both our teams and coaches have been accepting as a whole, but then, we also admitted our relationship in the offseason, so we’ll see what happens when we’re playing games next season. Whatever it is, Des and I will handle it together.

“He’s a good man.” My dad steps up beside me.

“Yeah, he is.”

“You’ve built yourself a beautiful life here, Oakley. I’m proud of you. I probably never said this to you when I should have, but your mama leaving…that had nothing to do with you and everything to do with her. You were a good kid, and you’re an incredible man. You deserved better than what you got from her, and what you got from me too.”