Page 87 of The Virgin Game Plan (Rules of Love 2)
Then I head into the locker room.
He’s not there either.
That’s odd.
When I hit the field for batting practice, he’s nowhere to be seen.
So, I do what I’m here to do. We take batting practice, and my bat is on fire. Gunnar is the same way. He lights up dinger after dinger.
When we walk off the field, I say to him, “You doing okay after last night?”
“Yeah, man. New day, new chance.”
“Sounds like something Crash Davis would say, but it’s also true.”
“It absolutely is.”
We head inside so the Cougars can have their turn at batting practice. Once more, I hunt for Thompson to no avail.
Shortly before game time, he finally appears in the locker room for a pregame pep talk. “Dragons, you know this is an important series. And I want you to play clean, just like you did with the Storm Chasers. Give it your all. Show them that we can be San Francisco’s favorite team again.”
He immediately jets, and I follow him into the corridor, then pause.
Should I chill? Wait till later?
Fuck it.
I’m so tired of waiting for the perfect moment. I call down the hall, “Sir.”
He spins around. “Kingsley. You were looking for me earlier, but I was busy. My wife thought she was having the baby.”
I blink. “Oh, you’re having a baby?”
“Yeah, you didn’t know?”
“I didn’t, sir. You didn’t mention it.”
“Ah, I thought Reese might have told you.”
“No, she didn’t,” I say, and holy shit, did he just say that?
Something casual about my girlfriend?
But that’s not what Reese and I talk about. And that’s not for her to tell me.
“But everything’s good. My wife is fine. It was just Braxton Hicks, and she’s actually here watching the game. You should come meet her later.”
“Thanks, I’d like that, sir,” I say, wondering what the hell is going on.
He hooks his thumb toward the baseball diamond. “I have to go talk to the pitching coach. But I’ll catch you later.”
All I can do is go play the game.
And I do. I play my heart out. There is something invigorating about the fact that my woman’s here, on the first baseline, watching me.
So damned exhilarating that in my first at bat, I do the thing I meant to do a few weeks ago. I meet her gaze. Give her a wink. Then, like the cheeseball I can sometimes be, I blow her a kiss and mouth, I love you.
She smiles, grins, and waves right back at me.
I don’t know if the cameras caught that, or if anyone watching the broadcast will figure out what I said and to whom.
But I also don’t care.
After the game, Thompson catches up to me as I come off the field with the rest of the team, sweaty and exhilarated from our win. “Kingsley, before the game, you said you have something to tell me?”
“I do.” I try to look sober about it, but a smile keeps breaking out. “I suspect you know what—who, rather—it’s about, since I saw you this afternoon leaving her house.” He looks like he might reply, but I don’t give him the chance. “I’m seeing your daughter, and I love her. But before we chat, I need to go over to the first baseline and give the woman I love a kiss.”
I give up holding back a big, blissful grin. I know where I want to be right now, and it feels great to be so certain.
“Good plan,” says my coach.
On my way, Erin Madison flags me and calls out a question. “Holden, how do you think the first game against the Cougars went?”
I slow down to answer. “You know what, Erin? I think it went great. It’s always good to play your local rivals. And to play your heart out. By the way, have I mentioned that I’m dating Reese Fallon? She’s a local sports marketer and former college athlete. She has a podcast. We went to the same university. She’s smart and passionate about sports accessibility, and she’s amazing.”
Erin’s lips quirk up in a curious grin. “That’s terrific. Thanks for sharing the news that you’re involved with Coach Thompson’s family. I appreciate the heads-up.”
“Glad to share it. She’s putting together a calendar right now highlighting athletes with disabilities, along with their rescue dogs. Did you know that Rafe Wilson has a Norwegian elkhound–Chihuahua mix?”
The reporter laughs, shaking her head. “I’m learning so much talking to you.”
“Cute pooch. Thanks again for your questions. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to pay a visit to the woman I love.”
“Have a good night, Holden.”
“You too, Erin.”
Finally, I reach where Reese is in the stands, grinning in a way that matches how I feel—exhilarated, besotted, blissfully happy. She laughs as I lift her over the barrier, pull her onto the field, and kiss her right there on the baseball diamond.
Best place ever for a kiss.
