Page 102 of Leave It On The Field (Grand Slam 3)
“Walk,” she grumbles as she slides off the counter. “I’ll get the extra blankets.”
She follows me out onto the deck and crawls between my legs as I spread out on a lounge chair. I cover us with three blankets until only her face is showing.
“Enough? Or do you need one more?”
“Enough.” She leans over to the table and sucks some of her coffee out of the straw, and then settles back against my chest. “When did you wake up? I didn’t even notice you leaving the bed.”
“Around five. I’ve been out here thinking.”
“About?”
“Two things.” I take a deep breath. “First, I’ve played my last inning as a professional baseball player. I’m announcing my retirement in January.”
She sits up and looks at me. “Are you sure? Do you want to play one more year so you can have a farewell tour or whatever?”
“I definitely don’t want a farewell tour. The less attention, the better. I just want to fade away with no commotion.”
“Seb,” she says, raising her eyebrows, “there’s going to be commotion—a lot of it. People are going to freak.”
“Let them.” I pull her back against me as a shiver runs through her body. “I’m done. Not because of you or all the bullshit that happened this season, but just because I’m done. I wanted to play in a World Series before I retired. I did. We won. It’s a great way to go out.”
She sits up again. “But you’re going to miss playing so much.”
“Yeah, I will, but that will be the case whenever I retire. I’ve thought about this a lot. I know it’s the right decision. My head’s not in it anymore. It’s time to move onto the next phase of my life—of our life—which brings me to the second thing.” I pause for a second to try to prepare for impact. “I’m ready to start having babies whenever you are.”
She jumps out of the chair—blankets flying everywhere. “What? Like now?”
“That’s up to you. I’m ready when you are.”
She straddles me and takes my face in her hands. “I’m ready now. Like right now. Can we start this instant?”
“Yeah. Any time. Stop taking the pill.”
She squeals and starts wiggling around on my lap.
“Oh, you mean, right now,” I say, laughing. “Because if you keep going with this lap dance, I’ll be ready for attempt number one in a few seconds.”
“I didn’t take my pill yet this morning,” she says, placing kisses all over my face, “but I don’t think it happens that fast. The pill probably needs to get out of my system or something.”
“We’ll take as many practice runs as we need.”
She shivers again as a little gust of wind comes off the lake.
“Grab the blankets,” I say. “Let’s get you warm again.”
She hops around the deck picking them up, and then settles back between my legs. “I’m so excited. I can barely breathe. Let’s not tell anyone we’re trying, okay? Until we really have something to tell them.”
I laugh as she snuggles against my chest. “I never tell anyone anything. But are you really going to be able to keep it from Maisie?”
“Well, I’ll tell Maisie, yeah. I don’t count her as anyone.”
I tilt her head up. “Babe, you can’t tell her about my retirement. I trust her, but it’s too dangerous. I haven’t even told Dottie yet. I’m going to tell her just before the end of the year, and I’ve already embargoed a story with Ray Franklin to drop on January 1.”
“Embargoed?” She laughs. “Look at you with your fancy PR talk.”
“You taught me well. Ray will hold the story, right?”
“He definitely will, and I promise I won’t tell anyone, not even Maisie.” She settles back against my chest. “Have you told your dad?”
