Happily Ever All-Star: A Secret Baby Romance - Sosie Frost Page 0,32

as I could see the field, I’d figure out which way to run. The regular season started in three weeks, and I’d sell my damn soul to play and win those sixteen games before the playoffs.

I just hoped I could remember the win.

I grabbed my bags and stormed from the locker room. I hopped into my Jeep, but my hands hesitated over the keys.

It did feel like I was forgetting something.

Something important. Something I shouldn’t have left behind.

Oh well. It didn’t matter.

Whatever it was would come back to me sooner or later…

7

Rory

“Has anyone seen Jude?” I covered my eyes as I asked the question. “He’s supposed to take me home.”

Two linemen had opened the door to the locker room for me, but I wasn’t stepping foot into that testosterone-muddied swamp without protective eyewear and a healthy dose of hand sanitizer.

DeSean offered to check inside for Jude, but he returned with a shrug and kept his distance. I was a good doctor, but even I couldn’t take an MRI of their head with a single glance. The guys were safe.

Jude was not.

“He’s not in the locker room,” DeSean said. “Sorry, Doctor Merriweather. I can check the weight room if you want. Ma’am.” He panicked as my eyebrow rose. “Not that you’re a ma’am. Don’t look a day over a miss, especially for someone who’s knocked up.”

Such formality. I kinda liked it this late into the day. I nearly sent DeSean to search for Jude. My feet were killing me, and I could hardly keep my eyes open, but I had to prove I could handle a full day on the job, even if the day was hard.

Before the fellowship, my life consisted of libraries, study sessions, and classes. That big fiery ball in the sky? I thought it was a myth, some sort of melanoma-spreading monster. Spending the summer days on the sidelines was a challenge. The heat made everything worse…or did pregnancy just come with more sweats in places I never knew sweated? At least chasing the trainers and players over the field kept me moving. Last thing we needed was for me to leave any puddles.

I so wished pregnancy had come with a warning. Take lots of folic acid, get plenty of rest and water, and don’t forget—you might toot in front of your friends, accidentally pee while sneezing, and you’ll use the word discharge in ways never before imagined.

And I was done. The long day was made longer trying to find Jude.

Maybe he was waiting for me? I dared to hope that Jude parked outside the entrance, eager to race home to air-conditioning, Netflix, and another night of me awkwardly staring as he rubbed ice over every perfect bulge and muscle on his body.

Was it sad to be excited about carpooling? Great for the environment, not so awesome for my self-esteem.

I couldn’t stop thinking about our kiss, and all the little pecks and cute touches we gave each other when in full view of the team. My spreadsheet worked perfectly to grant the allusion of love and commitment, but I knew the truth. The only thing keeping Jude at my side? A Jeep racing at fifty-five miles an hour to make it to practice.

And I’d take every minute in traffic the city of Ironfield could gift us.

But no Jeep waited for me out front.

Fantastic.

I searched the parking lot. No Jude, but I watched the happiest family this side of the fifty-yard line greet each other after a long day.

Elle cradled her baby as a little blonde boy leapt the front stairs and nearly tackled Lachlan.

Lachlan hauled the kid over his shoulder and greeted his wife and baby. “Heya, Bast! Hi, Nick!”

“Lachlan!” Bast shouted. “Can I go on the field? I wanna see the end zone! Can we go for ice cream? Tag, you’re it!”

Yep. He was definitely Lachlan’s family, but he had a good idea.

Ice cream sounded delicious. Something cold and fruity and decadent, lathered in whipped cream and globs of gooey chocolate…

“I know that look,” Elle said. “Baby needs a dessert. Stat.”

I pretended she wasn’t half-psychic. “No, I’m okay. The cravings aren’t that bad.” Said the woman contemplating stuffing tortilla chips into a strawberry sundae. “I’ll survive until Jude takes me home.”

Lachlan stopped swinging the laughing boy around like a nunchuck long enough to frown. “Jude? He left, like, fifteen minutes ago.”

Missiles armed. “He left?”

“Yeah. I watched him go.”

Target acquired. “Jude left without me?”

Fire!

“Oh no.” Elle was quick to my side. “Don’t worry, Rory. We can give