Rich Prick – Tijan Page 0,119

two years. But tonight was his last game with the Falcons—and in the United States. He’d joined a new club in Europe. We’d be on a plane in a couple weeks, heading to Hungary. The offer had been too big, and Blaise knew his time to be able to go over and play in their ranks was diminishing. With the Falcons, he’d quickly become one of the best in the league, but I knew he wanted to try his luck overseas.

“But I’m excited too,” I assured Jade.

“I bet.”

I reached over, took her arm, and gave her a squeeze. “I’m glad you came.”

Her eyes got big. “Of course!” She pulled me in for a hug.

My throat was already swelling up. With the little one in me, my emotions were all over the place. And just thinking about him or her—we’d decided to be surprised—made me reach down and place my palm over my stomach.

He/she was kicking, and I smiled.

Blaise had been ecstatic when I told him.

After college, we’d wanted to enjoy living together while he started his soccer career, and I joined a marine-mammal-rescue nonprofit. My main task was to go out every day and rescue ocean mammals. There was never a shortage, sadly. Wrestling seals and cutting netting from around their necks had been the most terrifying at first, but then became my favorite job to do.

It was not something I thought I would’ve ended up doing, but camping on the beach was what got me started. Not a seal, but a sea lion was caught in another large net. Blaise and I caught him to cut it off.

After that, I was in in.

There was no going back.

Blaise and I still did our camping thing, and I say our because I’d converted him long ago. He was now the packer and planner for our trips, though I think that was because he always wanted to make sure our sites were somewhere Zeke could join us.

Yes.

Zeke.

You read that right.

Zeke now joined our camping expeditions too—he and his girlfriend. And I’m not naming names because the ‘girlfriend’ changed every two months. Though, that was a step up from how he was in college. Zeke had gotten a big rep for having only one-night stands.

“Blaise’s family is coming tonight, right?” Jade asked.

I nodded. “They got their own seats because it’s a surprise for him. He can see me, and if he looks up and they’re sitting with me…”

Jade nodded. “Got it.” Her smile was so big. “And that’s awesome. I’m happy they’re here.”

Another arm squeeze, another look, and we were hugging again.

I couldn’t stop the tears this time. I sniffled, trying to wipe them away.

I still hated crying, but the hormones didn’t. The hormones loved crying, especially publicly.

A roar started in the stadium, and just like that, the game was about to start.

The players came out, and we all stood.

Blaise was one of the last to walk onto the field, and as soon as he appeared, a giant roar sounded through the stadium. This was the last game for the Falcons’ newest star.

I knew Blaise planned to come back.

He wanted to be in Europe for a few years, then return and retire after a few more years here. There was a bit more leeway when it came to players’ ages in the United States. Plus, we had family here.

Like I knew he would, Blaise turned his head as he strode out to the field. His eyes found me, as I’d sat in the same spot for every one of his games.

Jade sucked in her breath. “You’re on the jumbotron.”

I ignored that, because Jade didn’t know we were going to be on the jumbotron quite a bit. News had broken about the pregnancy last week, and the attention had been intense.

When I fell in love with Blaise, if I’d known the amount of attention he was going to get—and I’d get by his side—I’ll be honest… I don’t know how I would’ve handled it. But, day by day, game by game, I’d slowly started to get used to it.

I went from being the invisible girl to having a jumbotron on me on the reg. That said everything right there.

Blaise smiled, kissing his fingers and holding them in the air to me.

I returned the gesture, then noticed many in the crowd doing the same.

They loved their DeVroe.

And yes, my throat was swelling and here came the tears. Again.

I’ll have no working tear ducts by the time I have this kid. I’ll be like a desert