Friends with Benefits - Nicole Blanchard Page 0,61

at the pitcher’s mound and tossed the ball. “You’ve been off all afternoon. You doin’ okay, man? The pressure getting to you?”

It would have on any other day, but for the first time in my life, I had bigger things to worry about than baseball. “I’m alright.”

“You don’t seem alright. You better get it off your chest before Coach comes over here and tears you a new one. It’s that chick, isn’t it? Man, how many times do I have to tell you, women are fun to play with, but during the season, you should put a moratorium on pussy.”

“You’re so fucking stupid. That’s not it, either.”

“The hell it isn’t. You’ve got puppy dog eyes. I know what that means.”

I didn’t think he did.

“You’re in love with her, aren’t you? Shit. I told you she was trouble.”

My gaze jerked to his. In love with her? I tossed the ball from hand to hand as my mind raced. Was I in love with Ember?

I was.

It felt like I couldn’t breathe. The ball fell from my glove to the mound and rolled a couple of yards away, but I didn’t pay it any mind. Alex cursed when I didn’t immediately go get it.

What I felt for her seemed too big to be so simple. It was holding her when she was upset. It was teasing her when she was frustrated. It was reading the girls a bedtime story and giving them a kiss on the forehead goodnight. It was putting together furniture and laughing when she couldn’t do it by herself. It was seeing her in the stands at my game cheering me on. It was watching her be a mother to her sisters, even when she had to give up most things girls her age wanted.

It was life with her.

That’s what I wanted.

I wanted to spend my life with her. To grow with her and face all of our challenges together. I wanted to see the girls grow up, to give them away at their weddings. The life we’d made together, I wanted that with her, too.

It was messy, inconvenient, scary, and complicated.

I loved her.

“Dude, are you okay? Are you having a nervous breakdown or something? Shit, I mean, do you need a hug?”

A smile broke out over my face. What the hell? I pulled him in for a hug and clapped him hard on the back. He hesitated for a second, then did the same. “Are you sure you’re okay?” he asked.

“Never been better. You’re right. I do love her. We’re having a baby.”

I hadn’t said the words out loud until now. I was afraid what it would mean if I did. But I wasn’t terrified like I was worried I’d be. I wasn’t going to desert Ember like her father had.

“For real?”

I nodded. “For real.”

“That’s crazy. Congratudolences?” At my exasperated look, he said, “What?! Don’t look at me like that. You’re having a baby! My whole life, I’ve tried not to have babies. Don’t give me any crap. I’m happy for you, my guy, but I wouldn’t wanna be you.”

“Does this mean you don’t want to be Uncle Alex?”

His expression melted. I knew that would get him. He might act all hard, but he was a family guy at heart. All you had to do was see him talk about his mother, Angelina, one time, and you’d know he was a big ‘ole softy.

“You want me to be her godfather?”

I thought about it for a second. I didn’t think Ember would have a problem with it, so I said, “Pending her approval, fuck yeah, I want you to be her godfather.”

He nodded. Then he gave me another hug. “Congratulations, Tripp. Thank you. I’d be honored.”

“If you two don’t stop making out, I’m gonna make you run laps,” Coach Taylor shouted.

We didn’t end up having to run laps, but by the time I got back to Ember’s apartment, it sure as hell felt like we had. You’d think the coaches would go easy on us, considering it was the end of the season, but that wasn’t the case. We were expected to be in top form until the ump blew his whistle on the last game. I didn’t care. I was more pumped than ever to take us to Omaha.

I unlocked the door with my key and walked in without announcing myself. I barely even went to my own apartment anymore. I couldn’t tell you the last time I’d slept there. Ember was in the kitchen making something that smelled