do big online meetings with multiple people at once.”
For whatever reason, my initial thought had been to be more one-on-one, but maybe that wasn’t the best move. Maybe me talking to a group of guys at the same time and then putting those guys in touch with each other, so they had an actual support system would be the better option.
“I was thinking that I’d start small and grow as necessary,” I said out loud, and he agreed immediately.
“I think this is going to take off though. So, make sure you have all the right people in place when you start,” he said. “I’ll get this check in the mail today, and I’ll reach out to a few friends who are still in the city, so you can meet with them too.”
Like the man hadn’t done enough for me already, here he was, funding my business and sending me more contacts for it. “Thank you, Coach. This means the world to me.”
“Mac, it’s a genius idea. I don’t know how no one’s done it before now.”
“Me neither,” I admitted honestly.
Because if this had been available to me after the draft, I would have utilized it. If for no other reason than to have not felt so alone. I needed to hear that what I was feeling was normal but also that it would pass. Then, I was certain that I would have wanted to work there.
“Any idea what you’re going to call it?” he asked, and I realized that in figuring out all the particulars, I hadn’t even thought about a name.
“Not yet,” I admitted.
“You’ll think of something,” he said, and I knew he was right.
This was a good thing, and I couldn’t wait to get started.
Epilogue
The Off-Season
Mac
“H
oney, I’m home.” My silver-haired goddess waltzed through the front door of the Sutton Place condo we shared with Danika and Chance whenever they were in town. She had a giant grin on her beautiful face.
We were so thankful and lucky that Jack and Cassie Carter had let us move into this place, insisting that it was just “sitting empty, so someone should enjoy it.”
But still, this place was gorgeous, and we never could have afforded to live in such splendor without their generosity. It had been a bit of an emotional adjustment for me at first, being around Chance. His life still revolved around baseball, and mine didn’t. Hearing about it hurt. But the more I started to feel good about what I was doing for other guys, the easier it was to let go of the pain. This was important work, and I’d found purpose in doing something good that helped other guys like me.
And to be honest, Chance fucking Carter had more talent in his pinkie finger than most of us had in our entire bodies. He deserved to be playing professional baseball. Even if I no longer was.
And I was okay with that.
“How was work, babe?” I asked, pressing a kiss to her lips.
“Awesome! I freaking love this city. And I love my job,” she said, her whole face lighting up like the sun itself.
Once she’d started working for Danika and learned the ropes, Sunny had realized how good she was at finding beautiful places for clients to consider. She was excited and honest—two qualities that they seemed to adore in her. I completely understood their admiration.
Sunny and Danika made one hell of a team, and they were constantly slammed with work. Their division had grown so quickly via word of mouth that they both had assistants already. My sweet girl, who had had no idea what she wanted to do with her life, now had her own assistant. She was such a badass.
“Where’s Danika? She left the office before I did.” Sunny looked around the apartment for her best friend, seemingly confused by her absence.
“Chance took her out the second she got home,” I said, knowing that tonight was the night Chance was going to propose.
He’d had the ring for a fucking year already, but he kept holding on to it instead of using it. He said he was waiting for the right time, but he’d confessed to me one night that he wanted Danika’s division to be fully up and running before he distracted her with wedding planning. And now that our girls were a huge hit within the business, there was no time like the present. But his consideration for her success was just one of the reasons why I respected him so much.
I pulled out