“Henderson!” one calls out, and he stops and talks to them.
I keep moving, trying to get to my family. “Cameron!” one calls out, and I stop knowing I’m not getting out of this. I wasn’t on the schedule for post-game interviews, and neither were these reporters. That’s why they’re here.
“Hi,” I greet the reporter.
“Great game tonight.”
“Thank you. The team is tight,” I answer.
“Your first season in the majors, and you’re going to the World Series. How does that feel?”
Fucking incredible. I clean it up. “Incredible.” I smile at the camera.
“Congratulations on your contract,” he says.
I nod. “Thank you. I’m honored to be sticking around for the next few years.”
“Do you feel as though your contract had anything to do with your girlfriend, her dad, and their connections to the league?” the dickhead in front of me asks.
I keep a smile on my face. “No. I don’t think that my girlfriend or her family had anything to do with my contract. I work hard on and off the field. The front office took notice.”
“It had to have given you a leg up. You’re dating the daughter of a Blaze great. Is that why you’re dating her?” he asks.
What. The. Fuck? This dickhead has officially crossed the line. “No. I met the love of my life at a baseball game. We share a love of the game. Her family loves the game. My relationship with her is based on us, who we are together. It’s based on the fact she’s my world and has nothing to do with my career or hers. We love each other outside of and beyond the game.”
Another reporter weasels his way in. “Do you think Easton Monroe thinks you’re trying to take his life? His position, his daughter, his team?” the fuckwad asks.
Fuck. You. I’m trying to maintain my composure when I feel a hand on my shoulder. I look over to find Easton. “I’ll take this one, Cameron,” he says, wearing a camera-ready smile.
“I retired from the game several years ago. My time on the field is over. The Blaze is a great organization to work for, and I’m proud that both my daughter and her boyfriend are able to find gainful employment with the Blaze. As far as taking my daughter from me, well, that’s not something that will ever happen. We both love her, and she’s always going to be my princess.” He glances over at me. “She’s just going to be his now too.” With that, he nods at me, and we burst through the crowd to find our group waiting on us.
Paisley runs to me and wraps her arms around me. When she pulls back, there are tears in her eyes. She doesn’t say anything when she lets go and wraps her arms around her dad. “Thanks, Dad,” she murmurs.
“I’ve got you, princess. Always.”
She comes back to me, and I pull her close, kissing her temple. “Thank you.” I hold my hand out for Easton.
“Family sticks together,” he says, shaking my hand.
A quick glance at my mom, Larissa, Willow, Parker, and Peyton, and I’m surprised to see them all smiling at us with tears in their eyes as well. Gerald has a smile on his face and gives me a nod.
A throat clearing behind me has me turning to see Henderson standing there. With his hands shoved in his pockets, for the first time since I’ve met him, he’s looking unsure of himself.
“Everyone, this is Travis Henderson. I hope you don’t mind that he’s joining us tonight,” I tell them.
“Hi.” Henderson waves to the group, and is he blushing? I make a mental note to use that as ammunition the next time he gets on me for being pussy whipped.
“I guess we should get going,” Larissa says.
We file out of the stadium, and I move toward my truck. “Willow, you riding with us?” I call out to her.
She alters the route she was on and comes to the back passenger door of my truck. Henderson moves faster than he does on the field to pull the door open for her. Interesting. I raise my eyebrows at Paisley, and she just shrugs.
On the way to the restaurant, we all make small talk. Mostly about the game and the fact that the Blaze is going to the World Series.
Dinner goes the same way. Everyone is laughing and having a great time. Easton is recognized by almost everyone in the restaurant, and when they realize Henderson and I play too, lots of cell phones are turned our way. We just ignore them and enjoy our celebration.
We’re all stuffed and full from dessert, but we’re still here, talking and laughing and just enjoying each other’s company. I’m sitting next to Easton with Paisley next to me. Henderson and Gerald are deep in conversation, and my mom and the rest of the girls are talking about some new salon in town they want to try.
“Thank you for earlier,” I tell Easton.
He nods. “They’re vultures—the worst part of the career. You’ll learn how to handle them. Talk to Drew. The team has a coach you can work with who will help you with how to respond to the bloodsuckers.”
“Yeah. I’ve taken a couple of their online courses. It’s been crazy with the season, so he told me to just hold my tongue and that I could do the one-on-one with the coach in the off-season.”
“Yeah, it’s hard to work it in. Especially when you’re on the road all the time.”
The ladies burst out laughing, and the sound pulls our attention to them. My eyes are on Paisley as her head falls back. Her smile is wide, and her breasts shake with her laughter. “I can’t believe she’s mine.” Easton reaches over and pats me on the shoulder, and I turn to look at him, and he’s grinning. “I said that out loud, didn’t I?” I ask him.
“You did. You’re good for her.”
“She’s good for me.”
He nods, and that ends that conversation. We end up staying way past closing and not even realizing it. Easton, Henderson, and I all leave a healthy tip, because hey, I can do that kind of thing now.
“Hey, Easton,” I say as we make our way out of the restaurant. “Do you happen to have a financial advisor who you trust?”
“Yeah. Great guy. I’ve used him for years.”
“Can you send me his number or maybe give him mine or Paisley’s? I want to be smart about this. I know there’s no guarantee in this kind of career, so I want to plan accordingly.” Something that looks a lot like pride shines in his eyes.
“I’ll text my princess the number.”
“Thank you.”
“Ready?” Paisley asks, sliding her arms around my waist and smiling up at me.
“Yes.”
“We have to take Willow and Henderson back to the stadium.”
I pull my keys out of my pocket. “I’m ready when you are.”
Today is another day I will always remember. The day my team made it to the World Series and the celebration with friends and family. All the puzzle pieces of life seem to be falling into place, and I’m excited for even more to find their place and see what that big picture looks like.
Chapter 24
Cameron
I open the bathroom door of our hotel room to see Paisley sitting on the edge of the bed with her phone in her hand. She’s frowning at the screen.