Player Loves Curves Box Set #1-3 by Hope Ford

Epilogue 2

Holly

Five Years Later

Seeinghim out there on the field warming up almost makes me sad. It’s his last game before retirement. I have SJ, our four-year-old son, sitting next to me and Sarah, our two-year-old little girl, on my lap. I don’t think either one of them realizes what today means, but I’ve taken it pretty hard. I know how much he loves the game of baseball and the fact that he’ll never get to play it again is tearing me up.

I’ve tried talking to him about it, wanting him to open up to me, but he always assures me it’s fine. This was his decision. If he wanted to, he could keep playing for the Mavericks. But he decided it was time.

We sit through the whole game and I have to admit I cry when Shawn hits a homerun at his last at bat. The whole time he’s jogging the bases, he’s pointing up at me and our little family.

When the game is over, we all pile into his truck. He seatbelts in Sarah and SJ buckles himself. As soon as he gets into the driver’s seat, he calls out, “How about some ice cream?”

There’s a chorus of “yeses” from the backseat and he drives us downtown and the whole time, he’s holding my hand on the console.

He comes around the truck with Sarah already in his arms and I’m holding onto SJ’s hand. He stops me outside of the ice cream shop. “I’m okay, Holly. It was time.” He looks at Sarah, SJ and me.

I put my hand on his chest. “I know. But I guess I’m just sad. I know how much you loved it.”

He smiles then. “You do, huh?”

I smack him playfully on the chest. “Of course I do. It was your dream. And you’re so good at it.”

His arm goes around me and he squashes SJ and Sarah between us. “Well, honey, if you know how much baseball means to me then quadruple that. That’s what my family means to me. I hated leaving you all the time. And SJ’s weeball is starting up soon. I can’t miss that. I promise you I’ve thought long and hard about this. I have everything I want right here in my arms.”

Finally understanding, I kiss him until I’m breathless. “I love you.”

He smiles and squeezes me. “I love you too.”

“Ice cream,” Sarah hollers and we all laugh.

We walk into the ice cream shop with Shawn’s arms still around all of us.