Epilogue

TWO YEARS LATER

BAILEY

I ’m huddled up with Kam, Ripley, and Arizona. Our arms are lovingly wrapped around each other as we absorb everything and try not to let the emotions overcome us. We’re about to take the field for the gold-medal game of the Olympics. Win or lose, this is the last career game for me, Ripley, and Arizona. Kam is on the fence, but I think she’ll retire too. She has so many good things going on in her life right now, but that’s a story for another day.

We all have tears in our eyes. This is truly the end of an era. I love these three women so much. Kam might be my only blood sibling, but I consider all three of them my sisters.

I take a few calming breaths so I can try to form the words needed. “It’s truly been an honor and a privilege to play with you three. We all know that I wouldn’t be here without you. Thank you for everything you’ve done to support me.”

When it came time to choose the Olympic team, the committee was on the fence with me because of my injury. I sat out a season, technically because of my pregnancy, but we all know my recovery wasn’t far enough along at the time that I would have been able to play even without the pregnancy.

Sitting out a year ended up being the absolute best thing for me. It reignited my passion for the game. Suddenly, getting back into playing shape and making this Olympic team became extremely important to me. I think I needed to prove to myself that I could do it, and I also wanted to show my three girls, especially Harper, all about hard work, dedication, and perseverance.

It wasn’t easy, and it didn’t happen overnight, but I eventually got myself there. Last year, my first season back, certainly wasn’t my best. It’s hard to be out of the sport for so long. But this past season, I think I was pretty close to how I was before the accident.

The Olympic committee was choosing between me and another infielder. A much younger, accident-free, kid-free infielder. Without an ounce of hesitation, Kam, Ripley, and Arizona let them know that their acceptance of this team was dependent on the committee making the right decision . They went into a whole thing about team chemistry and the like. I wasn’t sure how I felt about it at the time, but I was selected for the Olympic team, and I’ve worked my ass off every day since to make sure they don’t regret it.

I eventually earned the starting job at second base and haven’t sat a single inning in the Olympics yet, happily contributing to our path to the gold-medal game.

After a tear-filled final pregame huddle, I do a quick scan of the crowd searching for my family. I spot them waving at me, all in my jersey. Tanner is talking to someone, but his eyes are on me. He blows me a kiss when our eyes meet. He still gives me butterflies in my stomach.

I then find our three girls right next to him. Lorelei is on Harper’s lap and Aurora is bouncing between Fallon’s lap and my father’s .

Fallon and I get so many eyebrows raised at our close friendship. We’re more like sisters now. Tanner jokes that he’s usually the odd man out of the three of us. But the fact is, we share a daughter. We’re family. What’s the alternative? For us to have animosity between us? That only hurts Harper, something neither of us are willing to do. And, if I’m being honest, I genuinely like Fallon. I always have. She’s not just Harper’s mom or Tanner’s ex-wife. She’s my good friend.

Fallon has been my biggest cheerleader after my husband and my sister. She’s been a constant presence in my physical therapy and has been a huge help with all three girls when I needed to train. The twins call her Aunt Fallon, and she showers them with love and affection. Like Fallon said the night Tanner and I got engaged, the more people who love your children, the better.

Not all families look the same. It doesn’t make one better than the other. This is ours, and, while maybe it isn’t what I imagined when I was younger, I wouldn’t want it any other way.

We’ve got about five minutes until the game officially begins. I sneak off in their direction. We had to stay with the team this week, so I’ve barely seen them.

I walk straight over to Tanner. He leans over the stands, grabs my face, and says, “I’ve missed you, sweet girl,” before he softly kisses my lips.

I run my fingers through his beard, which is a little grayer now, but I refuse to allow him to shave it off even though he’s mentioned it a few times. It’s too damn sexy to disappear. I mumble into his lips, “Me too. I hope we can find some alone time tonight.”

He smiles into my mouth. “Fallon said she’d take the girls.”

“Best. Sister. Wife. Ever.”

He chuckles. “I suppose.”

I hear Harper’s voice. “Ugh. Will you two stop the PDAs? It’s repugnant.”

Harper might have a few years until she’s officially a teenager, but sometimes it feels like those years are already upon us. She does, however, still hold onto her word of the day toilet paper. She won’t let go of that part of her childhood. I don’t know what she’s saying half the time. I keep a pocket dictionary on hand. Her little sisters can’t wait to potty train so they, too, can have “Harper toilet paper.”

I hug all three girls and then Fallon. I whisper in her ear, “How do you feel?”

She whispers back, “Like if the wind changes and I catch a single whiff of the hot dog over there, I’ll lose my breakfast all over Rory’s head.” Rory is what we call Aurora.

I giggle. “Me too.”

We’re both newly pregnant. She’s the only person besides Tanner and Kamryn who knows about my pregnancy, and I think Kam and I are the only ones who know about hers. It’s very early on for both of us, but I’m excited that we get to do this together and that our kids will grow up together.

The game finally gets underway. I do my best to take in the moment. How many people get to play in a gold-medal game in the Olympics? Knowing the journey I took to get here, and that it’s my last game ever, makes it all the more special. I’m walking away from the game on my terms, no one else’s. Whether the medal around my neck is gold or silver, just being here makes me a winner.

It’s been a defensive battle of a game. Kam and I turned a huge double play last inning during a big moment. We smiled at each other as we ran off the field together. We’ve turned thousands of them over the years, but we both realize that it was likely the last one.

We’re down one run going into the bottom of the sixth inning. Ripley has pitched an amazing game, but the other team got lucky and scored one run at the beginning of the inning. We’ve only got six outs left to make this happen.

Arizona leads off the inning, gets on base, steals second, and then Kam bunts her over to third base. I’m kind of surprised our coach didn’t have Kam swing away, she’s one of the best hitters in the world, but I guess she wanted Arizona at third base.

This is the first runner we’ve had at third all day. We can’t strand her there. Unfortunately, the next batter strikes out. Shit. We needed her to put the ball in play for Arizona to score, but it didn’t happen.

There are two outs as I step up to the plate for what will likely be the last at-bat of my life. It’s simple. I need a hit to tie the game. Making solid contact. That’s all I’m focused on.

I drown out the noises of the capacity crowd, doing my best to avoid the weight of the moment. It’s just me and the pitcher in a theoretical game of chess.

The first pitch comes in a little low and I don’t swing, but it’s called a strike. Deep breaths, Bailey, deep breaths. It’s only a gold medal on the line.

The second pitch comes in; I’m set to swing but pull back at the last second when I see it’s coming in high. The ump calls it a ball. Phew.

I’m dripping sweat. I can feel it covering me like a blanket. Everyone is depending on me. Score Arizona. Score Arizona. Tie the game up.

I swipe my cleats through the dirt and get myself set in the box. I lift my bat just above my shoulders. You’ve done this thousands upon thousands of times, Bailey. Just watch the ball hit the bat.

The pitcher winds up. I peek down and see the catcher set up inside, meaning the ball was likely called to be an inside pitch. I need to turn on it. I track the ball as the pitcher releases it, get my bat out in front, and crack .

The sound is almost deafening. I know the second I make contact that it’s gone. Time momentarily freezes as I stand there in awe watching the ball easily sail over the left field wall. A home run. I just hit a home run to give our team the lead. In the Olympics.

My jaw drops and my hands find my head as I stand in disbelief. Arizona, approaching home plate, laughs and yells out, “You might want to take your trot around the bases, girlfriend. Smile pretty for the cameras.”

Oh shit. I need to move. I take off in a dead sprint, even though I don’t have to. I think I might even twirl once or twice. The crowd is going berserk. As I’m rounding second, I find my family, who are going absolutely insane. Harper looks like she’s going to jump out of the stands. Tanner has tears streaming down his cheeks with the biggest smile I’ve ever seen. The twins don’t truly know what’s going on, but they’re feeding off the excitement around them and jumping with Harper. How special is it that all three girls got to be here to witness this moment?

As I round third, I see my entire team waiting at home plate for me. They’re screaming in excitement, encouraging me to come to them. I charge at home plate with my fist held up proudly in the air.

As soon as I slam my foot down on it, it feels like a hundred hands are slapping my helmet, arms, and back. Kam lifts me up and twirls me around, screaming out, “My sister, the hero. The unbreakable Bailey Hart Montgomery.” She then pulls me close and whispers, “I’m so fucking proud of you.”

So am I.

She places me on the ground and tearfully hugs me. “You’re the eighth wonder of the world, Bails.”

I hug her back. “I love you.”

With two outs in the seventh inning, Kam makes a defensive play to end the game that she’s probably the only shortstop in the world capable of making.

And then absolute mayhem ensues. There are screams of joy, a dogpile, and lots of tears. We did it. It’s almost hard to believe. Our group has been talking about this day for fourteen years. Since our first day of college. Here we are, all these years later, and it’s come to fruition. All four of us had huge hands in the victory. We couldn’t have scripted it any better.

As we break apart, I’m pulled into what feels like a thousand media interviews with just as many cameras on me. Kam is standing behind them with a huge grin on her face.

Unable to wait any longer, I motion for my family to join me. Harper sprints onto the field and into my waiting arms. She’s getting too big for this, but I certainly won’t deny her this moment.

The twins aren’t quite as fast as they waddle out and both latch onto my legs. Tanner smiles as he approaches. New tears find his eyes as he leans down for a short, hard kiss. Damn, his kisses still make me weak in the knees.

He stares at me, looking sexy as sin in his aviator sunglasses, USA hat, my jersey, and jeans. “My wife, the hero. I never had a doubt.”

I can’t help but stare back. He’s just so—

The reporter I’m currently being interviewed by interrupts my thoughts and says, “Tanner Montgomery, we’d love to chat with you about your thriving women’s division. You’ve been instrumental in getting female athletes better pay.”

He lifts his head and curls his lips in amusement. “Today I’m merely a husband proud of his wife. She just had one of the biggest clutch moments in Olympic history. Let’s focus on that right now. She’s living proof of someone overcoming obstacles. Defying the odds. Hard work. Sacrifice. She’s a role model for millions of young girls, our three included, both on and off the field. Keep your eye on the ball, Karen.” Her name isn’t Karen. “Celebrate my wife. She deserves it.”

The reporter doesn’t know what to say, so the next one takes her turn. She asks what my plans are for the future. I’ve been super clear that I’m retiring after this game. I have nothing left to prove. All I want is to be with my family.

I smile at Harper. “I plan on doing a lot of coaching. I’ve coached this little prodigy during the off-season for years, but now I want to coach her in the summers too. Next year she’ll be eligible for the Little League World Series, and you can bet on us making it there.”

The reporter looks surprised. “Oh, she must be very good to play at that level.”

Kam interrupts by throwing her arm around my neck. “Harper is the fucking bomb.”

I roll my eyes at her mouth but Harper giggles. “That’s ten dollars in the swear jar, Aunt Kam.”

Kam feigns shock. “I was singing your praises, you little shit.”

Harper smiles while shaking her head. “Now it’s twenty.”

I grind my teeth. “Kam! Children. National television.”

She shrugs. “Whatever.”

The reporter looks at Harper, still in my arms. “What position do you play?”

She proudly announces, “Second base, just like Bails.”

The reporter then jokes, “Do your sisters play?”

Harper answers in a dead serious tone, “They both will. Just like Kam and Bailey. I’ll be training them.”

TANNER

I’m in Fallon’s suite helping to get the little ones to sleep. Of course, Rory is being difficult tonight when I’m dying to get alone time with my wife. Fallon told me ten times to just leave, but I feel bad. She’s doing us such a huge favor.

She didn’t want to, but I forced Bailey to go out for at least an hour with her teammates. She deserved to be celebrated and to enjoy the limelight. I can’t begin to explain how proud I am of her. Getting back into elite shape after both her accident and the twins was no small feat.

It took nearly a year and a lot of therapy for her grip strength to return. The doctors all told her it was unlikely that she would play again, and yet she was more determined than ever. I hope they were all watching today. Worthless fuckers.

After Rory mercifully drifts off to sleep, I kiss Fallon’s cheek. “Thanks for doing this.”

She smiles. “My pleasure.”

I can see her starting to get emotional. “Are you okay?”

She visibly swallows and nods as tears fill her eyes. “I am. Today was pretty incredible.”

Tears begin to stream down her cheeks. That’s unusual except for when…

“Fallon, are you pregnant?”

She bites her lip and then nods. “No one knows except Bailey and Kam.”

“Not even—”

“No. I want to tell him in person. I just found out. It was a bit of a surprise.”

“I understand. Are you happy about it?”

She smiles. “Exceedingly. I didn’t think I would ever get my second chance.”

I hug her. “I’m thrilled for you. Our kids will be the same age.”

“I know. Bailey and I are excited about it.”

“I bet you are. I wonder what you’re having.”

“It feels a little different. I’m thinking boy. But you’re definitely having a girl.” She smiles. “Or girls.”

My eyes widen. “Please, only one this time.”

She lets out a laugh.

“Why do you think it’s a girl?”

“Because you’re meant to be a girl dad, Tan.”

I nod. “I suppose I am. I can live with that. ”

“There’s no one better at it.” She opens the door. “Go celebrate. Have fun. The girls will be fine.”

“Thanks, Fallon. For everything.” She knows I mean more than this. We couldn’t have made it through Bailey’s training without Fallon helping with the girls.

She smiles. “Always.”

I head back to our suite. Bailey should be back any minute. I want to draw a bath for her so she can finally relax after a crazy time period that saw her away from home a lot. She struggled with it, often questioning what she was doing, but it all paid off for her. Today was the culmination of everything she worked toward, and I couldn’t have imagined a more fitting finale for her. She deserves every bit of the attention being thrown her way. I’m already fielding about a thousand offers of sponsorship for her, but I doubt she’ll consider any.

In the elevator, I think about this journey. The ups and downs.

I chuckle to myself as I realize what today was. It was the payoff pitch.

I’m anticipating a sweet evening reuniting and celebrating with her when I walk into my hotel suite. There’s nothing sweet about what’s waiting for me.

Bailey is sitting at the table, completely naked except for my Team USA hat and her gold medal around her neck. Her legs are up on the table, spread open for me. I notice her closed laptop next to her. I think I know what it means.

I nod at her. “I like your hat.”

She gives me a sexy smile and nods toward the large bulge now tenting my pants. “I can see that.”

I nod at the medal. “I like your jewelry.”

“I’ve got plans for that.”

“Hmm.” I motion toward the laptop. “Does that mean what I think it does?”

She smiles. “It does. ”

Bailey published a book a year ago with tremendous success. It was a child-appropriate book about blended families.

She shifted course on the sports one she had been working on for years. She wanted it to include this last part of her journey. She held off on the last chapter until the Olympics were over.

Publishers have been clamoring for it. I’ve been fielding offers, but she wanted to wait to see how the story concluded. Oh, what an ending it is. Her heroics of today will cause a bidding war.

She removes her gold medal and winks at me. “I gave my gold-medal performance, now it’s your turn.”

I’m a little confused as I take it from her, until she places her wrists together and holds them out for me. “Why don’t you make use of that?”

I smile in realization as I use the ribbon of the medal to tie her wrists together. I then slowly run my fingertip up her bare leg. Goosebumps immediately spread across her skin and her pink nipples pebble. I love the effect I still have on her.

My finger continues its upward trajectory on her body until I reach the hat and flick it off. “I want to see your eyes. Keep them on me.”

She nods. She knows what her intimate eye contact does to me.

“I thought you’d want it slow and sweet tonight. It’s been an emotional day.”

She shakes her head and runs her tongue along her lower lip. “I want you to do me in a manner in which you’re questioning the whole time whether or not I’ll use my safe words.”

“Is that so? Well, then get on the bed on all fours. I want your ass in the air. Now. ”

Her eyes shade over with lust. “Whatever you want, Daddy.”

THE END

Thank you for reading Payoff Pitch.