Epilogue

MATT

* * *

The last twenty-four hours have been crazy. Darcy and I officially became a We. We launched her new company. We got the call to the Major League. We called our parents. We said goodbye to our friends and made a hasty exit. We packed so quickly you would think we were on the run. We drove to Charlotte, finally able to be alone and talk about the months we were apart.

Darcy insisted on driving first so I could FaceTime my parents. They left the party hours before Alexander got the call changing my career. They were on high alert when they answered because late-night calls are never good. Once I assured them everything was okay, better than okay, I told them the good news. It's the first time I ever remember my dad crying. No, not crying. Sobbing. He was overcome with emotions. His son is a Major League Baseball player.

After a few moments, Mom took over the conversation and talked to me and Darcy. She told us to keep our love central. She's worried we both have big things happening at the same time, and our relationship is fresh, tender. We assured we received her sage advice loud and clear. We want to protect what we have, too.

Tripp called to welcome me to the team and congratulated me on getting the girl. Darcy laughed as Tripp told her some Spring Break pranks they pulled on me.

We stopped at the halfway point and switched driving duties. After fifteen minutes of silence, the massiveness of the situation hits me.

"We need to talk, huh?" I ask.

"Oh," she squeaks out. "We need to talk never ends well." She tucks her knees under her chin and turns to the side window.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, pretty girl." I reach over and put her hand in mine. I entwine our fingers and give her a reassuring squeeze. "Not like that. Not like that at all. I mean, we need to talk about all the crazy good stuff that happened today. We probably need to talk about the practicality of it all, right?"

"Oh, I thought maybe you were reconsidering now that you got called up."

I'm a little hurt she thinks I can switch her off like that, but I guess all the time I was working on getting her back, she was working on letting me go. I understand how we might be at different places when it comes to us. I vow to keep healing her damaged heart.

"Baby, if I never played another day of baseball again, today would still be one of the best days of my life. You know why? Because you told me you love me. Best part of my day, by a mile." And it's true too. Baseball is the cherry on top. It won't be around forever, but I hope Darcy will be.

"Wow. Quite the sweet talker, Matt Hartman." A slight smile peeks from her lips. Those lips I'll never get enough of.

"It's true. You were just ripped you away from your family and friends on one of the biggest days of your career. I hate the timing. I want you at my first game, and that's selfish of me. I'd love it if you were at my second, third, tenth, and hundredth games too. But that may not be what's best for you. I meant it when I said I wanted to date you. I want to do all the boyfriend things with you. I need to let you know how much I love you and how amazing you are. It's not going to be easy with my schedule. And the last thing I want is to hold you back from D cubed. I want you to be successful, pretty girl. I want you to share your sparkle with so many people. So I'm good with giving you the space and time you need to grow your business and be the best damn designer on the planet. Tell me what you need because I'm a selfish bastard and will ask for all you can give me. I won't be upset or mad or anything, because you have to put D cubed in front of me. I promise."

"Seems like something you've put some thought into." She turns her attention to the darkness beyond the window.

"I have. I've been thinking about us since Ashleigh gave me hope there could be an us. Team True Love gave me homework assignments and lots of work behind the scenes. I had to work on myself and us."

"Team True Love?" She looks at me, curiosity in her eyes.

"Yeah, Chance and Julian have been cheering for us since New Year's." Hell, maybe longer? "Then later, when Cole and I sorted our shit, Team True Love got to work. There was an elite team working with me to get us together."

"Yeah, tell me about you and Cole. I heard something about an on-field incident, but I refused to search for it. I've been pretty internet silent these past few months. I figured it would be easier to avoid you in any form. For the record, it wasn't." That sadness she had when she first saw me crosses her face again.

I lift our clasped hands to my lips and kiss her knuckles, bringing a small smile to her face. She needs to hear this. She needs to know the entire story to know I'm all in when it comes to her.

She's avoided everything baseball. She was working hard to put me behind her. I'm glad her love won out. "Well, it was our first game against the Liberties at spring training, and Cole and I had a personal and heated on-field conversation. I let him and the entire stadium know I loved you. I'm sure that's on YouTube somewhere. I heard it went viral, but I never watched it." I didn't need to watch it. I lived it. I shake my head slightly to rattle away the deep pain associated with that time and finish the story. "Anyway, we talked out our shit. Team True Love was there with advice and homework, and the rest is history." I give her a wink.

She giggles. "You told the entire stadium you loved me?"

"Yep. The stadium. The team I'm joining tomorrow. The coaching staff. Alexander Decker. Everyone." I hadn't thought about that until now. I'm not embarrassed, but maybe a little nervous I didn't make a good first impression. Hell, the locker room teasing will be relentless. Worth it? Absolutely.

She types on her phone, and then I hear the argument with Cole like it was yesterday. I fucking love her. She watches the short video and smiles.

"Wow."

"Yeah, not my finest moment."

"Oh, I don't know. I kinda like it. It's swoony. And over a million views, so somebody must have liked it?"

"Swoony? Doubtful. And a million views, seriously? It was a baseball miracle the benches didn't clear." I sigh.

"I'm surprised Lawsy and Harper didn't show this to me," she says as an aside.

"Fucking Lawsy," I mumble. When we met, I thought he was a little too friendly with Darcy. But then again, anyone who hugged or touched her set my nerves on edge. So that was basically a hundred people, both men and women, who irritated me today.

She giggles, and I relax a little at her laugh. I remind myself I'm with her right now, not Lawsy. "Tone down the jealousy, slugger. I think you're seeing green. They're my friends. Harper helped me create the D cubed business plan." She leans over and kisses me on the cheek. She's right. I'm jealous of anyone that got to spend time with her when I couldn't.

"I look forward to getting to know them better, then." Yeah, it's another hockey player, but if he's important to Darcy, he's also important to me.

"So, part of the creation of D cubed was to establish it functions from anywhere. Much of my work can be virtual, and when I have to travel, I can schedule it around other priorities." She bites her bottom lip, clearly thinking about something.

"What are you thinking about?"

"Well, now that I think about it, I'm not sure those girls weren't secret agents of Team True Love too. I thought I needed a storefront, offices, you know. They were insistent that I should be mobile, virtual. While it's more cost-effective, Ashleigh insisted that I never know when I'd want to pick up and move." She smiles at me. "Like now."

"Yeah, being with a baseball player requires a lot of flexibility. I'm serious when I say I love you, but I want you to consider the downside of being with me. The lifestyle of the WAGs was a big part of my pulling away from you too. This isn't a simple life. I don't want to hold you back." I squeeze our hands to emphasize my point.

"Am I officially an MLB WAG?" WAGs are wives and girlfriends. It's an exclusive club.

She's not my wife, but I'll make her that soon enough if I get my way. "You are if you want to be, pretty girl. I want to call you my girlfriend if you'll let me."

"Look at us having the DTR conversation like two adults," she teases.

"We're doing everything on a sped-up timeline." Do I want her to move in with me? Absolutely. But I mean it when I tell her it's at her pace. I never want her to be uncomfortable with us or become resentful of me because I'm the one who could get traded or moved with little notice.

"Yeah, but I'm okay with it. We aren't your typical couple. We have a lifetime together."

"We do, don't we?" I like the idea of a lifetime with Darcy Davidson. I love the idea of We.

The night wasn't what I had in mind. I thought I'd make love to my girl all night and worship her like she deserves. Instead, we barely made it to bed before we fell asleep, exhausted from the adrenaline rush and four-hour drive. I didn't realize how poorly I've been sleeping until now. Last night was the best I've slept in weeks because I had my everything in my arms.

After two rounds of morning sex, we get cleaned up and ready for the day. I have to get to the stadium early for media, uniform and equipment check, and meetings with coaches and trainers. I've got a full day ahead, but I can't think of a better way to start it than with Darcy.

The concierge calls to let us know breakfast is ready and will arrive shortly. Such is the lifestyle of the rich and famous, I guess. Julian's apartment is impressive and nicer than any five-star hotel. He's not only a skilled agent, but a fantastic friend. Letting us stay here is extremely generous and convenient, as I look out over Decker Stadium from the floor to ceiling windows in the living room.

The delivery person arrives, and he sets out a spread on the breakfast bar. There's every kind of breakfast item you can imagine: bacon, eggs, grits, coffee, tea, and cinnamon rolls the size of your head. I open the card that came with the food.

It's game day! Enjoy breakfast. You'll need your strength. *Wink, wink*

See you at the stadium.

Go Reapers!

TTL

I roll my eyes at the ridiculousness of this group.

Also included in the delivery is a white box tied with a red satin ribbon and a card for Darcy. Who's sending her gifts? The list of suspects is short, considering only a few people know where we are.

Darcy comes out of the bedroom looking like a fucking dream. She's wearing a Reapers tank top and cut-off shorts that make her legs look like they go on forever. Her eyes light up when she sees the breakfast spread.

"How thoughtful," she says as she kisses me on the cheek.

"Team True Love." I hand her the card and shrug.

She reads the card and laughs. "I like it."

"And this came for you." I hand her the box and card. She reads the card, holds it to her chest, smiles, and tucks it back into the envelope. She doesn't open the box. My curiosity gets the better of me.

"What's in the box?"

"Something. For later," she winks.

I get a little irritated. "Okay, Team True Love has crossed the line if they sent my girl lingerie. While I appreciate the sentiment, they need to stay out of our bedroom."

She giggles and seems to enjoy my annoyance. "Not lingerie. And it's not from Team True Love. Well, I don't think it is, anyway. It's from Alexander. Was he part of TTL?"

"Decker?" What the hell is my boss doing sending a gift to Darcy?

"You know what, never mind. Don't worry about it. Ohhh, doesn't that cinnamon roll look good?" She takes a swipe of the cream cheese icing and licks her finger, making eyes at me. She's so cute when she's trying to be seductive.

"I'm not worried. Just curious." I shrug because it's going to drive me crazy. I'm tired of not knowing when it comes to her. The days of need-to-know when it comes to her are over if I have anything to say about it.

"You trust me, don't you?" She puts her hands on her hips, challenging me.

"Of course, one hundred percent." And I do.

"Then chalk it up to the Decker Connection."

"The Decker Connection?"

She motions to the food, we make our plates, and sit at the kitchen table. Darcy sips her coffee and tells me about the Decker Connection. I laugh as my girl, hell yeah, my girl, spins a tale of connections, people, and family, all a part of the Decker Connection. And because my best friend fell in love with a Decker, I'm part of the Connection as well.

I conclude that a subsidiary of the Decker Connection is Team True Love, and for them, I'll be eternally grateful.

* * *

I walk down the tunnel towards the field, the familiar crunch of my cleats calming my nerves. I've played baseball my entire life. I've had big games before with other teams. Tonight is just another home game for the Carolina Reapers, but for me, it's my MLB debut, my childhood dream come true.

"You okay, Hartman?" Alexander Decker asks when I get to the field entrance.

The low rumble of the crowd echoes in the tunnel, making all the sounds reverberate in my head.

"Yeah, I'm good. I'm grateful for this opportunity." I barely get the words out, the emotion putting a lump in my throat.

"Just play your game tonight. You only get one debut, so enjoy it all. Besides, you've got quite a cheering section who loves you, no matter how you play. Play tonight for them. Hell, I think the entire Charleston party just came up here." He gives me a rare Alexander Decker smile and a slap on the back. "Listen, this Pauly thing is a PR nightmare. Ashleigh thinks you're exactly what we need to counter it. Just keep being you and don't let all this," he waves his hand around the stadium, "change you. The Reapers and I are depending on you."

Wow. No pressure. "Thanks. I'm a lucky bastard."

"You deserve it. And for what it's worth, I'm rooting for you and Darcy. You two are good for each other. And she's a gem."

Maybe he's part of Team True Love? Which reminds me of the gift box. "I agree. Um, what did you send her this morning?" I need to stop my raging imagination. With Darcy, I've discovered I'm extremely protective and jealous. Seeing green? Absolutely.

He laughs, probably knowing it's driving me crazy. "Honestly, it was more for you than her. Now get out there and have a good time."

More for me? I swear I'm appreciative, but if he sent something sexy to my girl, I'll have to kill my GM, Alexander fucking Decker. Probably not the best way to start my new job.

It's game time. I step out of the tunnel with my team, and the crowd behind me goes wild. I look up and see at least twenty signs for me. I smile at my support system, all cheering loudly for me. Julian, Trevor, and Ashleigh are making an obnoxious amount of noise. She has a giant picture of ten-year-old Cole and me with a word bubble that says, "So damn proud of my best friend." Mom, Dad, the McIntyres, and Mrs. Davidson all have signs proclaiming they're proud parents of number thirty-three. They are beyond supportive and I wouldn't be here without them. I continue to scan the crowd for my girl. Maybe she's already in the WAG section, but I thought she'd be with this group. Our family and friends.

Tripp claps me on the shoulder. "Ready for this, Hartman?" He pulls my attention from the cheering section, and I focus on the game. She's here. That's what matters.

I scan the field and stands, taking it all in. I've never played in a stadium this big, and it looks like a near-sell-out crowd. It's mind-blowing. I take a deep breath.

"Yeah, I'm ready. Been waiting for this my whole life."

"Hartman, get ready to field the opening pitch," my coach barks out.

I look at Tripp, confused. "Isn't that the catcher's job?" I whisper. He smiles and shrugs.

"It's a rookie thing. Joey hates chasing the bad pitches," Tripp explains.

We line up for the national anthem and Joey Samuels, the catcher, motions me to home plate as we head to the dugout. I hesitate. After all the pranks at spring training, I've learned to be on high alert around these guys.

Alexander walks to the pitcher's mound with a microphone. Not sure if this is typical pre-game fanfare, I slowly make my way to home plate. No one prepared me for this part.

"Welcome to Decker Stadium, home of the hottest baseball team in the league." The crowd goes wild and the pepper mascot does a backflip. "I'm Alexander Decker, General Manager of the Reapers. As a family-owned and managed organization, we hold family, team, and community as our highest values. They come before everything, including baseball. We expect every member of our team to uphold those values, from the grounds crew to the players to the front office. We are all held to the same standards, no exceptions. Now I know many of you saw last night's headlines about one of our players who did not uphold these values, and for that, on behalf of the organization, I apologize. When one of our team fails, we all fail." He looks around the stadium, letting the fans know he's speaking to everyone. "I'm extremely grateful to see you all here tonight and appreciate your continued support of the Reapers family." The crowd applauds again.

Alexander pauses and then looks my way, giving me a slight nod. "But tonight is also a time to celebrate new beginnings. Matt Hartman is an MLB rookie making his debut. He was our third-round draft pick last year, and we called him up from the Ghost Peppers late last night. He's an example of a leader on and off the field, and we're excited to have him join our team here in Charlotte."

As Alexander mentions my name, I stop mid-stride, halfway between the bench and home plate. I'm stunned. They don't make a fuss about everyone's first game like this. What's happening?

"Behind every guy here living out their dream, there's a team of supporters who helped him along the way. We're honored to have Matt's family and friends here tonight." Alexander motions behind the dugout, and they go nuts. "Matt represents everything we stand for, especially home and family. We're excited to host his cheering section, including the Charleston High School Pirates Baseball Team and their coach, Matt's father, Ken Hartman. Matt spent his off-season mentoring these ballplayers, hopefully growing the next generation of Reapers." The team stands to applause.

"Many of you saw a viral video from spring training where Matt had a bit of a scuffle with his best friend, Cole Davidson, of the Liberties organization. There was lots of drama and online speculation about what happened next. Did Matt get the girl, who is his best friend's and now baseball rival's sister?" The crowd laughs, and several oohs start. Yeah, my best friend's sister's a risk, but one I'd take again.

"So, in the theme of family, love, support, and to answer that burning question, allow me to invite Miss Darcy Davidson, Cole's sister, to the mound to throw out tonight's first pitch. She's a good friend of the Deckers and the Reapers. She's also an up-and-coming designer." He waves her over to the pitcher's mound. "Darcy, let's get this game started, shall we?"

She walks up to the mound from the visitor dugout, dressed like she was this morning, but now she's added an oversized, unbuttoned Reapers jersey. She's cute as hell. Her hair is in soft waves that frame her beautiful face, and she takes my breath away. Alexander hugs her, picking her up and spinning her around so her back is to me and the cameras. Then I see it. She's wearing my jersey. Hell yeah, she is. A grin spreads across my face, and my heart is full. The crowd goes wild when the cameras zoom in on her back. "How You Get the Girl" plays overhead and I can't help but laugh.

I stand behind home plate and know her pitch will hit the mark. This girl doesn't miss. She throws the ball to me, and it's a strike. Perfect. I jog up to the mound to give her the ball, shake Alexander's hand, and kiss her. I whisper in her ear, "Tonight. You, pretty girl, in nothing but that jersey."

"You got it, slugger. Now go live your dream."

"I already am," I say walking to the dugout. "Everything, pretty girl. Everything."

And just like that, I'm exactly where I belong. I found home.