Chapter 59 Asher Nash

Let’s Be Late

I feel like I’ve been out every night this week…because I have.

I’m exhausted. It’s late nights at clubs and bars and early mornings meeting with my teammates to continue offseason workouts at a gym near the Complex. I’m trying to prove that the team needs me for my leadership skills by showing up even when I don’t have to.

That’s what Coach Dixon told me to do, right?

Except by showing up for them, I feel like I’m failing Desiree.

I’m being pulled in two opposite directions, and the worst part is that either way, I potentially upset her father, my coach. If I’m not there for my teammates, I’m not a leader. If I’m not there for his daughter, I’m a disappointment.

I can’t win.

Speaking of not winning, it’s only been a week since the offseason officially started for me, and I’m being pulled so hard in those two directions that I already feel like I could snap.

It doesn’t get better in the following weeks.

In early April, we attend the twenty-week appointment where we decide we want to be surprised when the baby comes. It doesn’t matter if it’s a boy or a girl, though Des is convinced it’s a girl. All that matters is that the baby is healthy, and so far, he or she is growing right on track.

Lincoln fights to keep me with the Aces despite the OC’s protests, and I’m granted a two-year extension worth twenty-eight million before the March deadline. I gladly sign on the dotted line, feeling a load of relief when it comes to finances, and that’s the moment I decide to stop having Ellie line up new appearances for me as I finish out the commitments I’ve already made.

Before I know it, I wake up on the morning of the first event for my foundation. Desiree has been working tirelessly to ensure every last detail is taken care of, and she’s already out of bed and working on details for the day by the time my alarm wakes me up. It was another late night last night, and I really should’ve canceled the appearance since I knew I had to be up early today.

I pull on my running shorts and the T-shirt promoting today’s event, and I head down to the kitchen where I find Desiree mixing up a couple of protein shakes for us.

“Thanks,” I say when she hands mine over, and I bend down for a quick good morning kiss. “What can I do?”

“Nothing. It’s all set.” She chugs down her shake, and then she follows it up with a banana. She sets her hand over her stomach that’s swelling with my baby, and my chest warms. She’s wearing a custom-made maternity shirt with Make a DIFFerence on the back and I’m doing it for Asher on the front.

Each runner will get a similar shirt—not maternity, obviously—and the front will say I’m doing it for [blank]. Runners will get a set of markers to fill in the blanks.

“How are you feeling?” I ask.

“My back’s a little tight, but overall, I feel okay.” She puts one of her hands on her lower back to massage it, and I set my shake down and bat her hand out of the way to massage her lower back for her. I’ve had enough of these in the training room that I know just how to dig into muscles to give them a little relief.

She leans her head back while I work my magic, and she lets out a soft moan.

“That noise is how you got into this situation in the first place,” I say low and raspy into her ear.

She laughs. “You’re right, and we don’t have time for that this morning. We need to get out the door.”

“Let’s go.”

We head toward the local park she reserved for the event, and vendors are already starting to arrive and set up. Erin gave her two interns to work with, and they’re already there checking in the vendors and getting tables set up.

The bounce houses arrive. The cornhole and croquet tournaments are set up. The deejay starts spinning tunes. The course is marked off by the police department. The food trucks and specialty drink trucks pull in.

The Nash family is here to support me, with Lincoln, Grayson, and Spencer all donating hefty sums. My mom is helping pass out T-shirts while my dad is talking to one of the food truck owners, and all three of my brothers and their wives will be running in the event today.

We invited Tanner and Miller, but they couldn’t make it this weekend. It’s probably for the best since I don’t really want today’s event to be overshadowed by the twins being around their birth father for the first time publicly. As far as I know, they still haven’t met, and word hasn’t hit the media yet, either.

I’m sure it won’t be long.

We’re ready to roll.

I’m nervous, but as runners and their families start to arrive and I greet guests and sign autographs, I discover there is absolutely no reason to be.

Desiree thought of everything, from educational vendors to raffle baskets to games with prizes.

The event is a huge success, and between corporate sponsorships, raffles, donations, and entry fees, we raise just over seventy-five thousand dollars.

Seventy-five thousand dollars.

I’m in awe of this woman.

A week later, our team drafts a new crop of players. OTAs start at the end of May again, and a new season is about to get underway. Desiree becomes hotter and hotter to me as I watch our baby grow in her stomach, and I spend as much time with her as I possibly can, tending to her every need as the house I bought starts to really feel like a home.

She’s busy planning for the charity ball, and when the week of the ball is upon us, I’m stuck at mandatory minicamp all week as she puts every last detail into place—including the dress she’ll wear to the ball as she chairs it at thirty-five weeks pregnant.

She walks into our kitchen wearing a formal dress with leaves on it—very different from the leaves of last year, but this year she’s absolutely glowing.

“You’re gorgeous, Des,” I say softly.

A small smile lifts her lips, and then she sets a hand on her side. “Oh! That was a big kick right to the ribs. Come here.”

I walk over and set my hand on her stomach, and I feel a movement. It’s a little jab coming from her stomach, and it’s something I never thought I’d care about…but it might just be the most exhilarating feeling in the world.

My eyes meet hers, and her small smile widens. “Can you believe it’s the anniversary of the night we met?”

“Who would’ve thought a year ago that we’d be going to this ball tonight where we are now?” I ask. “You’re planning the entire thing, we’re going together, we’re living together and totally in love and having a baby in just a few weeks?”

“Well, some things didn’t change.”

I narrow my eyes at her. “Such as?”

“I booked us the biggest suite at the hotel for afterward. Except this time, I packed an overnight bag.”

“I’m going to fuck that dress right off of you,” I say, and I pull her into my arms.

“Up against the window?”

“Whatever way you want it,” I promise, and I lower my lips to hers.

She pulls back abruptly. “Okay, enough of that. You know I have to get to the ball early, and if you keep kissing me, we’ll end up late.”

“Then let’s be late,” I groan, and she laughs.

“As hot as you are in that suit, I can’t be late tonight.” She looks me up and down with a bit of regret that we didn’t budget time to fuck before we headed out, and then she sighs. “Damn, you look good.”

I glance down at my navy suit with a bright red tie. I guess my fashion choices have calmed a bit over the last few months, but the bright red still feels like me. And I open my jacket and flash the stitching on the inside lining at her.

I put it in the event planner.

Just underneath the words is a silhouette of a pregnant woman.

She giggles and shakes her head.

I shrug. “If I didn’t make some sort of bold fashion statement, my brothers would never let me live it down.”

“Just don’t let my dad see that.”

“Fair point. I’ll keep it on and only flash it at anyone with the last name Nash.”

“Speaking of, what’s the latest on the half-brothers situation?” She walks over toward the fridge to grab a bottle of water.

“I talked to Spencer last week, and things are going well with OTAs in San Diego.”

“I can’t believe both of them were traded to the same team,” she says as she moves toward the pantry to grab some snacks to stuff into her purse. “What are the chances?”

I nod. “Now there’s three Nashes on the Storm and three who either are or were formerly part of the Aces.”

“So weird. How’s Spencer doing with it?” she asks. She walks back toward the counter where I’m standing. “You ready to go?”

I nod. “He’s actually doing great with it. He’s excited to work with both of them, and I think San Diego is going to be the team to beat this year with all that talent in one place.” We head out toward the garage and climb into my truck as I’m talking.

“Are they changing their last names?”

I shake my head as I fire up the truck. “No idea. I haven’t talked to them much since we found out. Between hitting the offseason, moving in with you, the foundation event, and all the appearances, I’ve been swamped.”

She reaches over and touches my arm. “You should make an effort, Asher. They’re family.”

“I know. You’re right. I keep thinking I’ve got my own thing going on, but I still make time for Lincoln, Grayson, and Spencer. And everyone will be there tonight, so I’ll put in the effort.”

“Whatever I can do to help, you know I’m right here.”

My eyes soften as I glance over at her. “I know you are.”

“Except Monday through Thursday. Don’t forget, I’m going to San Diego.”

I narrow my eyes at her. “I did forget, and remind me why you think it’s a good idea to travel this late in your pregnancy?

She sighs and rolls her eyes. “I’m only thirty-five weeks. My doctor said it’s totally safe up to thirty-six, and even then I’d be fine, but they’d just prefer to keep me close to home.” She lifts a shoulder. “And I miss the girls. We’re going to have three days of sleepovers and books and chocolate, and then I’ll be back before you know it.”

“I’ll miss you,” I say, my chest tightening as I reach over and grab her hand.

“I’ll miss you, too. But we have tonight and tomorrow.”

I grimace. “Not tomorrow night. It’s my last nightclub appearance.”

“Again?” she asks, and I sense a bit of accusation in her tone.

“I promise to make it up to you.”

“Cancel it,” she demands. “Stay home with me tomorrow. We don’t have that many more nights before the baby gets here, and then who knows how our lives will be turned upside down?”

She’s right. And if this will make her know that she’s my top priority, then I’ll do it.