27. Peyton

27

The rideshare drops me off at the side entrance of the stadium, the one employee's use. Although, I'm no longer employed. For all I know security won't let me through and they'll send me around to the gated entrances with the hordes of people. I suppose if I hadn't quit, the owners would be happy to have me at the game. We're not exactly seeing eye-to-eye at the moment. They were happy to send game film my way and agreed to pay my fee. However, when they found out I had been contacted by other teams and players, they tried to pull some non-existent contract bullshit on me. It's funny, I never remember signing one, and they couldn't produce one when I asked to see it.

I make it through the first door and walk around the corner, grinning like a fool when I see one of the guards I know. "Kevin!"

"Oh my, would you look at your bump."

He holds his hands out like he wants to touch me. I nod, letting him. Normally, I'd say no, but I want him buttered up, so he lets me in. I really don't want to walk to the other side where family members can enter.

"When are you due?"

"Technically, January. But I'll have them early."

"Them?" he asks.

"Triplets," I tell him as I point to my side. "Twin boys." And then I point to my right. "A girl."

He's in shock as his hands rest on my stomach. "Noah must be excited."

"We are over the moon, Kevin. So happy!"

"I heard you're not working here anymore."

I shake my head. "I'm going to be on bed rest soon and the babies will be here during the season. I honestly don't see myself going back to work."

"I don't blame you. Stay home with your family. I hear your sister is pregnant, too."

Nodding, a smile spreads across my lips. "And I know what she's having, but she's sworn me to secrecy."

"Is she going to do one of those big reveals?"

"No, she's waiting until she gives birth. She wants everyone to be surprised."

Kevin shakes his head slightly. "She definitely keeps your family guessing."

"Ha! You have no idea."

He motions behind him. "Go on," he says. "Just remember I want to meet those babies when you have them."

"You got it, and thank you, Kevin. For everything."

"You'll always be my favorite, Peyton."

I make my way toward the field, which I'm allowed to be on thanks to the pass my husband secured for me. Noah had asked me earlier to come out here. I think he secretly wants to show off the bump. Honestly, I don't mind. He's very proud of his swimmers for getting the job done effectively. This will be my only go at being pregnant. Having three is more than we could've hoped for. Having two boys and girl will make our family complete.

As soon as I step onto the field, Noah throws the ball toward me. He's lucky I know how to catch and not so lucky I know how to throw a spiral. I hurl it back to him and a couple of the new guys, who I haven't met or worked with, want to know when I'm signing my contract.

"I don't know why you do that," I say to him when he gets close.

"Because it reminds me of the time we spent all summer working on my drop step, back home."

"Oh yes, when you wooed me?"

Noah kisses me. "Did I really have to woo you?"

"Sort of," I say, shrugging.

He laughs and kisses me again. "When was the last time you watched a game from the stands?"

I shake my head. "I don't even know. Did you find out who's coming?"

"Dad, Grandma, and Mack."

"Is Mack still spending a lot of time with your dad?"

Noah nods. "They're besties."

"Does that bother you?"

He shakes his head. "Absolutely not. I love that kid." Noah leans down and kisses me a third time. "I gotta run. I love you." He drops to his knees and cups my growing belly. "Okay, boys. Don't cheer too hard. I don't want you to hurt your mommy. And my sweet girl, when your grandpa says hi, kick him."

I swat Noah. "That's mean."

He laughs and runs back to the field. I watch him for a moment before making my way toward my seat. I don't get very far when the players I've known for years stop and congratulate me. The only one I let touch my belly though is Julius. He gives the boys fist bumps and then taps his fingers twice where our girl is.

"That's a love tap," he tells me as he heads back to the field.

Watching him, it makes me sad that we're leaving Portland. Noah and I are confident the Pioneers aren't going to resign him, even though they say they're ready to negotiate a new contract. Oddly, Noah's okay with it. He talks a lot about retiring, especially now that he knows we're having triplets. He wants to be there for the babies. All the time, not part-time or when the season's over. I know it doesn't help that I want to move back to Beaumont. While I know my mom and dad aren't there, Noah's family is and so are my grandparents, who aren't getting any younger. I really want my babies to know my grandfather before it's too late. He's the last part of my father, which is odd to say since Elle and I are still around, but we barely remember Mason. It's sad to think sometimes.

"Peyton!"

Looking up at the sound of my name, I find Mack waving his arm like a mad man. I head up the stairs and through the gate the security guard holds open for me, and toward Noah's family. Bianca gushes when I come into full view, eyes wide with unshed tears.

"Honey, you look ravishing. Pregnancy agrees with you," she says as we hug. "Tell me, do they have names yet?"

"Unfortunately, no. Right now, we have baby A, baby B on the left. We are calling them the boys right now. Baby girl on the right."

"I can't wait to meet them."

"Me, too."

"Okay, my turn," Liam says. He gives me a hug and then says hi to the babies before I sit down next to him and Mack.

"Do you want to say hi to the babies?" I ask him.

Mack shakes his head. "No, thanks," he says as he looks at me from the corner of his eyes. "Don't be mad."

I laugh. "I'm not mad. But I hope when they arrive, you're not afraid of them."

He looks at me sheepishly. "I remember when Amelie was born. She made a lot of noise. Cried a ton."

"Yeah, babies cry."

"Will they cry at the same time?"

Great question. I want to know as well. "I don't really know. I'll have to ask my mom. Make her think back to when she had Elle and me."

"Betty Paige is really excited to be an aunt. She says she's going to babysit all the time."

"Is she now?" I love the idea of her wanting to babysit. I'm not sure she will actually be able to do it though. I'm not sure how I'll be able to handle three babies, and if I don't know how, neither will a teenager.

"Yeah, she says it's a rite of passage or something."

While I babysat back in the day, I never considered it a rite of passage. Some of my classmates went as far as taking a Red Cross course on how to care for a baby. Everyone seemed to call Elle and I to watch their kids though, and I have no idea why.

"How come Paige didn't come with you guys?"

Mack shrugs. "She's been helping out at the café and spending time with my sister."

I lean in and ask, "Are you jealous?"

Mack tries not to smile. "No, not really."

"How's Talisa?"

He does smile this time. "I like her a lot. She does everything for us, but we help her. She has somehow turned chores into something fun and she teaches us how to make all kinds of food. It's funny though, when she hears a word she doesn't know the meaning to, and once we teach her, she uses it all the time. She makes me laugh."

"I'm excited to get to know her," I tell him. "How's school going?"

"Lame. I don't know why we have to go every day."

"They're preparing you for adulthood when you have to do the same thing, over and over again."

"You and Noah don't."

"No, but that has to do with the jobs we have. Noah still has to train, stay in shape, and do a bunch of community events. Like the camp you went to over the summer. A lot of contracts require players to do something in the community."

"Noah would do the camp regardless."

"You're right. He would." I smile at Mack.

"I wish Noah could come to my games."

You and me both, kiddo.

"I'll be there this week," I tell him as I bump his shoulder with mine. "Noah will be there when he can."

We stand for the national anthem and cheer when the guys take the field. At halftime, the Pioneers are up by one touchdown. I find it hard not to critique my husband or even the rest of the team. It's no longer my job but shutting my mind off from those thoughts is easier said than done. I hope Noah asks later, but if he doesn't, I won't say anything.

I think.

Autumn and Kelsey make their way over to where we're sitting. They gush over my belly, ask about names, and tell me how much they miss having me around.

"I do miss coming to work, but I like the freedom and flexibility of doing whatever. At least until I'm put on bedrest."

"Dang, really?" Autumn asked.

"Yeah, my OB says it's pretty much a given now since there are three and with the damage that was done in the accident. It's more for me than them. She's not sure my body will be able to hold the weight of them up."

"So, what are you going to do?" Kelsey asks.

"We're moving back to Beaumont," I tell them, only to realize my mistake. Immediately, I start shaking my head. "It's not what you think. Noah will stay in Portland and once I have the babies and we can travel, we'll come here during the season."

"Oh, phew," Autumn says. "I thought you were telling us Noah got traded."

"What? No. That's not even an option."

Autumn looks down at the ground quickly and out toward the field. "Autumn?"

She looks at me.

"Did you hear something?"

She gives me a slight grimace. "Just rumors, according to Julius. You know how the guys gossip."

"And what are these rumors?"

Autumn squirms. I can tell she doesn't want to say anything but the cat's out of the bag now so she might as well spill.

"Just that the owners are pissed you left, and the guys think Noah's going to bail on them."

"I left because I'm about to have triplets and being with them is far more important than coming into work every day and watching game film when I could do that from home. This is why we need more women in sports management and ownership. Family oriented women at that. My decision has nothing to do with Noah and his position on the team."

I turn toward the field and cross my arms, resting them on my growing belly. The anger I feel is at the club, not at Autumn, even though it may seem it's all directed at her. I turn back and apologize for my outburst. She's been pregnant before. She understands how easily the hormones can take over.

"For what it's worth, Julius doesn't want to lose Noah as his QB."

"He's not going anywhere." This may be a lie, but I'm not going to send my husband down the creek without a paddle. When the guys return from halftime, we hug, and they head back to their seats. I sit down next to Liam and sigh.

"It'll be all right," he says as he pats my leg. "If the Pioneers don't want him, others will. It's the name of the game."

I appreciate his confidence because I'm not so sure I have it. Noah waves and we return the gesture. He's down there, playing the game he loves and winning, for a team who doesn't seem to love him back.