25. Ellie

ellie

. . .

LATE JULY

“Ell! Are you ready to go?” Gianni called from downstairs.

I was in our bedroom, trying to get my shoes tied, but it was a challenge now that my belly had grown bigger. Our little plum had grown to the size of an eggplant, according to the books, but my stomach was already the size of half a watermelon. Bending over also made me dizzy.

I sat on the bed and tried to bring one foot up and grasp the laces, but the baby—it was a girl we planned to name Claudia, for Gianni’s mom—decided to throw a tantrum about it and kicked me vigorously. “Oof,” I said, dropping my heel to the floor and putting both hands on my abdomen. “Okay, okay.”

Gianni appeared in the bedroom doorway, looking impatient. “Hey, I should be there already. Can I help you with anything?”

“Yes.” Leaning back on my elbows, I stuck my feet out. “Tie my shoes. Your daughter beat me up when I bent over to do it.”

He grinned and entered the room, kneeling at my feet. “I got this.”

“Thank you.”

“Don’t kick your mother,” he said to my belly as he tied one sneaker, then the other. “It’s our only night off this week, and we’re going to the Cherry Festival.”

“It won’t be that big a deal if we’re late,” I said. “Felicity is manning the Etoile booth, and Winnie is with her. My parents are both there too.” Since it was Monday, Etoile was closed tonight, so everyone would be at the festival.

“I know, but...” He finished and stood up. “I’m just excited.”

I laughed. “You’re like a kid.”

“Can’t help it. I still like the rides. And remember how awesome I am at the dunk tank?”

“I remember.” I held out a hand, and he took it, gently pulling me to my feet. “Even though sometimes I’d like to forget.”

He kissed me. “How are you feeling?”

“Fine,” I said. “She’s just been extra active today. Can’t sit still, just like her dad.”

“Uh oh.” He grinned as we left the bedroom and headed down the stairs, still hand in hand. “I hope the universe is not going to get back at me for being such a rowdy kid by giving me a little fireball daughter.”

“Maybe she’s going to be a Rockette,” I said, putting a hand over the swell of my stomach, where she was currently practicing her kick ball change.

“That would be cool.” We reached the bottom of the stairs, and Gianni grabbed his keys from the little table by the front door.

I glanced at the living room wall, where all the photos of us still hung. I knew it was sort of obnoxious to keep them up, but I couldn’t bear to take them down yet—I’d just moved in here a few weeks ago. He’d been asking me to live with him since May, but I’d wanted to be sure we were ready for that.

“Ellie, come on,” he’d said insistently. “We’re ready.” We were lying in bed, still breathless, our heartbeats slowing. Always nervous about the baby, he’d rolled to my side and gathered me close. “I want to be with you all the time. I know it’s more convenient for you to live right at Abelard because of work, but I promise there are lots of benefits to living with me too. Like orgasms when and how and wherever you want them.”

I laughed. “That is tempting.”

“I got this bigger place because I was hoping to share it with you one day. And I hate going to sleep without you next to me.”

“Me too,” I admitted, propping myself up so I could look at him. “I just lie in my bed and wish I was here.”

“I love you, Ellie.” His voice was soft and serious. “I have never said those words to anyone before. And now that I know what it should feel like, I’m glad I didn’t, because it would have been a lie.” He looked at me the way I’d always dreamed of. “You’re everything to me. You’re the one.”

I’d smiled as my eyes filled. “I love you too. And yes—I’ll move in.”

Gianni had offered to take the photos of us down, but they made me so happy to look at. There was a new one too—our Tastemaker cover, which had us dressed in black tie with Gianni seated at a table in Etoile and me standing next to him, pouring a bottle of sparkling wine over his head. It was sexy and irreverent and fun, just like the piece inside about us, and it was fantastic publicity for Abelard.

Every time I saw those photos on the wall, I remembered him saying, ‘There’s always been an us.’ It made me shiver with joy every time—including now.

“Are you cold?” he asked me. “Want me to grab a sweater for you?”

“It’s eighty degrees, Dad. I’m fine.” I laughed and ruffled his hair. “I’m just excited. We haven’t been to the Cherry Festival together in a long time. Since we were seventeen, to be exact.”

“I know,” he said, glancing behind me at the photos. “You’ll have a better time tonight. I promise.”

“Are you finally going to kiss me in a closet?” I teased.

“I will kiss you anywhere you want.” Even though we were running late and he wanted to get out the door, he put his arms around me and pressed his lips to mine. “I love you.”

I shivered again. Hearing him say the words was always a thrill. “I love you too.”

“Come on, let’s go.” His blue eyes were bright with excitement.

If I hadn’t been so distracted, I might have seen the mischief in them.

Several hours later, I walked over to the small Etoile tent, where Felicity was grilling mini paninis with gruyere, greens, and cherry bourbon jam. I grabbed one from the tray, and she laughed. “You like them?”

“Can’t you tell? I’ve already had like five of them. They’re delicious.”

As I ate it, I slipped into the booth and dropped into a chair behind my mom, who was pouring Abelard wines into clear plastic cups. My dad was there too, talking with someone at the next booth. I’d lost Gianni somewhere, which wasn’t surprising, given the way he was determined to play every game, ride every ride, taste every food.

“Hey,” said my mom. “How are you feeling?”

“Fine. But it does feel good to get off my feet.”

“I bet. Where’s Gianni?”

“No clue. I lost him somewhere between the Ferris wheel and the bounce house.”

She laughed. “Sounds like Gianni.”

“Ellie!”

I looked up and saw Winnie heading for the booth. “Hey, Win. Have you seen Gianni?”

“Yes. He’s talking to Dex over by the dunk tank. But he’s looking for you.”

With difficulty, I rose to my feet and wiped my fingers on my shorts. “I’m coming. I hope he’s ready to go. I’m beat.”

As we headed for the games area, I yawned. “Everyone said there would be an energy boost during the second trimester. Where is it?”

Winnie laughed. “I don’t know. But I don’t think Gianni is quite ready to leave yet, so I hope you get a burst of energy.”

We’d reached the dunk tank, and I saw Dex and his two little girls standing there, but no Gianni. “Hey,” I said, smiling at them. “Are you having fun?”

Dex nodded, and the girls giggled and jumped up and down. “We want to see this!” shouted Luna, the little blond one. If I remembered correctly, she would be in first grade this fall.

“Luna, shhhh!” Hallie, older by about three years, poked her sister’s shoulder. “We can’t give it away.”

“Give what away?” I asked. “And where the heck is Gianni? I thought he was?—”

“He’s over there!” Luna burst out, pointing at the dunk tank.

I looked up, and my jaw dropped. There was Gianni, seated behind the blue bars on the dunk tank platform, dressed in his swim trunks and grinning madly.

“It’s your turn!” he shouted. “I figured it was time for payback.”

Bringing my hands to my face, I started to laugh. “How many throws do I get?”

“I bought you fifty,” he yelled. “Then we’re even-steven. And if you can’t dunk me in that many throws, it’s not my fault!”

“Step right up,” said the guy manning the tank. At his feet were five buckets of balls, and he picked one up and held it out.

Eagerly, I went over and took the bucket from him, then set it on the ground at the white line on the green turf runner about twenty feet from the big red circle I had to hit in order to dunk him. I picked up the first ball and stared at that red circle, concentrating hard.

“Come on, Ellie!” I heard the girls cheering. “You can do it!”

I took a breath, said a prayer, and threw.

I missed.

Then I missed again.

In fact, as the crowd gathered—including my parents, the Lupos, and much of Winnie’s family—and Gianni continued to taunt me, high and dry on that platform, I managed to miss with all ten balls in that first bucket.

The guy brought me the second bucket, and I pushed up my sleeves, blowing my hair out of my face. “I need help!” I scanned the crowd. “Can anyone give me some advice?”

“Turn sideways more,” shouted Gianni’s dad.

“Don’t hold your breath!” yelled my dad.

“Release a little sooner!” offered Dex.

“Get someone else to throw for you!” hollered Winnie.

I looked over at her. “Now that’s good advice.” My eyes skimmed over everyone who’d gathered around and landed on Winnie’s cousin Chip—who happened to be a newly retired MLB pitcher.

A grin broke out on my face.

“Oh, shit,” I heard Gianni say.

I marched over to him and grabbed his arm. “Please, Chip. Please throw my next forty pitches and dunk the love of my life as many times as possible. Trust me when I say that he will deserve it.”

The crowd went nuts as Chip grudgingly allowed me to pull him onto the runner. Happily, I set the bucket of balls at his feet. “Here you are. Have at him.”

Chip picked up a ball and looked at the red circle, then at me. “Should I move back or something? This doesn’t seem fair.”

I shook my head and patted his arm. “Trust me. It’s fair.”

He shrugged, wound up, threw, and nailed it. Gianni went into the water like a bag of bricks.

Then he did it thirty-nine more times.

The crowd continued to gather, Gianni continued to climb up there again and again, and Chip continued to throw with an accuracy that astounded and delighted me. When he got to the last ball, he pulled it from the bucket and looked at a soaking-wet Gianni.

Gianni didn’t say anything, but Chip seemed to get a message anyway, because he nodded and handed the ball to me. “I think this one’s yours.”

I looked down at it. Written on the side was THIS ONE LAST. And I realized it didn’t feel exactly like the other baseballs I’d thrown. The outside was white leather and the stitches were red, but there was a seam along the middle, as if it would open up.

I glanced up at Gianni, who gave me his signature grin. “Come on, open it up! It’s easier than throwing it!”

My heart was racing, and the baby was kicking up a storm inside me. Taking a breath, I opened up the baseball, and discovered it was a ring box in disguise. Tucked into black velvet was a gorgeous three-stone ring, with a round center diamond flanked by two smaller ones, set in a platinum band. My eyes blurred, and I worried I might pass out for a second. I grabbed onto poor Chip, who was still next to me.

“Well? What do you say, princess?” Gianni called. “Will you marry me?”

I looked at Gianni again and thought I might burst with excitement. “Yes!” I shouted. “Yes! Yes! Yes!”

The crowd cheered, and I thanked Chip with a quick hug before letting him hurry back to the sidelines. When I turned around again, Gianni was coming toward me. He was drenched, his wet hair a mess, his feet bare, his swim trunks hanging low and clinging to his skin. But I’d never been more in love with him as he got down on one knee, took the ring from the box, and slipped it on my finger. “I know I’m probably the last guy you thought you’d end up with.”

“The very last,” I confirmed, smiling through tears.

“But I promise to make you smile every single day of your life,” he said, clasping my hand in his. “And I will put all my energy into taking care of you and our family.”

“That’s a lot of energy.”

“It is.” He grinned up at me. “I think that means we’re going to have a big family.”

Laughing, I let my tears spill over as he rose to his feet, wrapped me in his arms and picked me right up off the ground. The people surrounding us cheered, and in a moment we were engulfed by friends and family who wanted to hug us and wish us well.

I’d only been back on the ground for a minute when I was grabbed by my mom, then my dad, then Uncle Nick and Aunt Coco, then Winnie, who was crying and laughing just like I was. “That was so romantic!” she squealed.

“Did you know?” I asked.

She shook her head. “Not until five minutes before it happened! Someone must have warned him I’m no good with surprises.”

“I did,” said Felicity, who appeared and gave me a quick hug. “I told him if he wanted to pull this off without Ellie knowing, you couldn’t know either.”

“Well, he pulled it off,” I said, glancing down at my ring.

“I did,” Gianni said behind me. “But there’s just one more thing.”

“What?” I turned around to face him, and splat! —

I took a whipped cream pie to the face.

Stunned, I stood there for a moment, blinking through the fluffy white whipped cream while everyone around us roared. I wiped my eyes and heard one of Dex’s daughters squeal, “We got that whole thing on video!”

I started to laugh, and Gianni kissed me, getting whipped cream all over his face too. “We weren’t quite even-steven,” he said.

“And now?”

“Now we’re good.”

I threw my arms around him and kissed his lips once more. “So good.”