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“Oh?”
“I know you don’t remember much of Mason. You and Elle were so young when he passed away, but I know your mom has made sure you girls have always known him. Even Harrison. He’s a good guy and I’m happy your mom found him. He’s raised you girls as his own and that’s all a man like me can ask for. Now, I plan to say this to your sister when I get back from this vacation those ladies are taking me on, but since I may be who knows where, in the middle of the ocean when you find out if you’re pregnant or not, I want you to know that you don’t have to name your son Mason. I think a lot of people expect you or Elle to do this. When you and Noah sit down to think about names, remember he or she is their own person, and they need their own name.”
I absorb his words. Truth is, I hadn’t thought about names other than Noah Jr. which my husband has vetoed. “Thank you,” I say to my grandpa knowing it took him a lot of courage to say those words to him. I wrap my arms around him, feeling his bones. He’s lost weight, which I know happens with age, but I don’t like it.
“Promise me.”
“I promise to consider the name wisely,” I tell him. “Mason’s a great name, regardless. Noah might want to honor my father that way. He lost him too and I think sometimes people forget that. Sure, I was his daughter, but Noah had him for ten years. They were close. I think if Noah and I were to have a boy, Mason’s probably on the list of names.”
Grandpa nods. “Well promise me this—” He takes my hand and holds it. “Never let him think he has someone else's shoes to fill.”
“We won’t, Grandpa. But he will know what a great man he was. Just like you.”
We turn at the sound of cackling coming our way.
“Lord help me,” he says when his travel companions come into view.
I can’t help but laugh as my grandma and Bianca maneuver through the sand with cocktails in their hands.
“You’re going to have the time of your life, Grandpa. I can’t wait to hear all about it.”
“When you read about the man who went overboard, just know I loved you with all my heart,” he says laughing.
12
NOAH
This has been the longest week of my life. I don’t know if I’m coming or going or if I’m supposed to sit still. If it’s not waiting for the week to pass so Peyton can take her pregnancy test, it’s me spending hours on the phone with Alan trying to figure out the next steps in my career.
“I think, regardless, this is my last year in Portland.”
“You don’t want to wait and see what they come back with?”
I shake my head and then mutter, “No. They’ve had their time. If I’m their guy, their future, they'd have made an offer by now. Clearly, I’m not. With the draft coming up . . .” I trail off. It’s never a bad thing for a team to draft multiple players for the same spot. But when they’re not communicating with their captain, who happens to lead the offense, that becomes a problem. “I don’t want to be caught off guard.”
“I agree. There is interest from other teams. One being there.”
I run my hand through my hair. “Here, or near Beaumont. Peyton wants to move home.”
“What about her job?”
“She’s upset with the situation and is seriously considering staying home after the baby is born. Neither of us want to hire a nanny, and honestly, she doesn’t need to work. Or she could open her own business and become a freelance analyst doing what she does for the Pioneers for anyone in the league. Peyton isn’t worried about finding work.”
“I didn’t know congratulations were in order,” he says.
“They’re not. Yet. We’ll know tomorrow.”
“All right, let me get to work on some stuff. Do you want to leak this to the media?”
“Nah. If they draft the way I expect them to, the media will run with it.”
“Roger that.” Alan hangs up and I stand there looking out the window. I hear Peyton behind me before I feel her wrapping her arms around my waist. Her head rests on the middle of my back. Well lower back because she’s so damn short compared to me. I wouldn’t want her any other way.
I rest my hand over the top of hers and sigh.
“It’s going to be okay,” she says as she squeezes me tightly. “No matter what, everything will work out.”
“You have a lot of faith in people.”
