Page 301 of Cross Check

“Oh my god,” I whisper. “This is⁠—”

“Absurd behavior? I know.”

“No, Grant. It’s the most romantic thing anyone has ever done for me. Knowing you listened to me? Knowing you were interested in the things that made me happy?” My eyes prick with tears. “No one cares about me like you do. I want to know more. Tell me everything.”

“The notebooks started as a place to write down some things I wanted to remember, but it turned into a time capsule of falling in love with you.” Grant swallows and folds his hand over mine. “I filled a lot of pages over the years, and that includes the note I make every day.”

“What does that mean?”

“Here.” He switches the notebook I’m holding with one that’s sleeker. I open it and find a date at the top of the page. “Every night we’re together, I write down the thing I loved the most about you that day.”

“You love me because I light up when you hand me a cup of coffee?” I ask, glancing at the first entry.

“You’re like a goddamn Christmas tree.”

“And because I pet every dog in the park?”

“Dogs know good people, and you’re good people, baby.”

“Grant.” My voice wobbles. “I’ve seen you putting these away when you think I’m not looking. You carry them with you?”

“Everywhere. That’s love, I guess. You can never be too sure when you’re going to fall head over heels all over again. For me, it’s every day I wake up and get to see you.” Grant tucks a piece of hair behind my ear. “No one will ever own my heart the way you do. In the next realm, in whatever lifetime comes after this one, I’m going to go back to the Italian restaurant in Denver where we first met. I’m going to sit at the same table with a slice of key lime pie, and I’ll wait there in hopes I get to meet you for a second time and do this all over again.” His thumb presses into the corner of my mouth, the spot where a permanent smile lives because of him. “I don’t care how long it takes.”

“I’ll be there,” I choke out, and a tear lands in the center of the page. The ink bleeds out around it, a dark splotch replacing the words that used to exist there. “I might be late, but I promise I’ll get there as fast as I can.”

“You don’t need to rush.” He kisses my tears away while my shoulders shake. “I’d wait a lifetime for you, baby.”

I close the notebooks and put them in a stack next to the bed. I pull Grant toward me, wanting to feel his body on mine. I’ve been going through life by myself for so long. I’ve jumped every hurdle, I’ve climbed every mountain. It’s been hard, it’s been nearly unbearable, but with him next to me, it’s the first time I can finally rest.

NINETY-SIX

GRANT

MAY, THIS SEASON

Our house is full to the brim.

Between my teammates and their significant others, Hannah and Brody, Amelia’s friends, and Darcy from the Sea Crabs, there’s barely any space to move.

“We need a bigger house.” Amelia puts her hand on my waist and nudges me out of the way so she can get to the fridge. “How do you feel about knocking down the wall that leads to the living room to open things up?”

“Strongly. It would make it so much brighter in here. I’ll call a contractor on Monday.” I lean against the counter and glance down the hall to the packed living room. “We have a lot of people in our lives, don’t we?”

“And the number keeps growing.” Lia sets the cheese tray on the island and unwraps it. “More of your teammates are having kids and settling down. We might have to buy the house next door too.”

“You’ll never have to worry about me driving the number up, Amelia. I’m not settling down or having kids,” Ethan announces, looking between us. “Unless you have someone you want to set me up with. I’d be open to spending time with Sienna or Lainey. Maybe both at the same time?”

“Nope.” Amelia lifts the cheese tray and marches to the backyard. “Never going to happen, Richardson.”

“Sorry, dude.” I laugh when Ethan pouts. “You’re going to have to get stay in her good graces if you want a shot at being allowed to be close to her friends.”

“Sounds like too much work for Easy E.” He grins and stands next to me. “It’s good to see you like this.”

“Like what?” I glance at him. “You see me plenty.”

“I know I do, but this is different.” Ethan waves his hand up and down in my direction. “You’re much happier. You haven’t stopped smiling since we got here.”

“Because there are lots of things to celebrate. The weather is perfect for the barbeque. We made it to the Eastern Conference finals which means we’re facing off against Lia and the Sea Crabs again. I get to hang out with all of my favorite people, and I didn’t have to send a dick pic to make any of it happen.”