Page 191 of Chosen By a Baller 3: Playin’ For Keeps

“And, yet, here you are.”

“Because you dragged my ass over here.”

“Same difference.”

She rolled her eyes, but the smile pulling at her lips gave her away.

“Aight, Big Daddy. What’s going on?”

My hand settled against her thigh. For a second, I just looked at her. This woman had been there through all of it.

The hospital. The pain. The days I couldn’t do shit for myself without somebody helping me.

Rehab. Every fucked-up mood. Every setback. All of it. And now I finally got to give her some good news.

“You remember what I had today?”

“Your follow-up.”

I nodded.

“And?”

That grin came right back.

“Your husband going back to practice, ma.”

Her eyes widened.

“What?”

“I got cleared.”

“Kyrie!”

Her arms flew around my neck before I could say anything else, and I laughed as I wrapped my arms around her waist.

“Damn, ma.”

“You got cleared for real?”

“Hell yeah.”

She pulled back and grabbed my face between her hands.

“I'm so proud of you.”

My smile faded just a little.

Not because I wasn't happy.

That shit just hit me harder than I expected.

I stared at her for a second before pulling her back against me and wrapping my arms around her tighter.

“Yeah,” I murmured against her neck.

I was finally getting my shit back.