Page 169 of Play Along

Her face softens with amusement.

“I thought maybe you’d like a distraction tonight. I was going to see if there was another first I could check off your imaginary list. Ever had the chance to catch Fourth of July fireworks over the Navy Pier with your husband before?”

Lips pressed together, I watch that smile grow. “I can’t say I’ve had the chance to experience that very specific scenario.”

Stepping into her, I slip my fingers into hair, tilting her head back slightly. “Want to?” I drag my thumb over her smile. “But just a heads-up, the whole team is going to be there.”

She doesn’t hesitate when she nods against me. “Sounds perfect.”

Kennedy’s apartment building overlooks the Navy Pier, so the walk doesn’t take more than a few minutes to get there. In fact, judging by the picture out her windows I caught while she was changing, she’d have just as good of a view of the fireworks from her place as she would down here.

But after losing out on the job she so desperately wanted, I need her to have some fun with all the people who are going to be stoked to hear she’s staying.

Her hand is tucked in mine, and she’s wearing that hat I sent her to California in. Simple grey tee, cutoff denim shorts, and those high-top Vans. It’s plenty humid still tonight, even with the sun beginning to fall. A perfect summer night in the city I love, with the girl I love, hanging out with the team I love.

Lucky. I feel so goddamn lucky that she’s staying.

Weaving through the crowd, my brother is the first one I spot, towering over the rest of the patrons. Leaning back against the metal railing, with his back to the water, he holds his hand up to get our attention.

“There they are.”

“I can’t see anything,” Kennedy says, attempting to find our friends through the mass of people, leaning up on her toes and everything.

I try my best to bite back my knowing smile.

It doesn’t work. She smacks me in the chest. “Shut up.”

“Hey, guys,” Miller says as soon as we make it to them. She’s got Max in her arms, leaning with her back to my brother’s front.

“Zaya.”

“Hi, Bug.”

“The boys are by the wheel.” Kai nods in that direction.

I pop a quick kiss on Max’s cheek when Miller puts him on the ground, before finding Kennedy’s hand so I don’t lose her in the crowd.

My nephew seems to have the same thought when he takes my wife’s other hand, then his mom’s, standing between the two of them with so much pride.

Kai chuckles to himself as he throws an arm around Miller and the five of us are off to find the team looking like one big happy family.

“Maxie boy!” Cody calls out, crouching to his level.

My nephew runs—if you want to call it that—to him before Cody scoops him up, and the team’s attention immediately shifts. Some of them have dates with them, some of them came alone. It doesn’t matter, each of their focus zeros in on Max, giving him high fives or trying to make him laugh.

It’s something I love so much about these guys, the way they fully accepted Max when he came into our lives. There was never a complaint about a baby traveling with the team last year.

They all rallied around my brother to make sure he felt their support.

They’re good ones, and I feel incredibly blessed that I get to have them as my teammates.

Miller slips her arm under Kennedy’s, pulling her away to one of the concession stands and leaving me with Kai.

“She seems to be doing okay.”

“Yeah,” I agree, watching her in the distance. “Better than I thought she’d be.”

“How are you feeling about it all?”

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