Page 83 of Never Say Never

“But maybe I was too harsh.” He stares at me for a long moment. “I’m sorry. I think it’s time I told you that, Tuck.”

The enormity of his words almost knocks me off my chair. I swallow hard. This is the first time he has ever apologized to me. I wait to see if he has anything more to say, but the fact of the matter is that is all I’ve ever needed to hear.

“I watched you win the championship game,” he says, scrubbing his jaw. “You made me proud. I’m damn proud of you, Tucker.”

I’m almost rendered speechless, but I manage to get out a response. “Thank you.” I exhale. “Can you also accept that I am in love with Daisy?”

He nods. “I can. It just took me off guard. It’ll take some getting used to, but… if the two of you are happy, and it’s serious that’s all that matters. But, Tucker, I will always think of her as my own. That won’t change.”

“I wouldn’t want it to.”

I reach for his hand. “We’re good?”

“We’re good,” he responds, taking my hand in his, pulling me in for an awkward hug over his desk.

I move toward the door but stop before leaving the room. “I never thanked you for coming to my game,” I tell him.

“Not necessary, son. It was my pleasure.”

I swallow the knot in my throat. “Thanks.”

I leave wanting to tell Daisy everything that just happened, so as soon as I get into my truck, I dig out my phone and click on her name. I type out a message, then delete it all. Fuck, I hate texting. She’s on a boat without cell service and she won’t see the damn message for another day anyways. And I want to tell her in person, in a face-to-face conversation, which is hard when she’s a million fucking miles away.

I am so done with the distance between us.

So, instead of sending her a text, I open my browser and search flights to Italy.

Fifteen minutes later, I’m heading home to pack.

THIRTY-ONE

WOULD IT HELP IF I SAT ON YOUR FACE?

Tucker

Daisy isn’t in her room when I arrive in Florence the next afternoon. The lady at the desk speaks mostly Italian, but we manage to communicate enough for her to let me know that she will call her. The phone just rings and rings, so I have no choice but to sit in the tiny lobby and wait for her. I have no clue how long I’ll be waiting. Hours? Days? I’ll sit here as long as I need to. I check her Instagram page to see if she posted recently, but there is nothing. It doesn’t matter. I am finally going to get to see her.

Knowing that we’re so close sends my heart racing. My knee bounces a steady rhythm as I keep my eyes fixed on the hotel door. Finally, it swings open, and I jump out of my seat when Daisy walks into the tiny lobby looking down at her phone. She smiles at the woman at the front desk as she passes her.

“Ciao, Anna.”

“Ciao, bella.”

Anna nods in my direction with a mischievous expression, and Daisy turns then freezes on the spot as a look of shock transforms her face.

She does a double take when she sees me, as if she can’t quite believe I’m real. Then she is running in my direction. I catch her when she jumps into my arms, wrapping her arms around my neck and her legs around my waist. My mouth crashes into hers with a desperate need and a wild energy as my hands grip her ass tight, and my tongue plunges inside her mouth. I want her in the worst way possible then I remember where we are, but I can’t bring myself to stop. Anna will just have to enjoy the show.

When Daisy unclasps her heels from behind my back and drops down to her tiptoes, I take her in. She looks beautiful in a pair of faded jean shorts and a tank top. Her long hair is tied back in a high ponytail accentuating her cheekbones. She smells like suntan lotion and lemons. Her skin is a perfect golden bronze. She isn’t wearing any makeup and while she always looks incredible when she’s all done up, this is the way I love her best. My entire body shivers as she drags her hands up my chest, circling her arms around my neck again.

“I can’t believe this. What are you doing here?”

“I missed you.”

She gives me a sweet smile before going up on her toes to kiss me again.

“I thought I’d be able to do it,” I say, watching her eyes soften. “I tried my best. I had a plan to focus on spring training. Work hard. Look after my players. FaceTime you every night. The three months without you were going to fly by and before I knew it, you’d be back home… with me.”

“But you missed me.”

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