Page 132 of Secret Love

Weston leans in and so does Penn.

“Are you asking Tru to marry you?” Penn asks.

I lift my shoulder, grinning. “We’re getting there. She’s almost completely moved in.”

“That’s great,” Weston says.

“What did you want to talk to us about?” Penn asks.

“Coach asked me to start working with Cal, and I’ll be coming to the games. I don’t know if it’ll help, but we’re going to try. I feel like my injury broke the flow, and I hope I can do something to get you to trust yourselves again. We all know your skills are the best out there, we just have to get you believing it again.”

“I love everything about this,” Rhodes says after a long pause. “I hate being out on that field without you. Honestly, just seeing your face out there feels like it will boost all of us.”

“Agreed,” Bowie says.

“This is great,” Weston says. “And I love that you’ll be working with Cal too. He’s good, but he’s not you.”

“What is the doctor saying about you?” Penn asks, looking down at the table. I’m surprised by the emotion in his eyes when he looks up at me.

“Dr. Grinstead wants me to be hopeful about a full recovery, but guys…we know it’s a long shot, right? And I’m slowly making my peace with that. I wasn’t at first…but the longer I have to sit with it…and the more my leg continues to be an issue, the more I think I need to let it go. I had a great run, and if it’s really over for me, I’m so glad I got to finish out my career with the four of you.”

They stare down at the table. Rhodes wipes his eyes and there’s sniffling from Penn too.

“Fuck, guys, you’re gonna make me lose my shit.” My voice cracks and I groan. “Open the fucking playbook. I need to read something encouraging. Or funny. Or anything to not weep like a baby.” I let out a choked laugh and they join me with their own sappy ones.

Bowie passes me the playbook and I open it to the last few entries.

When Caleb realized I couldn’t magically

turn his bedroom into a forest the way he saw on his favorite movie,

he looked at me with different eyes.

And I thought, wow, if he’s looking at me like this already,

he’s in for a world of disappointment.

I had to tell him dads don’t have magical powers.

I’ll love him and take care of him and our love will be magical,

but only because it’s real and true and unconditional.

Of course, he doesn’t fully understand this yet.

But I hope I can keep convincing him.

~Weston

I look at Weston and smile. “You’ll convince him. The way he looks at you, he fully trusts your love.”

“Last night, he asked if he was marrying Sadie too.” Weston snorts. “I think he believes we’re all getting married.”

We all crack up at that.

“February will be here before you know it,” Penn says. “I can’t believe you’re getting married.” He shakes his head. “The end of an era.”

We laugh again and I keep reading the book.

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