Page 35 of Totally Opposed

The restaurants and shops border the large open space, and there are two sections on either side of the room with green tiled floors and a tree in the middle of each, providing park bench seating and an area for kids to run around and burn off some energy before heading through to the security checkpoint and boarding their flights.

A couple hugs goodbye a few feet over to my right, drawing my attention. Her mascara running down her face, she squeezes him one last time, then grabs the handle of her bag and heads through to security. This is what I didn’t want. I didn’t want to be standing here while the rest of them hug their families, partners, and people. I don’t have people. Well, I do, they just aren’t here. Don’t get me wrong, moving to the States was the best decision I’ve ever made, but at times like this, I miss being just a short drive away from them. I need to get back home at some point. Granny turns ninety this year. Maybe I can get there for the big do they’re putting on for her.

I card my fingers through my still-damp hair, grateful I had time to get in a swim this morning. I try to get in a swim every day. The water has a way of washing away the nervous energythat builds inside me, and if I miss even a day or two, it’s like the noise in the world becomes too much and I start to struggle to even get out of bed. Keeping up the routine of it is key. Alan has joined me a few more times, too. He walks through the water in the shallow end, still not quite ready to put his head under the surface, but he did stay in the water while I swam a few laps, so it’s still progress.

Gordon stands beside me, his girlfriend, Niki, hugging his side.

“She looks pissed,” Gordon whispers in my ear, and I look across to see Stevie and his girlfriend, Bella, standing by a bench, her frown deepening. Their baby is only a few months old, so the fact she’s expecting again planned or not would be a lot to handle, but fuck, I would be pissed at him, too, if he made out that baseball was more important than a whole human being having been created.

“Hopefully not for long. You got the music?”

Niki lets go of Gordon and holds out a mini-speaker.

“I’ve got it. You guys really are big softies, aren’t you?”

“Romantics,” I correct, and she smirks and then moves into position, away from where we’re about to turn Savannah Square into a stage.

“She’s holding the baby,” Gordon says.

“I’ve got that covered, too,” I reply just as Neil, our umpire, walks over and asks if he can hold her. If you’re going to trust any of these guys holding your kid, it would be Neil. He’s got two of his own that he and his ex adopted. They had a scare with the youngest a year or two ago that was too much for his ex to handle, but Neil was in love with those kids the second he saw them. One day, I want that. I want a family. Seeing Neil with his kids at pregame celebrations and in the million and one photos he’ll show you the second you ask how they are doing, just proves I don’t have to wait to be a dad. But I think I want to doit when I have someone to share it with. I wonder if Alan wants kids.

The music starts, and Bella looks around for where it’s coming from. The guys are moving into position around them, trying not to be too obvious, but the way Harry is exaggerating his attempt at avoiding eye contact, he’s going to gain the attention of security if he keeps it up. We filled in the rest of the guys while we waited to get started, just so they would know to get out of the way when it was time. Stevie jumps up onto the chair behind him and spins, and Harry tosses him a microphone so he can belt out the first line. His voice isn’t anything like Taylor Swift’s, but it isn’t bad. Bella’s cheeks immediately turn red at the realization this is about her, but she can’t stop the smile from spreading across her face, either. I’ve always wanted to do this. Be a part of a flash mob, and while I totally set this up to help Stevie and Bella, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t getting a hella lot out of it, too.

Stevie steps down and takes her hand, turning her and leading her more into the open area, and we take our places behind him ready for the perfect moment, and then when he sings the Romeo part, putting in Bella’s name instead, we kick into gear, moving through the choreography we practiced last night, mostly in time with each other.

The small crowd of people in the airport gather around us, too, most with their phones out, recording us. It’s nothing new, us being recorded, but given this isn’t a Banana Ball organized dance, there is a small chance the big bosses won’t be impressed. Stevie’s singing along, tweaking the lyrics a little to fit his and Bella’s story, swapping getting out of a mess with something about loving her more than she could ever guess, and it’s the sweetest fucking thing ever.

We step and slide and spin, and Bella is shaking her head, but she’s smiling and super chuffed, and then Stevie does somethingwe didn’t plan for. But it’s something that has been done at Swift’s concerts all over the world. He sings that line, spins her around, then drops to one knee and pulls out a shiny teal blue box. Bella’s hands cover her open mouth, tears welling in her eyes. I glance at Alan and the others, all of them as surprised as me, but we keep doing our part behind them as he opens the box, and she nods and bounces on her toes as he slips the ring on her finger and stands to kiss her.

My eyes prickle, and I try to blink away the tear that wants to fall as I finish off the choreography with the guys.

When the song stops, camera flashes go off, and the crowd that’s gathered, along with the other players, all cheer and congratulate the happy couple. I turn away.

“Here,” Alan says, suddenly by my side. I look down, and he’s handing me a tissue.

“I’m not crying,” I tell him, but the quaver in my voice betrays me, and I take it, dabbing my eye before blowing my nose.

“Sure you aren’t. But just so you know. You don’t have to hide the fact that you have a big heart, Ryan. What you did here, what you helped Stevie do, it’s changed his life, and Bella’s. That’s truly amazing.”

“I planned a dance. He did the proposing all on his own.”

“Don’t do that.”

“Do what?” I ask, looking at him for the first time since he stood beside me.

“Don’t downplay how amazing this is. How amazingyouare.”

I can feel my face warming, and my gaze moves to his mouth, and I want so badly to kiss him. Would he even let me if I tried? Maybe the guys will be cool with it. With us. Maybe I should just do it.

“Boys!” Harry cheers, wrapping his arms around both our shoulders and wedging himself between us. “That was epic. Great work, Funky Monkey. Now, Alan, you’re sitting next to me. I’m not risking being stuck next to Duckie.”

“Aren’t they assigned seats?” I ask, and Harrison smiles and nods towards the stewardess by the gate.

“They are, but turns out Marybeth over there is a fan, so she hooked me up.” He waves his boarding pass in my face for good measure. “Duckie will be someone else’s problem today.”

“Who’s?” Alan asks and Harry shrugs.

“I didn’t ask where he was going, just that he went. Come on, we’ve still got to get through security, and who knows how long that is going to take.”

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