Page 168 of Curveball

I’m beyond choked up with emotion. After a brief pause, I can only manage a nod, which sets the entire crowd off into cheers. Quincy stands and raises his arms in triumph before slipping the ring onto my finger.

He pulls me into his arms. In front of millions of viewers, and millions more who will undoubtedly watch this on replays, Quincy Abbott, the man I’ve loved my entire life, unashamedly gifts me the greatest kiss that has ever been.

EPILOGUE

THREE YEARS LATER

RIPLEY

Ipuke my guts out in the locker room bathroom for the third day in a row. I mumble to myself in my best deep Quincy voice, “Get your IUD out now. It takes a few months. We want to start trying right after the Olympics. I’ll use a condom.” Quincy Abbott and his damn condom-repellant super sperm.

I haven’t taken a test, but I have zero doubt that I’m pregnant. I’m late, and this is exactly how I felt when I was pregnant with Kaya.

Somehow, I’m pregnant at the Olympics, just like my mother was with me. This kid better be well-behaved. After Kaya, we’re owed a good one. That child is the devil incarnate, getting into trouble at every turn, with Thor being her willing accomplice in most of it.

I haven’t told Quincy about the likely pregnancy yet, wanting to find a perfect time to do so.

I flush the toilet just as I hear a puking noise in the stall next to me. As I’m washing my hands, Arizona walks out. She wipes her mouth and freezes as she sees me. It’s a bit of déjà vu.

I narrow my eyes at her. “Are you—”

At the same time, she asks, “Are you—”

We both nod and then start laughing. “I’m pretty sure I am. I haven’t taken a test, but I know.”

She smiles. “We found out two weeks ago. We were going to start trying right after the Olympics, but I guess you can’t plan these things.”

“Us too. How did we get through our teen years without ending up on an episode ofTeen Mom?”

Laughing, she answers, “Yep. Wow. Pregnant together.” She squeezes my hand. “This is going to be so much fun.”

“It is. I hope my kid is just like…Ryan.”

She giggles. Arizona and Layton’s daughter, Ryan, is significantly easier than Kaya. She’s like a mini adult. I have no doubt she’s sitting calmly in the stands with Layton while Kaya is running around like a lunatic, driving Quincy nuts as he chases her.

We walk out of the dugout and onto the field with our hands locked together and tears in our eyes. I turn my head to my best friend. My sister. Technically my sister-in-law, but she’s always been a sister to me. “This is the day we’ve dreamed about together for twenty-seven years. The gold medal game of the Olympics.”

She shakes her head in disbelief, looking down at her USA Softball jersey. “I can’t believe this is real.”

“It is.” I blow out a breath. “We have one more game to win.”

She pulls me into her arms. “I love you so much, Rip. I wouldn’t be here without you.”

I squeeze her back. “Neither of us would be here without the other. Every day for twenty-seven years, we’ve pushed each other to be better.”

She nods. “Let’s fucking do this.”

“Fuck yes.”

As we run out onto the field, I see my mom in the front row, wearing my jersey. Mom smiles as she points to the USA on her jersey. Her running joke for years about switching from a Canadian to a USA jersey for me runs through my mind.

In the row behind her are Layton, Ryan, my in-laws, and two empty seats. I toggle my eyes around until I see Quincy chasing Kaya up and down the stairs. I can’t help but giggle. I’ve done that plenty of times at Quincy’s games.

Quincy is still playing ball. He thinks he has a few years left in him, and I agree. Because his wife is in the Olympics, the team agreed to a one-week leave of absence for him to be here. They were able to work things out so that he’s only missing one start. He threatened retirement if they didn’t allow it.

The Anacondas’ season ended a few weeks ago with our fourth straight championship. All the league owners agreed to an earlier season this year with so many of us being on the Olympic team.

It’s tiedat zero going into the sixth inning. I’m exhausted. The grueling schedule and the pregnancy are catching up with me.

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