Page 34 of Sometimes You Fall

Her face instantly softens, and for a second, I think she’s back on my team. “I can tell, but that doesn’t sound like that’s what she wants.”

“I don’t know what the hell she wants,” I say, growing more irritated. I want to talk to her, but at the same time, I’m still pissed at her. “She ran off and… fuck.” I stand from the bed and start pacing. “I have so many fucking questions. My life is about to completely change.”

Mysister smiles. “I know.”

“Why are you smiling? Are you enjoying watching me spin out of control here?”

She joins me on the other side of the room, gripping my arms so I stop moving. “I’m smiling because my brother is about to be a dad, which means I’m going to be an aunt. And you’re going to be an amazing dad, Grady.” She cups my jaw. “You’re the best uncle, you’re great with kids, and when it’s your own child, I promise it’s even better.”

“How do you know that? I haven’t even had a fucking long-term relationship, Astrid, and I’m almost thirty-six.” Sweat beads at my temples as my stomach churns. “I have no idea how this is supposed to work, and I...”

“You need to talk to Scottie.”

“I don’t even have her fucking phone number. She left before I could ask her for it, for the second time.”

“Then get it.” She taps the side of my head. “You’re not stupid. You should have some idea of how to find her.”

Blowing out a breath, I admit what I’m really feeling. “I never imagined this would be how I had a kid, Astrid. I always envisioned that if I had a shot at being married and having a family, it would be mornings waking up next to my wife, waiting with her as she took a pregnancy test, being excited and knowing that starting a family was what we both wanted. And at this point, I was starting to accept that a life like that wasn’t in the cards for me.”

She raises her eyebrows and walks away from me. “Yeah, well, life doesn’t always work out the way we think it will, Grady.”

My sister sure as hell knows what it’s like to have your world flipped upside down, but this? This is new territory for me. The last time my world spun out of control was when I could no longer play baseballfor a living. But back then, the only person I had to worry about was myself.

Now, it’s not just me that’s affected by this. It’s ScottieandChase. It’s both of our families.

And this woman—seeing her again made me realize how fucking lonely I’ve been. My sister has been pushing me to date for months, but I knew it was a lost cause. Single women in town hit on me all the time, but they all want me for the wrong reasons.

Scottie, though, she really knows me. She knew me before baseball became my job, before I became this grumpy mechanic who doesn’t know what the fuck he’s doing with his life.

She’s different. She always has been, and now she’s having my baby.

But I want more. I wanther.

“I want a family, Astrid,” I say, breaking the silence.

Spinning around to face me, she clarifies, “What?”

“I want more than just weekend visits. I want what you and Penn have.” I gesture to the other side of the house where Penn is holding the party together while we talk.

Smirking, she crosses her arms over her chest. “Weren’t you just telling me a few months ago when I suggested you start dating that you were better off alone? That you didn’t think that life was meant for you?”

“Yeah, but…”

“So now because Scottie is pregnant, you want that? Are you sure, Grady?” Her face grows serious. “Because as a single mom, I’m going to tell you that the last thing that woman needs is some man whothinkshe knows what he wants but is going to change his mind down the line.”

Shit. She’s right. I need to make sure I can be the man she needs, the father and partner that she deserves before I commit to this onehundred percent—because when I commit to something, I go all in, and Scottie can’t have any doubts about how I feel.

“Be really freaking sure that you are ready for everything having a family entails, Grady, because if not, at least you can both go in knowing where you stand.” And then she narrows her eyes at me. “If it was any other woman, would you feel the same way?”

“Like what?”

“Wanting a family, trying to be in a relationship with the mother of your child?”

I shake my head instantly. “No.” And I can say that with certainty.

“You care about her,” Astrid declares, and I nod. “I can see it in your eyes, hear it in your voice.”

“There was always something there, even back in high school, but I never let myself go there. I had baseball to focus on and Scottie was the same way about softball. But I liked her. I always did.”

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