Page 138 of The Thing About My Rival

“It’s not a work message.” I turn my phone to face him.

DAD

I understand coming out here will be hard for you and Hugo during the season. So Suzanna and I thought we might visit the city. Maybe around a home game. Would that work for you?

“You going to bat that off?” Hugo asks.

Things with my dad might be moving glacially slowly, but they are moving in the right direction. And something in me has definitely shifted—possibly more dramatically just in the last hour. If Hugo and I are going to have kids, I want those kids to have grandparents. And if one of our kids thought I was a terrible parent, I would want them to give me another chance.

“I don’t think he’s ever suggested visiting me before.” I shrug. “Would you be okay with it? With them coming to a game? And being around for a few days?”

“Whoa.” Hugo places his hand on my forehead. “Did I bang the sense right out of you just then?”

While I’ve appreciated his support and constant refrain of “Your dad’s an arsehole,” maybe I should at least try. Maybe I owe that to myself. I definitely owe it to our future children.

I take his hand and kiss it. “I think you might have. So, should I tell him yes?” I bite my bottom lip and screw my face up at him.

“If that’s what you want. I’m right there with you, whatever you want to do.”

“If it’s awful, I promise you don’t ever have to be involved with it again. But it’s worth a try, right?”

“Sure. Tell him yes.” He kisses the top of my head. “And I promise I’ll try very hard not to tell him he’s an arsehole.”

“Thank you. I’ll reply later.” I drop the phone on the bed and curl into my favorite warm, hard body. “What about your parents? Are you ever going to do anything about that?”

His mouth curls up at one side. “Want to come to London to visit them with me this Christmas?” He brushes my hair from my face. “Maybe they’ll like me more now I have you. I certainly like me more now I have you.”

My heart aches and soars at the same time.

“And maybe one day, when we have our own kids”—he tips my face up until my eyes lock with his—“we can try to do all that family shit right.”

We might not have been house-hunting yet, but I know I feel more at home at this man’s side than I’ve felt anywhere in my entire life.

“I love you, Hugo freaking Powers.”

“And I love you, Wilcox.”

EPILOGUE

NOVEMBER

HUGO

The final whistle blows, a two-one loss to Seattle marking the end of our run in the playoffs.

Yes, it’s disappointing, and the guys will be gutted. But hey, we made it to the goddamn playoffs this year, and without any drama, and both those things are pretty damn fucking good.

This way of thinking would never have occurred to me just over a year ago when I came to the Commoners. Back then, all I would have seen is that we’d lost. I’d have been furious…and possibly punched an inanimate object. And never in a million years would I have thought I’d be as okay with losing a match as I am today.

The players look up at the crowd and give our fans a round of applause before trotting toward me, heading forthe tunnel to get showered and then to drown their sorrows.

I stick out my arm to stop them. “Hold on, lads.”

I gaze up to the owners’ box where Leo, Miller, Chase, and Prince Oliver are standing alongside Wilcox and the Oldies. I talked Chase into inviting Joyce, Mona, and Winston up there for the game because that’s right where I want them today.

“What’s up?” Bakari asks. Today is the first full ninety minutes he’s played since his horrific injury. It’s been a slow process getting him back up to a whole game, but he’s now completely recovered.

“Yeah,” Schumann says, downcast. “I really want to leave.”

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