Page 26 of Rewind It Back

Stevie is married to my teammate, Evan Zanders or Zee as we call him, but I originally met both Stevie and Indy years ago when they were flight attendants for our team’s private plane. She and Zee got together that first year we all met and the rest of our crew kind of formed from there.

Indy went on to marry Stevie’s brother and then four more friends came into the fold when the Rhodes brothers, who play or have played for Chicago’s MLB team, started coming around more. Kai Rhodes met his wife, Miller, when she spent the summer nannying for his young son, and Isaiah Rhodes met his wife, Kennedy, when she joined his team’s medical staff. The four members of the Rhodes family started coming to Sunday dinners here at the Shay house and thus formed our little Chicago found family of nine.

Yes,nine. Because everyone is paired up except for me.

Miller takes a seat at the table next to her husband. “I swear Max gets so excited about seeing his friends every week that by the time it’s bedtime, he’s so exhausted that he sleeps better here than at home.”

Indy smiles from across the table. “I love how much the kids all love each other.”

Kidsnow refers to all five of them. What was once just Max here sleeping upstairs during family dinner has turned into a whole slew of little ones.

Zee and Stevie have one. Ryan and Indy have two, as do Kai and Miller. Isaiah and Kennedy are too focused on their careers to think about having kids, and I... well, I’m single as fuck, so there’s that.

We all dig into the pizzas in the center of the table, and I make sure to take a few slices from the one with dairy-free cheese. They’re homemade and fresh out of the Shays’ new brick oven outside.

I’m adding a helping of salad to my plate when Ryan asks, “Miller, how’s the new location going?” referring to Miller’s second patisserie she opened downtown earlier this year.

“Great. The team is on top of it, so I’ve been able to be somewhat hands-off now that it’s up and running. I hired a new general manager for that location. Her name is Beth, she recently moved here from Oregon, and she’s great. Smart. Organized. Single.” Miller drags out the last word.

I take a mouthful of salad as all eight of my friends shift their attention my way.

“What?” I ask slowly, eyes bouncing to everyone around me.

Isaiah cocks his head in confusion. “Are you feeling okay?”

“I’m fine. Why?”

“Something is clearly wrong,” Zee says.

“What the hell are you talking about?”

Stevie’s blue-green eyes narrow. “Miller’s new general manager. New to town. Single.”

“I know. I heard. I’m glad she has someone solid running the patisserie.”

“That’s it. He’s sick,” Kennedy interjects. “I’m a doctor. I would know.”

“That’s your cue.” Indy nudges her shoulder into mine. “It’salwaysyour cue.”

Oh.

“I think you’d like her,” Kai says to me. “I met her. Nice girl.”

“Okay,” Miller huffs. “She’s notthatnice.”

Kai’s knowing smile spreads. “Jealous.”

She playfully rolls her eyes. “Always.”

He wraps an arm over her shoulders, pulling her into him where he places a kiss on the top of her dark hair. Miller knows as well as the rest of us that she’s not actually jealous, nor does she need to be. Kai has never looked at another woman the way he does her.

“What I was trying to say,” Kai continues, “is that she might be a nice girl forRio.”

Indy sits up with excitement. “I couldn’t agree more.”

My brows cinch in confusion. “You haven’t even met her.”

“And when has that ever stoppedyoufrom being interested?”

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