Page 56 of Draft Pick

"Yeah, you know, like a baby chicken nugget," Cason said with a grin. "I figure we gotta call it something until we know if it's a boy or girl. Ooh, or we could call it Little Meatball. Or Princess Peapod if it's a girl."

I couldn't help but laugh. "Princess Peapod?" It was cute and ridiculous, but I secretly loved Cason's willingness to lean into the experience, even if it meant being corny.

Cason's smile softened. "See, we're already bonding over our baby bean." He squeezed my hand gently. "I know I can't rewrite the past, Star. But I'm asking you to take a chance on me now. I was an idiot before, but I swear I can do better. Just give me a shot to prove it."

I searched his face, seeing nothing but open sincerity. "I want to believe we can make this work," I said quietly.

"Then believe it," Cason replied. "Have a little faith that I am capable of learning to be better."

He grinned hopefully. And despite my lingering doubts, looking into that earnest gaze, I felt my resolve begin to crumble. Didn't Princess Peapod or the Little Meatball deserve their father in their life? Maybe we owed it to the bean to give it a shot.

Wasn't this every girl's dream? The guy they were crazy about professing undying devotion from now until the end of time?

Until he changed his mind, and then it was, 'Sorry, my feelings are different now.' I wiped at the tears, needing to keep my head on straight. "You say all the right things but I don't trust you — and honestly, Cason, we don't even know each other aside from what positions we like best. That's not enough to build a life with a baby."

That adorable grin resurfaced as he challenged my statement, "I don't know, seems like a pretty good foundation to build on to me. According to my sexuality professor, a healthy relationship requires a healthy sex life, mature communication, and the ability to respect each other's differences. Seems we got at least one of the bases covered."

Cason had an uncanny ability to coax a smile from me even if the situation was a total emotional roller coaster — and I didn't like roller coasters.

Was he right? Could we be the exception to the rule, capable of making an unexpected pregnancy work in a real relationship? Or should we cut our losses and agree to co-parent as friends?

But I didn't want to be his friend, I realized with an unhappy start. I didn't want to be his baby mama wingman, cheering him on as he dated other women.

No,Iwanted to be his woman.

I wanted to be more than just his baby mama.

I wanted to be the person he turned to at the end of a long day because the feel of my arms around him made everything else melt away.

I wanted to be his sanctuary, and he mine.

Was I the kid on the ground looking up and crying for the moon? Wanting an impossible dream?

Or was this thing between us the start of something wonderful?

I saw the determination in Cason's eyes, a comforting and unnerving resolve. I'd never once seen him on the field, but I could see the athlete surfacing. He was focused and undeterred, determined to throw the winning play.

It made me wonder if I was just another challenge for him to conquer or if his intentions were genuine. There was too much riding on being right that I couldn't shake the fear that the sexiest college quarterback in the Western Hemisphere was playing me.

Despite my reservations, I was drawn to his unwavering commitment to our future with our baby.

Cason gently lifted my hands to his lips, kissing them softly. His voice was tender as he spoke, "I know you're scared to trust me again, Starlie. I don't blame you. But I promise, I'm not going anywhere this time. I want to know everything about you – your hopes, your dreams, what makes you laugh. Even the little things, like what foods you hate and your pet peeves."

His sincerity surprised me, and all I could do was blink in response. "Everything?" I asked, a mix of skepticism and hope in my voice.

He nodded earnestly. "Everything. I want to discover it all if you'll let me."

A hesitant smile formed on my lips. The idea was appealing, yet the reality of our situation weighed heavily on me. "It sounds nice, but a baby makes everything so much harder, and statistically?—"

Cason interrupted with a dismissive wave of his hand. "Stats are just numbers. It's the people that make the numbers matter. We'll figure it out together, starting now."

Now?

His confidence was almost infectious, but I remained cautious. "What do you mean?" I asked, watching him stand up.

He reached out his hand, a determined look in his eyes. "Come with me, I'll show you."

I hesitated momentarily before taking his hand and following him to the sofa. He directed me to sit and then disappeared into the bedroom. When he returned with massage oils, my eyebrows rose in surprise. "And what exactly do you plan to do with that?" I asked, my nerves returning at the thought of being naked together.

---