Page 103 of Resisting the Running Back

Is it a scandal? It feels like one.

“Do you want that someday?” Grace asks me, angling her head toward her two pregnant sisters-in-law.

I lift a shoulder. “Sure, someday. You?”

“Yeah, sure. Someday. But right now, things are so crazy with the wineries, and I’m only twenty-seven. I feel like I’ve got time.”

I nod. “Definitely. I just turned thirty and feel like I have time, too. But we’re not getting any younger, you know? What’s meant to be will be, I guess.” I repeat Cassie’s sage advice that I can’t seem to stop thinking about.

“When it’s meant to be,” she agrees.

We both lean back in our chairs. I’m in the shade despite the SPF 50 sunscreen I lathered on this morning, but laying out by the pool on a cruise ship is nearly enough to help me forget my worries.

Nearly enough.

Not quite.

We head to our room to take showers before dinner, but before I get in, I join Miller out on the balcony for a quick chat.

Or…Ithinkit’ll be quick.

“I feel like you’re pulling away, and I hate it.” My voice is firm and direct, and if we can’t communicate about this stuff now, what will life be like when he’s actually gone for days at a time because he’s in season?

He looks surprised at my combination accusation and outburst, but he turns his eyes back to the water as he says, “I’m sorry. You’re right, and I hate it, too.”

“Then let’s figure this out. Whatever happens happens.”

He nods. “You’re right. We need to lean into each other, not pull away.”

“I get being a little reluctant to hop back into bed, but you’re also making me feel like you don’t want anything to do with me.”

His brows dip as he looks at me with surprise. He stands and pulls me into his arms. He’s not wearing a shirt, and his chest is warm and cozy. “Nothing could be further from the truth. I love you, Sophie.” His chest rumbles with his words against my cheek, and his arms are tight around me.

“I love you, too. We’ll figure this out, okay?” I pull back and look up at him, and he looks worried.

I get it.

I’m worried, too.

But the last thing we should be worried about is where we stand with each other.

It’s been a strange few days, but hopefully we can climb out of it as we focus forward together.

We don’t have time for makeup sex, so we’ll save that for later. We head to dinner, where we plan to spend a little extra time together with the family since it’s the last night we’ll all be together.

The wait staff has rearranged the tables so we’re sort of in a triangle and can talk with more of our group, and part of me wonders why it wasn’t like this the whole time.

I glance around at everyone gathered here. Come February, will they be my family? I have no idea.

Marriage was always part of my eventual plan—pending finding the right person, of course. And honestly, I thought Miller was the right person until this whole thing happened. Now I’m left questioning so many different things, and I hate how that makes me feel.

Later this season, the Storm will face the Aces, and Miller, Tanner, and Spencer will face off against Coach Lincoln and Asher, and that’s about the closest we’ll get to being in the same room all together in the foreseeable future. And I don’t even know if I’ll be there.

“Hey Missy!” Tanner yells from our table over to the parents’ table.

“Hm?” she asks, turning away from Steve, who she was just talking toandwho she’s sitting next toagain,and toward Tanner.

“When the Aces and the Storm face off this season, who are you cheering for?” he asks.

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