Page 108 of Stepping Up to the Plate

“I love you, too,” I remind her. “Does this mean we can go back to normal?”

“No,” she replies.

“No?”

“I don’t want normal. I want extraordinary,” she declares, smiling.

“One extraordinary life coming up.” I kiss her a final time before gathering my things. “Let’s get out of here. We’ve got several weeks of orgasms to catch up on.”

She giggles and slides into my side as I wrap my arms around her. She lays her head on my shoulder and confirms, “So you’re good with ending the break?”

“You bet your sweet ass I am. Although I’m a little bummed I won’t get to finish my secret message.”

“Secret message?” she questions, intrigued. I grab my phone and pull up our text thread.

“Every text I’ve sent you on this break has started with a letter that after thirty-nine days would spell out a special message for you. Since it’s only been thirty-three days, it wasn’t done yet, but see for yourself.”

“L-A-M-I-A-L-U-N-A-L-E-M-I-E-S-T-E-L-L-E-I-L-M-I-O-I-N-T-E-R-O-U-N,” she spells.

“La mia luna, le mie stelle, il mio intero universo,” I translate. “It’s what you said talking to Stefano. You, Lola, are my moon, my stars, and my entire universe. You’re my whole fucking world. Now let’s go so I can prove it to you.”

The Texts

September 20 11:42 AM

Lola

Good luck today.

Brady

Luck isn’t needed, but thank you. ?? When is our first coffee date?

Lola

Thursday morning?

September 21 9:06 AM

Brady

Almost managed to get a row by myself on the plane. Then Kent sat down. Did you know he talks in his sleep? He’s dreaming about the Pillsbury Dough Boy and it does not seem platonic.

Lola

Wow. There is a lot to unpack there.

September 22 8:57 AM

Lola

Where do you want to meet tomorrow?

Brady

Molly told me about a new coffee shop in the Gulch. Meet there at 10?

September 23 2:15 PM

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