by Skye Turner
I nod adamantly. “Oh yeah, so much.”
The corners of her lips turn up. “How do you know?”
My brows crease as I think about what she’s asking.
How do I know what? How do I know I love Cally?
There are so many reasons…
“How do I know I love her?” She nods. “How could I not love her, Bradi?! She’s beautiful and just amazing. She lights up my life… and not just mine. She’s literally the first thing I think of when I wake up and the last thing at night, even though she’s next to me.
“Her heart is huge. She’s passionate about animals and goes above and beyond to not just save them and show them love, but to educate others to do the same.
“She’s selfless even when she doesn’t need to be.
“I know I love her because the idea of not loving her… of her not being there… just the thought alone terrifies me.
“I was fine before she came along. Playing baseball was my dream and I dedicated everything to it, but now… I still want to play baseball, but I want her with me to celebrate my successes. I don’t want to have to call her and relay the news over the phone. I don’t want to have to bring her to an airport and kiss her goodbye until the next time I see her. I want to know that when I go home, she’s there… waiting for me.
“But, I want to be there for her, too. I know that this place is her life. I could never ask her to give this up and I’m not selfish enough to even try it. Because she might say yes… and then what… she resents me forever for asking her to choose me over this place?!” I look at her and see her face as she sees the reality of my pain. “How could I do that? I love her too much to do that.”
A single tear rolls down her cheek and she leans over to press a kiss to my cheek. “Jase, I’m sorry. I don’t have the answer. I wish I did. There’s a solution… somewhere… but only you and Cally can decide what it is.” She stands and cups my cheeks as she looks down at me. “Love wins… You love her. She loves you. And somewhere in the middle of this mess is a solution that you can both get what you want from. But only you two can figure it out. I love you. Call me if you want to vent. I always have an ear for you.”
Well, son of a bitch…
What the hell is the answer with me moving to Atlanta and her being firmly rooted in Baton Rouge…
I see no solution and lord knows I’ve thought about it relentlessly for the past four months…
Cally
A week later
Jase is supposed to be here in a bit. He’s meeting with Jeff about some last minute move things. I can’t sit in my house and watch the walls close in at the reality that in six days… six days… Jase is moving to Atlanta and I’ll still be here in Baton Rouge.
We’ve talked about it…
Hell, we’ve talked about it so much. And we’ve decided that I’ll go to all home games. I’ll fly in, watch the games, and spend some time with him… then, I’ll come home.
I’ll come back to Baton Rouge and he’ll still live in Atlanta.
I don’t know what to do.
I’m not breaking up with him. I can’t do that.
NOT being with him at all over sporadic visits is just out of the question.
But, how the hell are we going to have any kind of long lasting relationship that makes both of us happy with only a few days together now and then?!
I could never walk away from the center. It’s my dream, my passion. Jase’s is baseball and I am so proud of him, hell, my boyfriend is about to pitch for the Atlanta Braves, but… I’m in Louisiana.
I just can’t walk away from the things that are important to me to be with him. That’s not the answer.
And the sad reality is that I have absolutely no idea what IS the answer. I see no solution.
Throwing a couch pillow across the room, I scream as it bounces off the wall. Percy barks at the pillow as Whisper jumps in fright. She was laying on the couch beside Percy and it scared her. Reaching over, I pat both of their heads and mutter, “Sorry, sweet girl. Momma is just having a breakdown. I love Jase. I do. And I want to support him and be there for him, but I can’t abandon me to do that.” Their big brown puppy dog eyes stare into mine as Whisper sighs and licks my hand. Percy just cocks his head to the side to watch me with sad eyes. “What do I do, babies? What the hell do I do?”
They offer no answers. Groaning, I stand and grab their leashes from the hook by the door. “Come on. Let’s go visit Maw Maw. We’ll walk. It’s a beautiful afternoon and I can have some of her Pumpkin Spiced Coffee.”
I don’t need to tell them we’re going for a walk twice. Both jump off the couch and run to the door. I hold out the leashes and ask them. “Are you going to be a good boy and not run ahead of me, Percy? What about you, Whisper? Can you stay with Momma? If so, I won’t make you wear the leash.” Percy cocks his head to the side and barks at me before turning in a circle and touching his nose to the door as he barks again. Whisper sits and holds up her paw. Laughing, I shake it as she licks the back of my hand.
I ruffle the fur on Percy’s head and nod at them both. “Ok, but remember you said you’d be good.”
Opening the door, I grab my keys and phone before locking the house up and starting off toward Maw Maw’s.
Percy barks at the leaves and chases the ones that are blowing around. Whisper soon follows behind him. I laugh at the simple delight they have chasing the leaves as they get some exercise.
Within half an hour, we’re turning into Maw Maw’s driveway. Percy runs ahead and climbs the porch steps while Whisper stays next to me. Percy stops at the chair Maw Maw is sitting in, gently rocking. She pats his head and calls out to me. “The coffee should be just about ready. I saw you coming and put on a pot. You can go check it and then bring me a cup when you come back out. It’s a gorgeous day and we can sit out here while we enjoy it. There are doggie biscuits on the counter, too. I just baked them this morning.”
Laughing, I lean down to kiss her cheek. “Yes, ma’am. You read my mind.”
She grins and her still beautiful face creases. “Uh huh. I’m reading it now, too. We’ll talk about what’s bothering you while we drink the coffee and these two enjoy their treat.”
Shaking my head, I mutter, “You know me too well.”
As the coffee finishes brewing, I take out the cream and sugar for Maw Maw. I know exactly how she likes her coffee. Me, I drink it black with a splash of cream. The pot coughs as it drops the last drops into the holder. Reaching into the cabinet, I grab two of the gold-filigreed cups that we’ve used since I was a child and make coffee for Maw Maw and me before slipping two of the biscuits in my jacket pocket.
Balancing both cups in one hand, I cuss as the cup burns me. But, I manage to get the door open. Crossing the porch, I hand one to Maw Maw and then take the chair next to her. As I settle into it, I set my hot coffee on the porch while I whistle for the dogs. They race over and sit patiently as I hand them their treats before taking them into the yard. Both lay down and eat the biscuits as they watch us on the porch. Reaching down, I pick up my cup and I use the toe of my boots to gently rock the chair as the steam from the coffee caresses my face. I inhale the aroma that I love. I’m quiet as I look out at Percy and Whisper as they finish their biscuits and once again chase leaves and each other in the expansive yard. I sigh.
Finally, Maw Maw says, “Ok, well spit it out. What’s bothering you, Petunia?”
Staring into my cup, I say, “Jase.”
She stops rocking. My eyes raise and I look at her over the rim of my cup as she pins me with her still sharp gaze. “What about him? He’s leaving soon, right?”
I nod. “Yeah. This week… in six days.”
She sits back and sighs. “And…”
I look at her incredulously. “And!? Seriously, Maw Maw?! My boyfriend is moving in six days to go play baseball for a Major League team. In Atlanta… where I don’t live… I don’t want to be that girl who doesn’t support her man, but my life is here. Ever
ything is here. You… Mom… the center… everything I’ve worked for is here.”
Maw Maw says quietly, “Not true… Jase will not be here. That is not everything. The man you love will be somewhere else.”
I blink and try to stop the stupid tears from falling. But I can’t. “I know that and that part kills me. I don’t want to lose him. How can we make a real go out of anything if we live so far apart? We can’t have a future like that… But the idea of a future without Jase… that kills me.”
She smile slowly. “You’re not looking at the big picture, Petunia. You’re so focused on the you being here and him being there, that you’re not seeing clearly.”
What? What is she talking about? What the hell am I not seeing?! I’d say the fact that my life is in Louisiana and his life is about to be in Atlanta is pretty freaking clear!
“What the hell am I not seeing? I live here. He is moving to Atlanta. The center is my passion. It’s everything to me… except Jase. The only way I can see anything working out is if I just completely abandon my dreams to go and support his. I don’t want to abandon me to support him. I can’t do that.
“That wouldn’t be fair to either of us, Maw Maw.”
She leans forward and pins me with the eyes they are exactly like mine… just older and wiser. “No one said you had to abandon yourself… I don’t want you to do that and neither would Jase. Abandon your dreams… no, you’re not doing that.
“However, you can always expand on your dreams…”
Expand on my dreams? What?
How can I do that?
“What do you mean, Maw Maw?”
She smiles at me and shakes her head. “Cally… use the big brain and think. Think big. Love and Paws is your passion and you should absolutely continue to pursue your passion… but Jase loves you… You love him… and you two, well, that would be a real travesty to lose that. You don’t have to abandon anything. Love & Paws is thriving, sweetheart… and that… that is because of your hard work and in recent months, Jase’s hard work, too. You did that… together.
“We have an amazing staff. You should be so proud of everything you’ve done here. I’m so incredibly proud of you. But… this is a well-oiled machine. Evie has expressed interest in taking on more responsibility and is interested in making the center her career. Drew graduates from LSU in the spring and wants to come on full-time. The volunteers are pouring in and we have a wait list with hundreds of people wanting to help.”
What? What is she saying? Is she firing me?
“Are–– are you firing me, Maw Maw?”
She laughs. I frown. Her hazel eyes widen as she sees my face. “Oh, Petunia. No, I’m not firing you. I’m simply letting you know that I have purchased a property… on the outskirts of Atlanta… For Love & Paws 2. It’s ten acres and was formerly a small farm. Several buildings will need to be renovated. A veterinarian will need to be acquired. Staff and volunteers who want to make a difference need to be hired… But, I happen to know someone who can handle all of that… can you think of anyone?”
I can’t breathe. I never thought about expanding Love & Paws, but it’s brilliant. Everywhere can use another no-kill center. And I’ve had ideas on changing some things here for a couple of years… I can start from the ground up there and implement everything I’ve dreamed of…
I can move and be with Jase. I can love him, support him, and expand on my dreams at the same time.
Jumping out of the glider, I scream and throw my arms around Maw Maw. “Oh my… thank you. I never would have thought… Maw Maw… you’re a genius!” Tears are rolling down my cheeks. “You’re the best and I love you.”
She smiles and hugs me back before kissing my cheeks. Her brows wrinkle as she says, “I love you, too. You just needed a kick in the ass. Now, snap to it… You’re needed in Atlanta. By the way… that farm has a very nice house and the whole thing is in your name.” She winks and calls out to Percy and Whisper, “You’re moving, babies!”
I race down the stairs and squeal as Percy and Whisper jump around my legs in excitement. “We have a lot to do, babies! But first… let’s call, Jase!”
Epilogue
Jase
Three and a half years later
“After winning the World Series, what’s next for Jase Stevens?”
I smile into the camera and answer the reporter. “Well, I’m going to take some time to spend with my family, my wife, our daughter, and our pups. We’ll probably head back home to visit with some family and take a vacation of sorts before our son makes his appearance in a few months.” I wink. “Family is the most important thing.”
The reporter asks me one more thing and I reply before shaking his hand and changing my clothes. As I grab my duffel and head out of the locker room, some of the guys call out to me. I wave back and tell them I’ll see them soon enough.
The door closes on the mayhem and I grin as I see my beautiful, pregnant wife, holding our sleeping toddler as she leans against the wall. She’s snuggled against Cally’s shoulder with her thumb in her mouth as her dark lashes flutter. Her legs are splayed on both sides of her mommy’s protruding stomach. Cally grins as she sees me.
Reaching out, I take Adeline from her and she settles on my chest. I smell her baby scent and kiss the top of her blonde head as I hold my arm out to Cally. She sighs and arches her back with a grimace. “She’s getting heavy.”
Pulling her against me, I press a kiss to the side of her head. “Well, you are carrying another baby on top of lugging around our little princess. I’ll rub your back when we get home.”
She grins up at me. “You just pitched most of a ten-inning game and you’re going to rub my back?!” A chuckle escapes her. “You’re too much, Jase Stevens. What did I ever do to deserve you?”
We’ve reached her Tahoe in the back of the stadium. She unlocks it and I place Adaline in her car seat before bucking her in and kissing her head again. She stirs and smiles sleepily as she opens her eyes and sees me. Her chubby little hands cup my face and she sighs. “My daddy…” before she falls back asleep.
Her little voice causes my heart to jump start. Straightening out, I see Cally watching us from the open doorway. She smiles at me. “I love you.”
Smiling back, I shut the door and round the hood. Cally just watches me as I reach her. Reaching out, I take the keys from her and cup her cheek as I lean down. “I love you, too. And what do you mean what did you do to deserve me? I’m the one that’s blessed. You, Adeline, our fur babies, and…” my hands cradle her stomach. My palm jumps as the baby safely nestled there kicks or hits it. “This little man are my world… my everything…
“I’m truly living my dream, Cally. My dream was always to play ball with the Braves and now… I get to do that… But without you, without the family we’ve created and the life we have… it would be a job, not a dream.
“You… you’re what makes this life a fairy tale.
“I hit a Grand Slam with you, baby.”
Her nose wrinkles and she laughs before leaning on her tiptoes to press her lips to mine. Her belly bumps against me and I feel another kick or punch. She pulls back and winks, “See, he thinks you’re something else, too.”
A tired sigh escapes her. “Now, let’s go home, Mr. MVP. Your pregnant wife is tired, but not so tired that she doesn’t want to celebrate your win with you. Only, if we don’t hurry, my exhaustion might win out over my rampant hormones.”
I laugh and wink. “Can’t have that. I so love celebrating every milestone with my loving wife.”
She laughs again as I help her around the car and into the passenger seat. “Shut up and drive, Mr. Stevens.”
Winking once more, I shut the door, jog around to the driver’s side, and hop in. “You bet, Mrs. Stevens. Next stop… Chateau de Stevens… do you need to check on the animals at the center?”
Her sexy smile makes my blood burn. “Nope. The center is golden and Percy and Whisper were knocked out when we left home. I don’t have to
do anything except tuck our daughter into bed and love my husband.”
I mutter, “Game plan,” and head home.
Playlist
Without a Fight – Brad Paisley / Demi Lovato
Where It’s At – Dustin Lynch
Something About You – Cary Brothers
Beautiful – 10 Years
Record Year – Eric Church
Maybe You’re Right – Miley Cyrus
Just Over – Luke Bryan
Call Your Name – Daughtry
It’s Gunna Be Me – NSYNC
Making My Way To You – Cole Swindell
Tangled – Thomas Rhett
I’d Want It To Be Yours – Justin Moore
Yeah, I Said It – Rhianna
How I’ll Always Be – Tim McGraw
Stitches – Shawn Mendes
Speakers – Sam Hunt
All About Us – Jordan Fisher
Things Will Never Be The Same – Jonas Bros
Rivers – Chevelle
Damn Girl – Easton Corbin
Beauty and a Beat – Justn Beaber / Nicki Minaj
Singing In The Rain – Simple Plan
Beautiful Soul – Jesse McCartney
Chaser – Carrie Underwood
Toothbrush – DNCE
Lights Come On – Jason Aldean
Don’t Cry – Guns N’ Roses
Halfway Gone – Lifehouse
Can’t Stop The Feeling! – Justin Timberlake
Might As Well Be Making Love – Jessica Simpson
That’s Where You Take Me – Britney Spears
Kiss You In The Morning – Michael Ray
Show Me – Bruno Mars
Take a Breath – Staind
Lose Myself – JC Chasez
Somewhere Trouble Don’t Go – Miranda Lambert
Acknowledgements
The important people
