The Commitment (11 page)

“I love you,” I whisper, giving her a final light kiss on the end of her nose, feeling the blush heat her cheeks.

“I love you, too, Baby Daddy.”

Sophie

The next morning, we all make our way to the field to see JT play his first game. I’ve been a mess ever since I helped him get into his uniform and I’ve taken so many pictures of him, the poor kid will probably never see right again.

With everything that he’s been through, I wanted nothing more than this day to be perfect for JT. While he’s been adjusting amazingly well considering everything that’s happened, I’ve still been a nervous wreck. He’s finally starting to get a little of his spark back. I didn’t want anything standing in the way of him having the amazing day he deserves.

When Heather arrived at the park, I was worried it would be awkward even though we’d spoken over the phone. However, aside from a little friendly teasing, it was like my outburst the night before had never even happened.

“Listen, I’ve had a lot of coffee this morning,” she laughs, loud enough for everyone to hear. “Maybe I should sit on the other end so I don’t have to pass Jack on my way to the bathroom. I don’t want you to think there’s anything shady happening.”

“Oh shut up,” I tell her, blushing as I ignore the chuckles coming from our row. “Besides, if you sit over there, you’ll be too close to Matty.”

“Are you serious?” she gapes at my joke.

“Heather, you can have the whole world! I don’t care! Just not anyone on this row,” I tell her with a laugh. “Especially not Ana, that hot piece of ass belongs to me.”

“Damn right, Baby,” Ana says with a seductive wink, throwing me a kiss and reaching for a bite of Drake’s popcorn, making us chuckle.

“Well, whose hot piece of ass am I then?” Heather says, feigning a pout until she hears a voice from behind her.

“Mine,” Jamie says, his deep voice causing us to turn. Feeling Chase’s glare, he looks over. “If you don’t want me here, I’ll go. I just need to talk to my girlfriend.”

Glancing up at his tight jaw, I silently beg Chase to call a truce, even if temporary. Not only is Heather one of my best friends, he knows how important it is for me to make sure everything is perfect for my Godson today. However, I also know how much anger he still has toward everything that had to do with the night I was assaulted by Jamie’s friend. Searching my eyes and taking a deep breath, he slowly faces him again.

“You can stay,” he starts, holding Jamie’s eyes. “But you better fuckin’ listen to me. I am
not
afraid of prison. If you so much as look at her wrong…”

“Baby,” I sigh, rolling my eyes. “He didn’t…”

“Nah, it’s cool, Sophie,” Jamie says, putting his hands up. “If I was him, I’d probably feel the same way.”

“Well, I don’t give a shit how any of you feel. Number seventeen,” I snap, pointing to the field where JT is sitting patiently. “That’s what I care about right now. Get your shit right, both of you. Ana? Gimme some freaking popcorn.”

“Here ya go,” she chuckles.

“Thank you,” I grumble around the kernels. “Aunt Deb? Did you bring the cookies?”

“Yes,” she grins, sending the container down the row.

“Thank you,” I call back, taking a bite from one and holding it up to Chase, ignoring the way he’s trying to hide his smirk. “Eat a fucking cookie and get happy, Baby. We’re having fun today, damn it.”

“Okay, Princess,” he smiles, kissing the side of my head and reaching for one. “Everything is okay, just calm down.”

“I
am
calm,” I counter. “I’m having a freaking blast.”

“Good,” he chuckles, rubbing my thigh.

Eventually, everyone slips into a comfortable conversation as we wait for the game to start and my stress begins to fade gradually. By the time we’re asked to stand for the National Anthem, my stress is completely gone.

As I place my hand over my heart, I can’t help but glance over at Jack and feel my eyes begin to well with tears. With my hormones raging, halfway through the song, I’m openly sobbing. When Chase looks down to see me, he wraps his arm around my shoulders and pulls me close.

“Hey,” he whispers, facing me to gently wipe my tears away with his shirt. “You okay?”

“Yeah,” I sniff. “I’m having a lot of fun.”

When the song is over, the game begins and we take our seats. Jack slips in beside me as he kisses the side of my head and Chase keeps his hold of my hand. As I glance down the row at people I can only describe as my family, I’ve never felt more loved.

Before long, JT is called up and my breathing hitches. He looks so big, but so fragile at the same time as he makes his way to the plate.

For a moment, he nervously looks around to search the small set of bleachers for us. When his eyes fall on our group dominating the stands, he blushes deeply and looks away quickly, making me grin.

“Look at him,” I say in a soft voice as we stand to get a better look at our man of the hour. “God, I can’t believe how big he is already.”

“I know,” Jack says, neither of us taking our eyes from him, but the smiles in our voices evident as he squeezes my hand.

“JT Walker is next up,” the announcer says, causing us to release our grasp and cheer so loudly, his little ears begin to light up red in embarrassment.

“Yeah! JT!” “Come on, Little Man!” “Woohoo! Little Cuz!” “Little J! Show ‘em how it’s done!” “Let’s go, JT!” “Number seventeen like a boss!” “Yay JT!”

We’re just getting warmed up when he turns to us, giving us a look of disapproval and rolls his eyes.

“Shh!” he whispers seriously, ceasing all of our noise and causing us to stifle our laughter.

We behave until he hits the ball and then there’s no stopping us. He runs around to first base, giggling the whole way at our reaction. By the time the game has ended, there’s no wiping the smile from his face.

“Did you have fun?” I ask as I crouch down to get closer.

“Yes!” he says. “When can I come back?”

“You have practice on Thursday, Baby,” I smile, brushing his hair away from his face and handing him a drink. “I’m so glad you had fun!”

As he makes his rounds, getting high praise from everyone, Chase makes his way over to where I’m saying goodbye to Heather.

“Baby,” Chase says, quietly interrupting me. “I’ll be right back. You’ll be alright?”

“Of course,” I smile, returning his kiss and rolling my eyes when I hear him talking to the others.

“Drake, Jack, Matt,” he starts. “I’m walking over here to say hi to my friend. Will you stay with them?”

“Yeah,” they respond in unison.

“Anyway,” I smirk at Heather. “Thank you for coming to the game. I’m sure there are a ton of things you’d rather do on your day off, but it means a lot.”

“Of course, girl,” she smiles, reaching to hug me. “I’m glad I got to see you. What day will you be home this week?”

“Um… Tuesday and Thursday, why? Wanna hang out?”

“Definitely!” she smiles. “I’m off on Tuesday, I’ll call you.”

“Awesome!” I say, hugging her tightly. “Thanks again for being cool yesterday. Sorry I’m a freak.”

“Nah, I wouldn’t have you any other way,” she winks before touching my belly. “Let me get a rub for good luck.”

“You’re such an asshole,” I laugh.

“Yeah, I know,” she grins. “Love ya, chick.”

“Love ya back,” I smile.

“Bye JT! Bye everyone!”

“See ya later, Jamie,” I say with a smile as everyone says goodbye to Heather.

I turn to face the others and let out a long sigh of exhaustion. Taking a seat on the bleachers next to Jack and my aunt, I smile over at JT playing with Matty and glance out to see Chase making his way back over. He stops every so often to say hello to people, so it’s taking him a while to make his way back. When my phone begins to blaze from my phone, I glance down to see Emily’s name on my caller ID.

“Hey Em,” I say with a smile.

“Sophie?” she says, her voice seemingly distraught. “Are you with my brother?”

“Yeah,” I start. “What’s the matter? Are you okay?”

“I can’t get him on his phone,” she says, her voice shaking again. As I glance up, I see him looking down at his phone, excusing himself from his conversation and pulling it to his ear.

“Emily, he’s answering his phone right now,” I explain. “What’s the matter, Honey?”

“Sophie,” Drake says, interrupting our conversation. “Sophie, take JT. I have to get Chase.”

“Why? What’s the matter?” I ask, confusion and fear filling my body as I focus my attention back on my call. “Emily, Drake’s getting Chase. What’s going on? What’s wrong?”

“Sophie, it’s Daddy,” she says, falling apart over the line. “He collapsed and they had to rush him to the hospital. They won’t tell us what’s going on, but I’m really scared.”

“Oh my God,” I manage, standing to look for Chase as she continues to break down over the line. “Em, Honey, take a deep breath. Everything’s going to be okay.”

Where the hell is he?

“I can’t lose my Dad, Sophie,” she cries as I frantically search the field, finding Drake throwing his arms up in my direction.

“Don’t think like that,” I try, turning to search for my fiancé with no luck. “Just take a deep breath and we’re getting Chase, okay?”

“Okay,” she says. “I love you.”

“I love you, too, Em. I’ll call you right back.” Hanging up the phone, I glance down to find five sets of eyes on me. “Where the hell is Chase?”

“What’s the matter?” Ana asks.

“Pops,” I tell her. “Chase’s dad is in the hospital. I have to find him and get him on a plane.”

“You’re not going?” she asks in surprise.

“Ana, I can’t,” I say, still scouring. “I can’t take JT to Flor-”

“Go,” Jack says immediately. “Sophie, Baby, go. We’ve got him.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes,” they both say simultaneously.

“JT,” I say, pulling him into my chest. “Listen to me, Sweet Pea. I have to go, but I’ll call you tonight. Uncle Jack and Ana are going to take care of you. Everything’s okay, Baby, I’ll be home as soon as I can.”

“You promise?”

“Yes,” I tell him immediately, squeezing him tightly. “I’ll call you tonight. I love you.”

“I love you, too,” he says.

“Be a good boy, Baby. I love you so much.”

“Okay,” he says.

“Are you sure?” I ask, looking at them again.

“Go!” they order.

“Thank you! I love you both.”

In the next instant, I’m running.

Chase

“Brad,” I start, walking further away from my friend and into the parking lot, still searching for a better spot. “Dude, I still can’t hear shit. You’re cutting out. Let me call you back.”

I’m heading toward the bleachers when I see Sophie taking off in a mad dash.

Where the hell is she going?

She runs in the opposite direction of me and for a split second, I see her face. She looks horrified.

Running as fast as I can, I take the back way around the bleachers, grateful I still remember my way around the middle school I attended years ago well enough to know a shortcut.

“Chase!” she shouts, stopping to rest her hands on her knees before searching the parking lot frantically and taking off towards the truck.

“Sophie!” I call out, but between the commotion and the distance between us, she can’t hear me. It doesn’t help that she’s got her phone stuck to her ear.

Finally, I make my way to where I can see her. Just when I’m about to call out to her again, I watch her kick the shit out of the side of my truck, triggering the alarm.

What the fuck?

She climbs in and begins laying into the horn. When her eyes meet mine, she hangs up her phone and starts the truck, calling for me.

“Chase!” she calls.

“Baby, what the fuck are you doing?”

“Get in the truck!” she yells frantically.

Climbing into the passenger seat, I’ve barely got the door shut before she’s peeling out of the parking lot.

“Are you okay?” I ask her, searching for signs of injury. “Is the baby-”

“I’m fine, Baby,” she says, ordering me to put my seatbelt on.

“Why the hell were you kicking my truck?”

“To set off the alarm,” she says, pulling onto the highway frantically, heading toward the interstate. “I couldn’t find you. Did you talk to anyone?”

“Brad called but I couldn’t make out anything,” I admit. “Why? What the fuck is going on?”

“Chase,” she says, meeting my eyes as quickly as she can before refocusing on the road in front of us. “Baby, I’m so sorry that I have to tell you like this.”

“What? Sophie, you’re freaking me out, Baby. What’s going on?”

“It’s your Dad,” she says, her voice cracking as she reaches for my hand. “Emily called me. He collapsed and they had to rush him to the hospital.”

“What?”

“I don’t know what happened, Baby,” she says quietly, pulling onto interstate and hitting eighty miles per hour. “I’m so sorry. I just know we have to get to…”