“She ended up with the man of her dreams.”
Just like me.
Epilogue Two
Four Months Later
ROXY
I squeeze Billy’s hand. “You got this.”
His expression is somber as he watches the TV screen. “Thanks, babe.”
Mrs. Babcock gives me a worried smile from across my parents’ living room. She’s sitting with Billy’s grandma, and my mom and dad.
Today is the last day of the draft. And so far, despite the incredible stats Billy had this season, despite the number of interceptions he had, despite that heart-stopping Hail Mary he threw in the UT game, and despite having a top agent, no team has picked Billy yet.
He even spoke to two NFL coaches this week to discuss their interest.
And yet he still hasn’t been drafted.
It pisses me off. How can teams not see how incredible he is?
Is it because he switched positions twice in college? Because of his rowdy past? Because he comes across a little carefree?
Out of the two hundred and fifty-nine picks, there were just fifteen safeties drafted last year, and so far, fourteen have already been picked.
I’ll be sick if Billy’s not drafted. I stare at the potted plant on the other side of the room, because there’s a strong likelihood I’m going to puke on my mother’s philodendron.
Internally, I’m freaking out, but on the outside, I hope I appear calm. Billy doesn’t need me to lose it right now. He needs me to be supportive.
I squeeze his hand again. “You’re next. It’s going to happen.” It had better fucking happen, or I’m going to Hulk out and… I don’t know what I’m going to do, but it won’t be pretty because Billy absolutely deserves a shot at the NFL.
Marley grabs my hair to try to stand in my lap. “Up! Up!” My daughter is the only thing that can bring a smile to my face right now. “Up” and “Mama” are the only two words she says, but she knows what they mean.
I stand her in my lap, and she holds her arms open for Billy. “Do you want to go to Daddy?”
“Da.”
Billy’s head jerks around as his eyes widen. “Did she just say…”
“Dada!” she yells and bounces up and down.
I give him a watery smile. I know how much this means to him. Someday, when Marley gets a little older, we’ll explain that she has a biological father too. We won’t hide that from her. But she’ll know she has a daddy who will always be by her side.
Billy’s eyes get shiny as he pulls her into his lap. “Hey, baby. Whatcha got for me?”
She plants a slobbery kiss on his cheek, and my heart melts at the sweet look he gives her as he sits her in his lap. Then he grabs my hand and laces his fingers through mine and pulls me close. “Love you, biscuit.”
“Love you too, baby.”
When he kisses me on the forehead, I sigh. We’ll get through this, no matter what. But I hope with everything in me that Billy can achieve his dream.
I look around the room, and my dad winks at me. I smile back, grateful that Billy and I have the support of my family.
My parents are hosting this three-day draft party for the team, since we have several players who declared for the draft. Tater and Douggie have been here the whole time to get local coverage. Douggie interviewed my brother, and I interviewed Cam. When Billy gets drafted—please, Jesus—Douggie will interview him too, since I can’t now that we’re engaged.
My mom, ever the hostess, comes by with a tray of hors d’oeuvres, which she sets down on the coffee table, swapping them out for Marley, who now wants her grandma to pick her up.
