NINE: Boyle Heights

  Nine jerked his head away, pulling his body off her, the full-blown anxiousness back in his eyes. “Why? You’re not still thinking about—”

  She shook her head immediately and smiled, feeling evil. “When we had the whole discussion about holding off on the ring, he asked several times if I wanted to at least go window shopping so I could pick something out for when the time came.” Drew rolled her eyes again, unable to believe she ever thought things with Brad would actually work out if she just forced herself to go along with it. “I think I knew deep inside even back then that it’d never work out and was holding off making things that much more permanent. It’s why I insisted he hold off buying it until we found the perfect house and then I found fault with every single one we saw. He picked the ring out all on his own, so I told him, if that’s the ring he wants for the girl he considers to be the one, he should just hold onto it until she comes along.”

  That seemed to ease him but not completely. It appeared he had more on his mind still, and something about the way he was still searching her eyes made her nervous. “Good, but now that we have all that cleared up, we need to talk.”

  Chapter 27

  Nine

  Only good thing about their exchange having gotten so intense was it made this next part of what he needed to say to her today less daunting. The best thing that came out of both of them being so openly upset about the other possibly doing something with anybody else was that it was clear they both wanted the same thing now. At least, he hoped it was. But there was still that other issue.

  “Please tell me your first impression of me has changed.” Nine searched her eyes for the slightest hint of her answer to that but went on. “Tell me you know now that I’d never treat you like one of those douches you told me about when we first met.”

  She smiled but not all the way. It was an apprehensive smile. “First of all, I never said my first impression of you was that of a douche. I used the word player. The word douche was later applied to the guys I used to date that I compared you to, because most were. But I didn’t know anything about you at that point, except that you had a very inquiring mind, you were such a smart ass, and you were hot.” This time she smiled bigger, making him smile too. “That you were probably well aware of it since you were so smug.” Nine laughed, but she went on. “I didn’t know anything about your character; though it did bode well for you that you stuck around that first night and waited with me for the tow truck to arrive. I know some of those other guys I dated in the past wouldn’t have, especially if I’d insisted they didn’t have to like I did with you. So that said a lot about you.”

  As usual, Nine listened to her, completely enthralled as she explained how, just like him, each time she’d been around him up until the wedding he grew on her fast. That it was ultimately what made her realize she’d never feel for Brad what she felt so profoundly for Nine in such a short time.

  “I didn’t know then, or, rather, I still wasn’t admitting it to myself yet, but by the wedding, I’d fallen in love with you.”

  It was music to his ears, and he pulled her to him, kissing her softly, gently, so she could feel just how in love he was with her too. He pulled away to look into her eyes. “Pretty sure I fell in love with you way back at the shower.” He gazed into her eyes, feeling and knowing he looked so lovesick, but he didn’t care anymore. “But seeing you again at the BBQ at Gio’s and then again at the rehearsal dinner pretty much sealed it. That cigarette I had after you drove away the night of the rehearsal was the last I ever smoked because I hadn’t smoked another and then you mentioned not wanting smokers around Chelsea. But the wedding . . .”

  He shook his head, remembering what torture it’d been to watch her with her fiancé then see them walk out together. “I knew I was in trouble at the wedding. And those weeks following it when you cut me off . . . That was the fucking worst! Do you know I even had a long-ass conversation with moms about you?”

  “You did?”

  He knew that would surprise her because at the time even he couldn’t believe that had happened. “I did, and my whole life I’ve never talked about any girl to them. The closest I’d ever had to a conversation discussing the women in my life was when Dulce would say it’d do me some good to find me a nice girl to make a man out of me. My response was always I do find nice girls all the time, Ma. And don’t worry. They do me real good and remind me what a man I am every time.”

  Dee shoved him, frowning playfully. Nine laughed, picking up her hand and kissing it. “Not anymore.” He pecked her softly. “I found the only perfect girl I’ll ever want.”

  She smiled even as her eyes glistened, so he kissed her again. Moving on because he wanted everything out in the open now, he confessed about O knowing their little secret since day one. How the moment he found out she’d be over for the hands-on website tutorial he’d practically begged O to switch places with him so Nine could be the one to stay in town and wait for her to drop by instead.

  Her mouth dropped open. “You planned that? Oh my God, I planned being there that day because I was told you wouldn’t be.”

  She told him how Ali was the only one who knew that Drew had any feelings for him at all. How she didn’t trust herself to be around him once she was single and free to do whatever she wanted with him. “You’d made it so clear that you didn’t do the relationship thing, and I was terrified of giving into you and getting my heart broken. It’s why when I did give in so easily”—she rolled her eyes, but Nine smiled big—“I made that remark about not being ready to jump right back into a relationship. I was afraid, with all my needing-to-be-in-a-mature-relationship speeches, you’d get spooked and not even wanna do this.”

  Laughing out loud, Nine let his head fall back then met her eyes again. “But it’s why I agreed I was good with that. I was so fucking whipped already I thought you’d notice and jump ship. I was determined to prove to you that, even with all my shortcomings, I was the man for you. It’s why I said I’m only a man earlier, Dee. Not because I was tempted in any way to give into Becca and her friend, but because I would’ve never imagined even considering turning something like that down. So I wasn’t prepared. I had no idea how to handle it. I couldn’t just manhandle them and push them off me. All I kept thinking was how the hell am I supposed to explain even this if it ever gets back to Dee? With you being Lila’s friend, I was afraid it might, and fuck if it didn’t. Thank God her friend wasn’t drunk too. She was the only one who showed a little dignity and finally convinced Becca to just leave.”

  “I still wonder how she knew about you getting hurt.”

  “Fuck her.” Nine shook his head because he didn’t want to get back to that. “About this . . .” He pointed at her then himself. “You have to know this is changing, right? No more questioning what this is or if either of us has the right to question anything or anyone in the other’s life we might not be okay with.” He waited for her to nod in agreement. “Good. Because I’m okay with Phoenix, but I think I told you how I’d feel about any girl of mine staying in touch with an ex. Any ex, not just Brad. If Phoenix and Sean stay in touch with Brad, that’s one thing. But if my reaction today is any indication of how I’d feel if I found out you’re even chatting with him, things are gonna get ugly. Fair warning.”

  “And Becca?”

  “Out. Done. Especially after the week I’ve had because of her conniving ass.”

  Drew smiled beautifully with a sigh. “Works for me.”

  As much a relief as it was to get this straight, he still hadn’t gotten to the scary part. He swallowed hard, almost chickening out. They’d made enough progress for one day. Maybe he should wait and do it later. But then he forced himself. “I know how important it is for you not to bring just anyone into Chelsea’s life, and I totally respect that. You can—you should—take all the time you need to decide who that is before doing so. But I just want you to know, as much as she means to you, I’d love nothing more than to be part of her life too. Eventually. I?
??ll wait as long as it takes.” He added that last part because he could already see the strange change in her expression.

  Holding his breath, he waited for her response. She said nothing for a moment then nearly stopped his heart when her face crumbled, and she started crying.

  Instantly, his hands were cradling her face. “Or not,” he said, pecking her as he cursed himself inwardly. “You don’t have to do anything you don’t wanna do, baby.”

  She shook her head. “It’s not that, silly. I’m crying because I can’t believe how perfect you turned out to be. Of course, I want you to be part of her life. I’ve been ready for us to do something together for some time now, but I didn’t dare suggest it until I knew you were all in for sure.”

  Nine felt like jumping in the air and fist-pumping, but to his shock, he felt a little choked up himself. “I’m all in, beautiful.” He almost didn’t say the next part, but he was done with the holding-back bullshit. “For the rest of my life.”

  She scrunched up her face again as her eyes flooded all over again. Nine smiled, feeling the tears in his own eyes. “I love you, Dee Dee.”

  “I love you too, baby.”

  Epilogue

  Drew

  Tank barked wildly as Chelsea ran to first base after hitting the ball off the tee. Everyone in the stands cheered as the ball went by the confused second baseman and into the outfield. The clueless outfielder peered out at the cheering crowd as if she had no idea why everyone was cheering as the ball rolled by her.

  Coach Nine yelled from the dugout. “Keep going! Go! Go! Go!”

  Chelsea rounded first base and kept running toward second base. Drew held Tank’s leash tightly as he continued to bark and go crazy, watching his girl run and hearing everyone cheering.

  “Go, baby, go!” Drew yelled out.

  Smiling when she looked up in the stands to Phoenix sitting with his parents, a few of his other family members, and Sean cheering just as loudly, Drew held up her hand in the air in a long-distance high five for their daughter’s homerun.

  Anytime one of these kids got a good hit off the tee, it was a for sure in-the-park homerun. Getting any of the fielders to catch and throw the ball in the right direction was almost impossible. A coordinated play, back in time to get an out before the hitter made it all the way home, was even more unheard of. It’s why they didn’t even keep score. But it was still exciting, and Nine had coached and helped Chelsea to be one of the best to hit that ball off the tee.

  Still, even though it didn’t matter, it was exciting, and having the whole family out here, including all the grandparents since Chelsea had so many now, made her daughter love hamming it up.

  Glancing over at Beast and Ali as the new daddy held the baby while Ali cheered on with Lila and her friend—one of the ones at the hospital that morning—Drew was reminded of one of the most horrid weeks of her life.

  They finally figured out how dirty Becca knew about Nine’s injury. Nine had very obviously been afraid to admit to Drew he’d answered one of her calls. “But only because I was dying to know how that bitch knew about me getting hurt.”

  He admitted playing nice just to get her to confess. Apparently, that night he thought she’d been there twice, she’d actually been there three times. She’d come by another time in between the first time she stopped by and her drunken visit later. Nine was able to get her to admit she’d actually been there earlier and overheard him telling O about the injury. Then, when he rushed off to take a call upstairs—Dee’s call—she’d left the flyer on the desk and walked out before anyone noticed her.

  Nine promptly told her off and let her know he was, in fact, in a relationship now and she was no longer someone he could associate with in any way. Of course, he hadn’t been quite as calm and respectful as that sounded, but as he put it, he handled that shit. Drew had been a little pissed at first that he even answered her call since she’d since blocked Brad, not wanting any issues with Nine. But she knew all too well how inquisitive Nine could be. He wasn’t about to just let this go without getting to the bottom of it. She was also glad to finally know how Becca knew and have some closure.

  After wrapping up the three innings, everyone headed over to Barro’s Pizza for their weekly after-game pizza party. Aside from hitting home runs and being greeted by the entire team high-fiving her at home plate, it was Chelsea’s new favorite part of the week. To Phoenix’s chagrin, tap dancing had run its course. Though she still liked walking around the house, driving Drew crazy with her tap shoes.

  “Listen up, everyone,” Nine said as he stood up in front of the large table full of players, family members, and friends. “Dee and I just heard back from our agent, and our offer for the home we bid on has been accepted!”

  He high-fived Chelsea, who they’d just explained this to in the car after dropping Tank off at home. Everyone clapped and offered their congrats. Tay and Dulce hugged them both and high-fived Chelsea because it was another one of her new favorite things.

  Drew stood up next to Nine, smiling big. “So get your bathing suits and swim trunks ready because this means, starting next month, instead of pizza parties after the games, we’ll be hosting pool parties at our new home!”

  The kids all cheered, and the parents clapped as Nine, Drew, and Chelsea shared a group hug. “I’m so happy for you,” Phoenix said as they pulled away from their group hug and Drew hugged him. “I was thinking maybe we should look into swimming classes for Chels.”

  “Oh, for sure,” Drew said. “All over it. And the pool area is already gated, so we don’t have to worry about her falling in when we’re not around.”

  “Yeah, yeah, that too. But I mean competitive lessons. You know, on account of her gift for athletics.” Drew had to laugh, shaking her head. “She’s a natural, Drew. Did you not see her out there?”

  “She’s had two games, Phoenix, and it’s T-ball.”

  “Still, we have to encourage—”

  “Nix,” Sean said, nudging Phoenix. “Let’s get through this first season, shall we? Before we start signing her up for the Junior Olympics.”

  “Babe,” Nine said, pulling her to him by the waist. “Since the previous owners have moved out, I say we pick up Tank after this and take him down there so he gets a feel for his new yard. I wanna get some measurements too, for that tree house I’ll be building for CC.”

  Touching his face and still feeling like she was living a dream, Drew nodded, pecking his lips. “We can do that.”

  Ever since she told him about Chelsea’s middle name, Catherine, she’d instantly become CC to Nine. He wasn’t kidding when he said he was partial to nicknames. It wasn’t until he was in middle school that he found out Dulce’s name was actually Candace. But everyone called her Candy, and since she was the reason Nine spoke Spanish at all because Tay didn’t, she became Dulce as soon as Nine figured out it meant “candy” in Spanish. Many times she was Sweet Dulce when his smart-ass remarks went over her head and he’d kiss her, saying, “Gotta love my Sweet Dulce.”

  Tay and Dulce jumped in the car with them after the party when they went to pick up Tank. They were anxious to see the house too. Phoenix and Sean, who hadn’t seen it either, said they’d meet them there.

  They drove up to their vacant dream home just as the others drove up. Aside from Phoenix and Sean, O, Beast, Ali, and even Charlee and her kids were there to check out their new place.

  They all gathered in the back yard as Nine took Tank’s leash off and fired him up. Tank took off, doing one of his crazy runs in the big grassy area. Drew giggled as she and Phoenix cringed, holding on to either side of Sean as Nine and CC continued to fire Tank up and he only ran faster around the crowd. “Swear to God we’re all gonna go down like bowling pins,” Phoenix said, squeezing his eyes shut as Tank zoomed by them.

  Once Tank got a good feel for his new yard, Nine figured out how to get in the house, using a technique he learned back in his day to break into one of the windows. They all took the grand tour and
ended up back in the yard. Drew could barely believe this was going to be her and Chelsea’s new home—new life—and they’d be sharing it with the love of her life.

  “Since most of everyone who matters is here, I guess this is as good a time as any to do this.”

  Drew turned to Nine curiously as he took Chelsea by the hand and brought her over next to Drew. The moment he got down on his knee she brought her hand over her mouth and was completely choked up. “Now that we’ll be living in our new home together like a family, I’d love nothing more than to make this official.” He pulled out a ring from his pocket and held it out to Drew. “Dee, will you make me the happiest man in the world and be my wife?”

  She nodded adamantly, unable to talk, she was so overwhelmed with emotion. He slipped the ring onto her finger and then turned to Chelsea, pulling out a charm bracelet from his pocket. “Can I be your third daddy?”

  Chelsea glanced up to Drew wide-eyed, and Drew shrugged, giving her that it’s up to you look. Drew knew without doubt what her daughter’s answer would be. Phoenix had already been a little jealous about how quickly Chelsea had grown so close to Nine. The man was just so irresistibly lovable. Chelsea wrapped her arms around Nine’s neck “Yes, yes, yes!”

  Everyone cheered as Nine placed the bracelet on Chelsea’s little wrist. There were several charms on the bracelet, but the two that stood out to Drew were the baseball jersey with the number nine on it and the heart with the letter D, another number nine, and the double C’s engraved in it.

  Nine stood up, picking up Chelsea with him and kissing her on the cheek, then leaned in and kissed a still-sniveling Drew. “Never in a million years did I dream I could be this happy,” he whispered. “I love my girls.”

  “We love you too,” Chelsea said, surprising Drew because it was the first she’d heard her say it.

  Looking just as surprised, Nine turned to Chelsea. “You do?”

  This time Drew beat Chelsea to the punch. “Yes, we do. We love you very much.”