Swing and a Mishap (Summersweet Island 2)

“Will you two stop sucking face? You’re missing the game,” Murphy complains, forcing Shepherd and me to end our kiss when he flops down onto the bench in front of us as everyone else in the crowd sits down when we make the two-point conversion.

“Did you get me my Twizzlers, Snickers, Nerds Rope, and KitKat?” Bodhi asks excitedly from behind us as Murphy hands him back a hot dog.

“Tess said you’re not allowed any more sugar tonight,” Murphy reminds him, while Bodhi throws a small temper tantrum.

“Hey, Shepherd, can I get one of those Wildcat football hoodies in a large?” Alan, one of the football parents, asks as he pauses in the aisle by our row.

“You want your last name in glitter letters or just regular?” Shepherd asks, pulling his phone out to make a note of the order.

“Dude, do you even have to ask? Glitter me up.”

Alan gives Shepherd a fist bump before continuing to walk up into the bleachers with his nachos while I just smile and shake my head at my man.

Did I forget to mention our monstrosity of a home has a monstrosity of a craft room? It looks like Belle’s library from Beauty and the Beast, except every shelf is filled with basket after basket of craft supplies, and yes, there is a damn ladder on wheels. Deciding to continue practicing his Cricut skills on my family and friends, Shepherd started making Wildcats gear for everyone to wear to the games. T-shirts, long-sleeved T-shirts, hoodies, sweatpants, and rally towels, he made everyone a pile of things to test out and make sure the vinyl decals didn’t come off when they were washed. Parents and fans at the games immediately went nuts for them the first time we went to a Friday night football game, and Shepherd has taken so many orders in the last few weeks that he’s decided to run a small business out of his new craft room, donating all of the profits right back into the school’s sports programs.

He’s so perfect I almost want to puke. But I won’t. Because he’s mine and I love him.

And exactly one week after Kevin ran away from Summersweet Island with his tail tucked between his legs, an envelope from a law office in North Carolina was delivered, filled with the paperwork Kevin had already signed, denouncing all rights to Owen. It broke my heart for exactly three seconds, until I looked out the window of my cottage to my front yard and saw Owen and Shepherd playing catch. Owen already had a father, and it definitely wasn’t Kevin Stratford.

There’s only one thing missing from this perfect life of mine. Well, one person. But she’s living her dream on the other side of the world, and no matter how much I miss her, I just have to continue being happy for her.

My phone rings from the pocket of my hoodie, and I quickly pull it out just in case it’s Owen with an emergency. Shepherd saw him talking to a… girl by the concession stand during halftime when he went to the bathroom, and I keep hoping my baby will call me and tell me she’s gross and I need to come save him. Even though it’s not Owen calling me for an emergency out from an icky girl trying to take my baby away from me, I can’t keep the huge smile off my face when it’s like my best friend just knew I was thinking about her.

“Hey, Em, how’s—”

“Wrennyyy! I love you so much!”

I wince and pull the phone away from my ear for a second she screams so loudly. The crowd goes wild when our wide receiver makes an interception, and I press the phone closer to my ear when I hear Emily shouting a bunch of stuff I can’t understand, plugging my other ear with my finger.

“I can barely hear you! I’m at the football game!” I shout, mouthing to Shepherd who’s on the phone when he sits back down beside me after cheering with everyone else.

“I said I quit, bitch!” she shouts again, this time without so much ear-piercing screaming and with a whole bunch of giggles. Emily never, ever giggles unless…

“Oh no… how much tequila have you had? Is there bread near you? Eat some bread. Fucking carb up! Are you alone? You better not be alone or—”

“Wrenny, baby!” Emily cuts me off with more giggling. “I love how you alwaysh… Alwayshhhhh…. How you all the time make sure I’m okay. I miss you sooo much, but I’ll be home soon! I quit, bitch! I’m not gonna cheer anymore! I’m moving back home tomorrow, baby!”

Her slurred words finally register in my brain, my eyes widen in shock, and my heart starts pounding with nervous excitement, hoping this isn’t just some drunk rambling and she’s really saying what I think she’s saying.