“He just said that he was in love with me, right?” I asked Ireland.
“Yep, he loves me too.”
My phone dinged and I glanced at it.
Stella: Holy shit, he loves you.
My phone dinged again.
Mikki: You and Aaron, like really a couple? I’m so jealous and yet happy at the same time. Can I go to another game?
Piper: OMG, Vivian and Aaron sitting in a tree K-I-S-S-I-N-G.
Obviously, everyone I knew was watching the press conference because my new messages were already over fifteen, so I flicked my phone to silent and tossed it aside to keep watching.
“I expect everyone to treat them with respect and afford them their privacy. I’m the ballplayer, not them. I’m your news story, not them. Let’s get our ethics back on track.” Aaron stepped back from the podium as questions were shouted and then he turned and strode from the room.
I turned off the television and went back to sand, glaze, and a giant wall. I wasn’t sure how long Ireland and I had been painting before we heard the garage door. I set my brush down and wiped my hands off on a rag.
“I’m going to go see Aaron real quick.”
“Do you love him too?” Ireland asked.
“Yes I do.”
“Are you two going to kiss?” Ireland made a kissy face.
“I hope so. I one hundred percent hope so.”
As I turned for her door, Aaron was already there, grinning. I didn’t walk, I leapt into his arms.
“I love you too.”
“Good, because I think I fell in love with you the night you became my midnight call girl.”
Epilogue
Ireland
One year later . . .
I pulled on my favorite jean shorts that had a ruffle around the legs made of Orlando-Lightning-printed fabric. Then I dug through my drawers until I found the dark blue T-shirt that said Sixes and headed out of my room.
“How do I look?” I twirled in front of Vivian and Aaron for their opinion. I couldn’t hide my smile when Vivian started laughing, since that was the reaction I was going for.
“Aren’t you absolutely adorable? Is Sixes going to become a sports place?” Vivian asked.
I nodded. “Mm-hmm. It should be, or at least you need to make a sports wall. I can help if you need me to. I loved decorating my room.”
“That’s definitely a possibility.” Vivian pulled me into her arms and gave me one of her huge hugs.
“You don’t care if I wear this, do you?” I glanced over at Aaron, who was in a suit.
“Today is your day, you can wear whatever you want,” he assured me. “We are just meeting the judge in his chambers.”
“Like what you and I did when you brought me here?”
“Exactly like that. Now, tell me, how do I look?” Aaron twirled just like I had done.
“Handsome,” Vivian said before I could say anything.
“You look so pretty, Vivian.” I rubbed my fingers along the silkiness of her dress. “This looks good on you, but I don’t like dresses.”
“That’s okay, you look pretty just the way you are.”
“All right, you two, let’s go,” Aaron said as I turned for the doorway that led to the garage.
I raced to his car because I was so excited and climbed into the backseat. It didn’t take too long, like eight songs or so, before we arrived at the courthouse.
As we walked up the marble stairs, people stopped and stared. This was the norm since Aaron was famous. I clasped on to Vivian and Aaron’s hands as we finally reached the judge’s office. When the door opened, I gulped. Everything in the room was dark and had a funny smell.
“Ugh, what’s that smell?” I asked Vivian.
She giggled, “Shhh, it’s called Liniment.”
“What is lemmament for, cause it stinks.”
“Shhh.” She leaned over and whispered in my ear. “Older people use it on their achy muscles, it is supposed to help.”
“I never want to be old if I have to use that.”
“I don’t blame you,” a female voice said from behind me.
“Rut ro raggy,” I said in my best Scooby-Doo impression.
The woman in the long black gown smiled. “Hello, I’m Judge Temperance Olson. Today is a busy day for you three, isn’t it?” she asked me.
“Yep.”
“Well, let’s get started.” Judge Olson moved around her desk and took a seat. “Let’s make sure we are all on the same page. Mr. Skkye, you and Ms. Haines wish to marry, is that correct?”
“Yes,” I answered for them. I was too excited.
The judge gave me a wide smile as Aaron and Vivian also said yes. “And you, Ireland, you want Aaron and Vivian to adopt you?”
“Well, just Vivian since I’m already Aaron’s,” I explained. Aaron’s big hand squeezed mine.
The judge stood and came around to where we were. “Are you both ready?”
“Ready,” Vivian agreed.
“Very well, do you have rings?” Aaron handed two rings over to the judge.
“Please face each other. Today, you enter as individuals, but you will leave here as husband and wife, blending your lives and beginning the story of your life together, which is yours to write. And Ireland, are you excited to be a part of their story?”
“Yes.” I nodded.
“Please place the ring on each other’s finger but don’t push it over the knuckle.” The judge waited as Vivian and Aaron did as asked. Then she asked them to tell each other they were giving a ring. I thought that part was stupid, because even I could see they were giving each other a ring.
“Do you, Aaron, take Vivian to be your lawful wedded wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, standing by her through sickness and health, through good times and bad, for as long as you both shall live?”
“I do.” Aaron’s voice was firm as he looked at Vivian, who was smiling wide. He pushed the ring onto
