Page 23 of Rain Delay

Sometimes, it was all my mind ever thought about. Once my mind was set on something, I wasn’t going to stop thinking about it until I achieved what I was set on.

“I feel so prepared, El.”

A smile touches her lips. “That’s huge, Wy…That’s your dream.”

I nodded, my eyes never leaving hers. “Yeah, it just changes everything.”

The weight of those words hit me harder once they left my mouth. Our summer nights, our plans after college, our easy rhythm of being together. Everything was going to have a different flow.

Eliana reaches forward, threading her fingers with me. “It does, but you’re going to get picked early, and you’re going to have an amazing professional career.”

I nod slowly, my throat feeling tight. “It’s not going to be easy, babe. I’ll be on the road. Different cities. Different states, I don’t want to lose you in all of it.”

“You won’t,” she says. “You’re my person, Wyatt. I don’t care where baseball takes you. I’m always going to be there.”

Some of the tension in my shoulders finally eased. I lean forward, kissing her forehead.

Things were so simple right now. While I was getting in my groove for the season, I still had time to prep. Baseball would soon consume my entire life.

“Things will change,” I admit. “But are you going to be there with me?”

She gives me another nod, squeezing my hands. “I’ve been there since you were twelve. Back when people thought the games were rigged because you hit so many home runs,” she laughs. “I want that life with you. I want to be at every game that I can possibly attend. I want to be able to tell the world that you’re my man killing the game.”

“I really hope Milwaukee picks me. But, I’m privileged to even have this opportunity,” I tell her. “The Crafters are obviously the goal, but if I have to go somewhere else in the hopes I’m brought back home, then so be it.”

“No matter where you go, I’m always going to be your biggest fan, Wy,” she tells me before wrapping her arms around my neck, pulling me close to her. “And wherever you go, we’ll make it work. We always do. We’ve made it work this far, right?”

One thing I knew for certain was that we would work through any problem that was thrown in front of us. The distance we were working with right now seemed like nothing.

So, no matter where I went in the league, I knew we’d make it work.

“It’s going to be so crazy buying a MLB jersey with your last name on the back of it…”

I smile at her. “But I think it’ll look really good on you…” I winked at her.

“I’d gladly wear your last name any day of the week, you can trust me on that.”

“Maybe one day it’ll be you photographing the games I’m playing,” I suggest to her. “It’ll be on that website where they put all of the pictures from the games and your name will be underneath it.”

She smiles big. “You know that’s the goal. I’ve been working with UW-Madison with their football team on some stuff, nothing too big yet.”

“I’d say working with the Badgers is a pretty big deal, El!”

She shrugs. “I suppose.”

In the time I’ve known Eliana, her dream has been to work in sports media. She was a natural talent with it. She knew how to work the camera, capturing all the right angles and telling a story through the lens. When I found out she was working with the Badgers, I was filled with so much pride. No one works harder than her. No one deserves the opportunity more than her.

“You know I love you a lot, right?” I rub her back lightly.

“How much?”

“A whole fucking lot,” I kiss her, tightening my arms around her. “I can’t picture life without you.”

Her arms rest on my shoulders, pressing her lips to mine, smiling against them. “Good, because you’re mine for life.”

“I like hearing that…” I kiss along her jaw, trailing kisses down to her collarbone.

I lay back on her bed, pulling her with me until she’s straddling my lap.