“Yeah, Dad, I am very sure,” she said with a bright grin. “I get in a two, gives me time to clean before picking Karson up at four. I am very excited.”

She saw Rachel make a face along with her father, and she hated how much it bugged her. When Grady met her gaze, he said, “That’s great. I bet he is excited to see you too.”

Surprisingly enough, Grady was actually being nice about Karson. It was extremely weird, and Lacey wasn’t sure if he was being genuine or not, but she took it and ran. “Yeah, he is. Two weeks is too long without your spouse.”

Grady nodded as he took Rachel’s hand in his. “Yeah, it is.”

“I don’t want you to leave, Lacey,” her father said then. “But I guess every parent has to let go of their child. You’ll be doing the same one day.”

No, she wouldn’t, but she appreciated her father’s sentiment nonetheless.

Smiling at her, he cleared his throat before saying, “Let’s hope he doesn’t mess up and lose you again.”

Biting the inside of her cheek, she shook her head. “He won’t.”

And while she was completely confident in that, she hated the way her family looked at her like she was the dumbest person on earth. As if they all knew that Karson was going to break her and leave her in his dust. She knew he wouldn’t though, and she didn’t care what they thought.

Karson loved her and she was going to see him in a matter of hours.

Karson’s leg hadn’t stopped bouncing since he left Minnesota.

He was ready to get off this plane, away from his teammates, and into Lacey’s arms. It had been a long fourteen days without her, and he was ready to be home with her. He had to leave again in four days for a game in Florida, but he’d only be gone for two days. He wasn’t in the least bit worried about that trip because Lacey was going to go with him. It was going to be great. He was going to get her in a little bikini and throw her in the ocean.

That was his plan.

When they got back though, their families would be flying in, and then it would be time for their first holiday together. While he was excited for their first milestone together, he sure as hell wished they could do it without her family. He still didn’t trust them. Especially since every time he talked to her, she would say how much fun they were having and how they were all spoiling her. He knew what they were doing. Trying to make Chicago more appealing so she would stay, but his baby proved them wrong.

She was waiting for him.

He really wasn’t sure why he was so nervous about it all. His mom was right and he knew he was overreacting, but man, it was hard. He just hadn’t realized it was going to be that tough. All everyone kept saying was that he was going to get worse once they had kids, and that honestly terrified him. He felt like his heart had been ripped out of his chest and left with her; how in the world could that get worse? He wasn’t sure, but still, he couldn’t wait for that moment.

Holding his sweet wife in one arm and then his beautiful child in the other.

The image was there and he couldn’t wait.

But before all that could happen, he had to get off this plane and into her arms.

Everyone was excited and all talked happily as the plane descended through the air. The long trips like these always took a toll on all the guys. Well, the ones with families, that is. The other guys didn’t mind, and he used to be that way. Now though, he had a beautiful woman who made his life worth living. One who was waiting for him.

As the plane’s wheels hit the ground, Karson’s heartbeat picked up. He was minutes from being with her. Basically shaking in his seat, he felt Shea’s gaze on him and felt slightly embarrassed, but then he remembered that he didn’t care.

All he wanted was Lacey.

“Excited, I see,” Shea mentioned and Karson grinned.

“Ready to see my girl,” he said as he silently begged the plane to stop and to open the doors. He didn’t care that he was in the back; he was going to be the first one off the damn plane.

Shea chuckled as he nodded. “I remember when I left Elli for the first time. Of course, she cried like I was dying or something and it killed me, but when I came back, I rushed off the plane and attacked her. I didn’t feel right when I was gone. It sucked.”

Karson couldn’t agree more. “I know exactly what you mean,” he said, but then the doors opened and he hopped up. “See ya.”

Shea laughed as Karson rushed up the aisle, knocking Brooks back into his seat as he tried to get out of the plane.

“Damn asshole!” Brooks called up to him, but Karson just waved.

“Gotta get my woman,” he said, receiving a whole round of name-calling and razzing, but he didn’t care. He had somewhere to be and that was wrapped completely around Lacey. But when his coach stepped out in front of him, plowing through him wasn’t an option.

Shit.

Tapping his toe, he watched as Coach packed his bag and then stretched his back. He almost asked to be let by, but when Coach met his gaze, Karson promptly shut his mouth. Coach Baxter was not a good flyer, never had been, and everyone knew not to mess with him, but Karson had to go.

“Sorry,” he muttered before climbing over the seat and around him, which brought on more laughter and name-calling, but Karson was out of the plane and his eyes were set on one person.

Lacey’s face lit up as she started for him, the biggest, brightest smile on her beautiful face. He rushed toward her, but she was there before he got off the stairs. Grinning, he dropped his bags and took her in his arms, dropping his mouth to hers as love overwhelmed him. Lifting her up in his arms, he deepened the kiss as her fingers raked through his hair.