Love Grows (Love series: book 3)

Chapter 4.

Scott

Walking through the front door and threw my bag on the floor. Before closing the door and headed through the house to find Ella and Remi.

Well, last night after the game, and talking to my agent and everything, I'm no longer a football player, once my current contract is up that is it, no more football for me.

Now I just need to figure out how to bring it up and tell my wife. Looking around the house, but not seeing Ella or Remi, the last time I called Ella, she never mentioned she was going out or anything.

"Ella. Remi, where are you girls?" I shouted through the house and then stood still. Waiting for a reply from either one of them.

"Upstairs Babe" I heard Ella's voice echo back, moving my feet as fast I could up the stairs, just as I head into our master bedroom.

And my eyes instantly landed on Ella, standing by the edge of the bed folding laundry. Feeling smile wash up on my lips as I take in my wife, no make-up on just her natural beauty shining through, her dirty-ash blonde hair, she recently just colored it. Up in a messy bun, a white tank-top, and comfy joggers, she's in and she is breathtakingly beautiful.

Wrapping my arms around her waist so my front is pressed against her back, and pulled her into my chest, kissing her neck softly, I've missed her.....

"Hi, beautiful..." I whispered across her ear; I feel Ella giggle a little.

"Hi, handsome" She echoes back and turns her body around to face me, then wraps her arms around my neck, before pulling me in for a kiss.

Ella pulls back from our kiss first, smiling at me before stepping out of my embrace and goes back to the laundry in front.

Walking over to the other end of the edge of the bed and started folding some clothes also.

"Where's daddy's little angel?" I ask Ella about Remi, as we just fold laundry together, in a blissful bubble with smiles.

"Oh do you mean daddy's little demon, Amanda took her for the afternoon I think she knew I needed a break," Ella replies back with a sigh, throwing my eyes to her, with a raised eyebrow. That doesn't sound good.

"What happened?" I ask, she looks at me and shakes her head.

"Since picking her up from school yesterday, all she did was acted out. I mean shouting, throwing things, demeaning you... and getting her to go to sleep last night was a nightmare" Ella explained sounding tired.

"You should have called me babe; I could have helped".

"You were busy, you were where you needed to be, and I can handle Remi. She's lost her iPad for two weeks and I'm withholding Disney-Plus too".

"Also, Amanda was here, but you knew that already didn't you" Ella added, meeting her eyes, and nodded.

Oliver text me last night, saying that Amanda was going to stay overnight with her and Remi, and it took away some of my anxiety knowing that she wasn't alone last night in the house.

Moving the clothes and took a seat on the edge of the bed closer to her, then gently pulled on her hand until she was standing between my legs.

"Don't be mad, I just couldn't bear the thought of you being in the house alone. At least with Manda here, I knew you would be okay" I said to her, Ella looks at me with a small smile.

"I'm not mad babe, honestly I wanted to talk to you about that-;" she cut off and took a seat next to me on the bed but keeping her hand in mine.

"What is it, Elly?".

"I've been struggling since the attack, it's hard to be alone sometimes in the house, the nightmares are still there, and I didn't want to tell you because I know that you have your own stuff going on, but I think you already knew". She confessed.

Bending over and kissed her forehead gently and pulled back to look at her.

"I know baby, I just didn't want to push you to talk about it until you were ready too".

"And that's why I love you Scott Vaughan. But I think it's best if I see someone professionally, I don't want to let this manifest anymore than it already has".

"Whatever you decide to do, no matter what I will support you and help you"

"I know you will...your turn," She said to me, flicking my gaze to her confused.

"What do you mean?" I ask her standing up from the bed, I know what she means, she wants to know what I wanted to talk to her about yesterday before I left for the game, but I just don't want to put more stress on her.

"You wanted to tell me something yesterday but couldn't until you got back. You back now, so spit it out my love" Ella replied to me, not letting it go.

Taking a deep breath and met her eyes.... well, here we go.

"In a few days, I need you to stand by my side at a press conference, as I announce that I'm retiring from the NFL" I spoke up to her, Ella's eyes blink a few times, and then she stands up, so we are faced to face, with one another.

"You are joking right?" She asked me, shaking my head for a no.

"No last night I informed my agent and the team's coach, it's done, Elly."

"Scott why would you do that? You've worked your whole life to be in the NFL, your only twenty-five you have years left in the industry, please tell me you didn't do this for me? because we got married?" She argued,

"No, I did for me. It's not what I want anymore babe.... I've been thinking about it a lot recently. My heart it's not in it anymore, I'm grateful for the opportunity and for everything football has provided me with, but I just can't do it anymore, I'm tired." I admitted to her, she looks at me and then moves closer to me.

"But it's who you are, it's what you've always had to focus on" she whispers.

She's right football has been my whole life since I was a kid. I always made it my main focus, and I did it I got to where I worked hard to get too but now my time has come to end in football and I'm okay with that.

"Your right it was, but now it's not. I have a lot in my life, I have a business that is growing Ella and I love doing it, I have you and Remi, our family that we are building, and hopefully one day that will grow too, I'm right where I want to be with you" I said.

"Are you sure about this Scotty?" Ella asks me as she steps back into my embrace, locking my gaze on her and placed my hand gently on her neck so I was looking directly into her green eyes.

"One hundred percent...baby" I answered without any hesitation.

Ella nods her head and pulls up on her tiptoes and quickly presses her lips to mine, before meeting my stare.

"Okay then, I'll support you as you support me," She says.

"I love you" I mumbled out, she smiles at me, which makes me smile.

"I love you too, always" She began,

"And forever" I added. Kissing her one more time and smiled.

I'm glad that we talked, this is our new beginning, I'm not saying that life without football is going to be easy because it's not, I've played my whole life and that just doesn't go away.

But this is a new start for me and I'm excited to see where the road leads for me.... for our family.