The Player | SPORTS ROMANCE | 18+

Chapter 17

SALVADORA DE LEON

"I have a surprise waiting for you at home!"

"Surprise?" Arturo squirmed in his car seat, making it difficult to strap him in. "Mama, what's the surprise?"

"I'll tell you when we get home."

"But mama." He whined, giving me those big, chocolate brown puppy dog eyes of his. This little boy had me wrapped around his finger and he knew it. I couldn't possibly turn him down when he looked at me like that and he knew it.

"Fine." I sighed, but I couldn't keep the grin off my face. "But you have to keep still so I can strap you in, okay?"

My baby nodded his head eagerly, and I couldn't resist leaning in to give him a big kiss. Once he was strapped in, it was time for me to make good on my promise.

"What's the surprise, mama?" Arturo tugged on my shirt, his impatience driving him.

Even when he was a little baby and I still breastfed him, my baby was impatient. If I took too long moving him from boob to boob to balance it out, or even to get my nipples out in the first place, he would cry and kick his legs angrily. Thankfully, he had grown out of the tantrum stage by now, but he was still so impatient.

"Mama!" He called out to me again, and I couldn't help but chuckle.

"You want to know the surprise?" I teased, glancing back at him from the driver's seat.

"Yes, mama. Please."

"Your favourite aunty has come to visit."

When his eyes grew wide and an excited screech escaped him, I grinned. I knew he would react this way. Arturo and I both adored my little sister, Salvina. We loved it when she came to visit, but we loved it even more when she brought her little family with her.

My sister, Salvina married her college sweetheart, Cameron, as soon as they both graduated. Two years later, they had a little boy, Oscar, who celebrated his first birthday last month, and Salvina and Cameron looked more in love than ever.

"Cam?"

"Yes, he's here too." I grinned. "Baby Oscar as well. They're going to stay with us for the weekend."

Arturo threw his hands up in the air and cheered in celebration.

"Best. Weekend. Ever!"

"You can say that again." I chuckled.

Arturo cheered all the way home and as soon as I parked in the driveway, my sister was out of the house and unbuckling him. As soon as he was free, he was in her arms, hugging him tightly to her chest.

"Be careful there, Vina. I can't have you squeezing my baby too hard." I chuckled as I walked past, unable to resist pressing a big kiss to his chubby little cheeks.

"I can't help it. I feel like I haven't seen my favourite nephew in forever." Salvina gushed as she pressed a big kiss to his other cheek. "You two don't come visit us enough." She turned her accusatory gaze on me. "We only live an hour away. Why don't you come and spend the weekend with us sometimes like we do?"

"You know how life can be sometimes." I smiled at her tone. "But I promise we'll visit more often."

Even though Salvina was the younger sister, she sometimes liked to act like she was the older one. She scolded me often, and called me out of the blue, always demanding to see her favourite nephew even though he was her only nephew. And at the rate I was going, Arturo may very well be the only niece or nephew I give her.

"Let's get inside, Arty. Your uncle Cam is dying to see you." Salvina balanced him on his hip as she headed back into the house. "Sal." She called me over her shoulder. "Cam is making chicken pot pie."