Playing to Win

flowers throughout the ballroom, highlighted by breathtaking orchids, were simply stunning. The wedding party was introduced to a fanfare of shouts and applause, then Savannah nearly swooned to the romantic first dance. It was clear Elizabeth and Gavin were very much in love.
    She’d love to have a man look at her like that someday—like she was the only person in the room and no one and nothing else existed.
    Did love like that exist? It must, because it was evident on the faces of this newly married couple, and others spread across the room. She could feel it, though she had never experienced it either for herself or in relationships close to her.
    As her gaze drifted over the wedding party that surrounded the bride and groom, she caught sight of Cole, who happened to be looking at her at the same time.
    She smiled at him, but he frowned, then looked away.
    Interesting.
    The wedding party danced, pictures were taken, and Savannah found her seat at the table with some of Gavin’s teammates and their wives.
    Cole sat at the head table next to one of the bridesmaids—Elizabeth’s new sister-in-law Jenna. She was Cole’s cousin, if Savannah remembered the family tree correctly. Jenna was perfectly adorable. She had short dark hair with purple streaks at the tips that matched her dress. And some very hot and gorgeous guy came up to her and kissed her, causing Jenna to smile.
    “Are you having fun?” Elizabeth and Gavin were making their rounds from table to table.
    “It was a beautiful wedding. I’ve never seen two people who are obviously so much in love.”
    Elizabeth grinned. “I know. Kind of nauseating, isn’t it?”
    “Not at all. It’s very romantic.”
    “I can’t help it. It’s everything I ever wanted, the stupid fairy tale and all.” She grasped Gavin’s hand and introduced him to Savannah. Gavin shook her hand.
    “You have an incredible new wife.”
    “So she keeps telling me,” he said with a grin, then planted a kiss on her lips.
    Elizabeth elbowed him in the ribs. “And here I thought he’d be charming for the rest of the night.”
    “You know me better than that.” Gavin wandered off to talk to his teammates and Liz took a seat in one of the vacant chairs next to Savannah.
    “I love designer shoes and all, but my feet are killing me. All those pictures.”
    Savannah laughed. “I’m sure the photographs will be awe-worthy. I love the purple dresses on the bridesmaids.”
    “Totally Tara’s idea.” Liz looked over her shoulder at Tara, who was talking to someone across the room. “Isn’t she adorable? And that baby bump. I’m not even a baby person and it makes my biological clock do a fast tick-tock.”
    “Do you and Gavin want to start a family?”
    Elizabeth nodded. “We will be eventually. The poor kid. Me for a mother.”
    Savannah grasped Liz’s hand. “You’ll make an amazing mother.”
    “I hope so. Now that Tara’s pregnant, and Jenna’s planning her wedding to Tyler—it’s like the whole Riley crew is fast-forwarding into family mode. I can’t believe I’m thinking about making babies already. If it was up to Gavin I would have been pregnant already, but we decided to wait until after the wedding so his parents wouldn’t kill us.”
    Savannah laughed. “Sometimes doing it the old-fashioned way is fun.”
    Liz shrugged. “I guess so. But I’m throwing my birth control pills away after this month. I couldn’t care less if I’m pregnant on my honeymoon.”
    Liz was positively glowing. “You sound so happy. And so relaxed.”
    “I know. If you would have told me a year ago I’d be married and talking about making babies, I would have laughed in your face. I guess the laugh is on me now.”
    “Love changes you, I guess. At least that’s what I’ve heard.”
    “Oh, you just wait, Savannah. When you meet the right guy, it’s like an explosion. It knocks you back on your heels.”
    “What are you girls gossiping about?”
    Savannah looked up to find Tara leaning over. She was so beautiful, and pregnancy only added to the glow on her face.
    “Men. Marriage. Babies,” Liz added, rubbing the slight bulge on Tara’s lower stomach.
    “Oh, god. I don’t look pregnant. I look like I ate too much pasta.”
    Savannah let out a laugh. “You totally look pregnant. You’re glowing all over with it.”
    Tara cupped her cheeks. “Do I? I feel all glowy. It’s wonderful. After Nathan—” She shifted her gaze to Savannah. “Nathan’s my son.”