Beautiful Storm (San Francisco End Game #1)

CHAPTER NINE

Luke

A melia’s resting bitch face is on point when I walk into the room, and I can’t help but smirk as it slips into a scowl. It’s not like I wasn’t expecting this reaction after our moment in her office last week, but I couldn’t leave it alone. I had to make sure she wasn’t going to use the fire as a ratings grab. It would make a damn good story, but I have no plans of letting one stupid mistake takeover my life again.

I’ve already spent years haunted by that night and I thought I was finally free.

I raise an eyebrow and pretend not to care what Amelia thinks of me until I realize her expression isn’t aimed my way. She hasn’t noticed my arrival. She’s glaring at some guy I don’t recognize as he chats with Keeley on the other side of the room.

From my position by the door, I can see Amelia’s leg bouncing under the table and hate that it has my hackles rising. She used to do that when she was anxious and I doubt that’s changed. Who the fuck is this guy? And more importantly… Why do I care? She’s more than capable of handling herself. I’m just here as the entertainment.

I clear my throat to get their attention and all eyes flash my way. “Luke, welcome.” Amelia stands, gifting me with a warm smile, convincing me that something isn’t right. She must really hate this guy if she’s being nice to me, unless she’s taking professionalism to the next level. “Please take a seat.” She gestures to the chair in front of her. “Today we’ll be joined by one of Brighton Productions’ other directors, Jake. He—”

“Brighton Productions’ more seasoned director, she means. I’m sitting in on today's session while I wait for my production to start next week. To help Amelia if she needs it. In case any of the guys prefer talking man-to-man. I’m sure you don’t mind. You get it.”

What a fucking douche. Who does this guy think he is?

“And if I do… mind ?” I deadpan, folding my arms over my chest. No matter my feelings toward Amelia, sexism is bullshit.

The guy, Jake I think she said, stares at me for a minute before belly laughing out loud. “Good one. That’s why everyone likes you. You’re funny.”

Yeah, and we’ll see how funny you find it when I drive my foot up your ass. “That’s me. The comedian. Amelia,”—I turn back to Amelia, directing my attention to her and her alone—“I’m ready to begin whenever you are.”

Amelia’s eyes widen but she recovers quickly. Apparently my hate for her isn’t as deep as my hate for assholes that like to belittle their colleagues in front of others. It’s a touchy subject for me since my sister went through some things in college, and I won’t put up with it. This is going to be fun .

Amelia dives straight into the standard interview questions, asking me things I have no doubt she already knows the answers to as “the more seasoned director” huffs and puffs beside her.

“What age did you start playing football? Have you played anywhere else other than San Francisco? Do you have any siblings? What’s your family like? Are there any family members that you’d prefer we didn’t talk to?”

To the douche’s credit, he keeps his muttering relatively quiet, but when Amelia announces we’re moving on to more personal topics, he cuts in before she begins.

“If you have any skeletons in your closet that you don’t want us to find, I suggest you disclose them now, or bury them deep . At the end of the day, this is a TV series and the producers want ratings.”

My eyes flash to Amelia as she cringes. She’s too nice for this. My secrets aside, I can’t imagine her airing someone else’s dirty laundry without permission. Although, I never would have thought she’d turn on a friend so easily, without telling said friend what they did wrong.

“I’m not worried about my skeletons,” I say confidently, now that I have Amelia’s word that she’ll keep the fire out of the show. “Something tells me that even if your team of detectives or whoever discovers something they think is ratings worthy, you won’t use it.” I’m being a dick and pushing Amelia, but for some reason I trust her and this guy deserves it.

“Okay. I need to cut this off,” Amelia says as if to prove my point. “Jake’s trying to get you to spill your secrets by pretending we have investigators. This isn’t that kind of show. If something comes up when we’re talking to your teammates, or friends and family, then we have your permission to include it in the show. It was mentioned in the contract that you were incredibly quick to sign.” She pauses as though giving me a moment to let her verbal jab sink in, but I smile and own it. I was quick to sign because deep down, I knew Amelia wasn’t going to fuck me over before I confronted her about it. She can hate me as much as she wants, but I’ve got just as much dirt on her as she’ll ever find on me. Only like her, I’d never use it. Unless she forces my hand.

“Anyway, Luke, I’m sure you have a clear conscience, so it’s fine.”

“Exactly.” I grin. “So…hit me with the personal questions.”

Amelia hesitates before she picks up the folder in front of her and begins reading. Her eyes briefly close, and it doesn't take much to guess what’s coming next, so when she finally looks up, I almost laugh. She’s about to ask me about my sex life.

“Are you okay with us discussing your…eh…sexual habits? It’s not a secret you…ah…sleep around—”

“Stop, stop. Amelia . What the hell was that?“ Jake cuts in, rolling his eyes, and he walks over and rips the folder from in front of her. My fists clench but I wait for him to finish. “I can’t believe you got chosen for this project,” he mumbles before standing tall. “Luke, let’s chat openly instead of tiptoeing around things. I’m sure you know, there are some roles that women shouldn’t be appointed to, and a television director is one of them. Especially the director of a football series. I’m sorry you’ve been put in this situation. Amelia, I’ll take over from—”

“Like hell you will.” I shove my chair back and stand up, anger coursing through me. Am I the poster child for equality? Hell no. I have my faults. But this blatant chauvinistic behavior is messed up. How are there still people that think this way? “I will only be answering to our perfectly qualified director, Amelia, or anyone Amelia wants me to talk to, and I will be advising my teammates to do the same. I know I’m a cocky asshole at times, but you are next level. Have you ever thought that maybe you didn’t get this production because most of my teammates would tell you to fuck right off the second you opened your mouth? Hell, I know at least one that wouldn’t hold back from punching you in the nose if he saw you treating anyone the way you’re behaving now. If you think this is a boys’ club, you are dead wrong.” I finish my rant and turn to Amelia. “I’m going to go. Feel free to reschedule this interview when that dick has gone.”

I move to leave, reaching the hallway as Amelia excuses herself to use the bathroom. It’s safe to say she won’t be heading left in the direction of the Ladies’ room. No, she’s going to—

“Luke, wait !” she whisper-yells right on cue, following me as I walk toward the locker room. I suck in a breath as I turn, preparing myself for her onslaught. “I didn’t need you to defend me in there. I can take care of myself.”

“I know. You’re a strong, independent woman.”

“Are you mocking me?”

“Not entirely. It’s the truth, isn’t it?” I shrug, giving her nothing. I knew this was coming the second I opened my mouth. But she can be as strong and independent as she wants; I don’t care. I couldn’t let that fucker keep talking.

Amelia opens her mouth to speak but closes it again and shakes her head.

“Am—”

“You don’t know me, remember?” She cuts me off. “Start acting that way.”

“What the fuck? I didn’t do anything in there to suggest we had any kind of relationship, beyond a professional one.”

“Are you kidding me?” she seethes, glancing down the hall before looking my way again. “Would you have defended a stranger like that?”

“Abso-fucking-lutely. That guy is lucky I didn’t deck him. I will never tolerate bullying. No matter what form it comes in.” An irrational anger wells inside me, but I smile to push it back down. It’s got nothing to do with Amelia.

Amelia stares at me, almost in shock, and it makes my smile a little more real. Yeah, Amelia…there’s so much you don’t know about me.

It’s a long, slow beat before she releases a sigh and nods. “Okay.”

“Okay?” I question her. “So are we good now? Even?”

“What? No, we’re not good. And it’s not about getting even.”

I start laughing before she’s finished speaking. “Just messing with you. It’s so much fun. Enjoy your day, stranger.”

I walk away, leaving Amelia standing in the halls. And that’s the last I see of her for the next few days with her spending her time in the interview room—thankfully without the douche.

Those of us that have done our time revert back into our normal routines while the others continue to be summoned, but come Friday our world completely shifts when we arrive in the locker rooms after practice to find cameras set up.

So this is what an all-access pass looks like.

The chatter around the room is a mix of excitement and annoyance, and I don’t have to look to know who sits in what camp. But while everyone is focused on what they plan to film, I’m focused on our director. Watching her in her element, as she flits around the room, oozing confidence as she always has, it’s hard to look away. Jerkface should have seen her like this. I almost feel bad that I was her first interview— almost —because then maybe he would have. Of course, Amelia didn’t want to discuss my sex life when she’s a part of that history. She’s a professional. Such a shame that dick misinterpreted it as lack of experience.

As I’m watching her, Amelia bends over to pick something up off the floor, and my gaze shifts to her ass. Today she’s wearing a loose-fitting white tank top and a black skirt that should be considered too short for the workplace. Like she’s taunting me. Trying to make me picture what’s beneath that sliver of material. Making me want her again.

She’s a goddamn smoke show.

It’s not at all the Amelia style I remember, but then again, a lot has changed.

But …while I’m confident enough to admit she surprised me the night we were together, I don’t go back for seconds. And with Amelia, I shouldn’t have gone for a first.

Forcing myself to look away, I find I’m not the only one who’s noticed her and my chest burns. Almost every guy in the room has his eyes in Amelia’s direction and… Fuck this. I’m going over there to—

“Can you believe that’s Amelia?” Thomas steps in front of me, making me jump.

“Jesus. Where did you come from?” I huff, glancing around the room. I swear he wasn’t here a second ago.

Thomas rolls his eyes before laughing. “I’ve been behind you for a good ten minutes. Long enough to catch you staring at her ass. Too bad she’s off-limits, huh? Although…” He looks away, seemingly lost in thought while my gaze finds Amelia again. “Didn’t she marry that singer?”

“What?” I spin around so fast my shoulder slams into my teammate’s, making him curse out loud, drawing unwanted attention our way.

Thomas chuckles to himself before the fucker walks away, letting his question hang in the air instead of providing me with that very important piece of information.

Is Amelia married? To Preston-fucking-Milford or was it Midford or Mitzford? Not fucking important. But how the hell didn’t I know that? I slept with her. Fuck, does that make me an adulterer? Nooo, Amelia is the adulterer; I’m just the side piece. God . I groan out loud. A side piece? That sounds so much worse.

“You look pale,” Keeley says as she approaches me, her face full of concern. “Everything okay? You almost knocked Richards over. Are you sick?”

“So fucking sick,” I muse. I’m also pissed off. How dare Amelia make me a fucking side piece.

“ Shit .” Keeley cringes. “Okay. Don’t say anything. You know how it is. If people think there’s an illness going around, they’ll start to imagine they’ve got symptoms, and we can’t afford for that to happen.”

Despite not actually being sick, I stare at her deadpan. “Thanks, Keeley. I appreciate your concern.”

Keeley giggles as she waves off my remark. “Oh, hush. I’ve seen you sick before and this is nothing like that. You’re fine. But I’d still prefer you were gone. Go home. They’re not actually filming today. Just setting up to see what angles work.”

“They’re in our locker room. What angles could they possibly need?” I ask with a frown before smirking at a visual of a camera aimed at my—

“Nope.” Keeley laughs, cutting into my thoughts as though she just read my mind. “They’re not going to be filming you naked. No one wants to see that.”

“ Everyone wants to see that, but that’s not the point.”

“It’s fine. Go home. We’ll be discussing it all before the film review session tomorrow.”

“You’re the boss.” She’s not, but I take her misinformed advice anyway, and head home after my shower, instead of hanging around to ask questions.

And with Thomas nowhere in sight since dropping his “Amelia is married” bomb, I need to find him. It’s time I paid my sister a visit.

L ainey’s arriving home as I pull up to the curb, and when I catch up with her, she’s juggling a stack of books in her hands.

“Jesus. Let me take them."

“No, thank you. I’m good. I have to carry these around campus, so I can carry them here.” She eyes me suspiciously before stopping and turning to face me. “Why are you here and why are you being nice?”

“I’m always nice.”

“That doesn’t answer my question.”

“Do you know Amelia Rosenberg?” I launch into my question but pause. Rosenberg . She was introduced as Amelia Rosenberg. Thomas must be wrong. All that worry for nothing. “Never mind. I’m good.”

I spin around to walk away, but Lainey kicks her foot out as if trying to trip me up. “You can’t leave after that. The name sounds familiar but I don’t know her. Should I?”

“Nope. All good.” Amelia and I never hung out at my place, and Lainey’s a few years younger so I doubt she’d know her, but I had to ask. Now, I’ve changed my mind. I’m out of here.

“Oh wait. Is she the girl that married Preston Milford?” Dammit . “The guy from Chasing Lies? I remember them being Heartwood High’s musical claim to fame.”

“Never heard of them.” That’s the truth. I have honestly never heard of Chasing Lies, but Preston I know.

Lainey barks out a laugh. “Of course you’ve never heard of them. I’ll bet you think you’re Heartwood’s only claim to fame.”

“Not true at all,” I say. “What about Thomas?”

Lainey’s laughter grows more obnoxious and I roll my eyes. “Luke, Luke, Luke. I wish I had your self-confidence. But back to what’s important. Who’s Amelia to you ?”

“She’s nothing to me,” I argue a little too quickly and Lainey knows it. She stares at me for a beat before lifting her shoulder in a half shrug.

“Mm-hmm.”

Dammit, Lainey . I ignore the urge I have to correct her, knowing that’s what she wants. Instead I walk ahead toward her door. When she doesn’t follow, I turnaround to find her staring me down, her eyebrow perfectly arched.

“Are you coming?” I snap in a way only brothers can without getting a slap in the face. “You can make me a snack.”

Lainey doesn’t argue, but once we’re inside, she dumps the contents for a sandwich in front of me while she makes herself a salad, a smug look on her face. We’re mostly silent as we eat, but the second Thomas walks into the kitchen, her sisterly duties kick in.

“What’s the connection between Luke and Amelia?” she rushes out before saying hi.

“What?” Thomas’s eyes bounce between mine and Lainey’s before he laughs to himself. “I don’t know, Luke. What’s your connection to Amelia?” He raises an eyebrow and I want to deck him.

“I have the same connection as you .” Sort of. Not really. But it will do for now as long as Lainey doesn’t read too much into that if she finds out I slept with her. “Amelia went to our school, and now she’s working with the team.”

“Oooh. So she’s your next conquest?”

“Nope.” I shake my head while popping the p . “I can honestly say that she is not. She’s the director of the TV show they’re making about the team. That’s all. I was curious if you knew her.”

“Sure. Okay. That makes sense,” Thomas chimes in all nonchalantly, but I sense more coming after he pauses. “Except … ” There it is. “You freaked out when I said she was married.” His face lights up. “And—”

“I thought we were friends,” I cut him off. “You’re supposed to take that shit up with me before throwing me under the bus.”

“You’re right.” He smirks as though I’ve just admitted I’m in love with her or something. “Ignore me. We’ll talk later.” He turns to Lainey and I punch him in the arm. Lightly, of course, because we need that arm if we want to win this year, but hard enough for him to complain.

Lainey lifts herself up onto the counter as Thomas approaches, making herself comfortable as she takes a bite of my sandwich. “You’re not talking later.” She shakes her head. “This just got interesting, and I’m going to change my earlier question. She’s not your next conquest… You’ve already slept together and now you’re worried about some guy that you claim you don’t know hunting you down to beat the shit out of you. Am I right?”

Jesus . I wasn’t worried about that before. And how the fuck did she so easily come to that conclusion? “You’re half right. We did sleep together.” Thomas’s face drops. “ Before either of us knew about Project Storm ,” I add for his benefit. He wouldn’t be happy about me breaking the team rules. “But,” I continue, “I’m not worried about an angry husband. I can take him. I’m pissed off that I didn’t know. I’m no home wrecker.”

“You’re giving yourself too much credit.” Lainey laughs at my expense. “Maybe she’s allowed to sleep around while he’s on tour. They might have some kind of arrangement, and you were merely a pawn in their little game.”

“What the fuck?” Thomas and I say at the same time before looking at each other in confusion.

“Okay, so I’ve just finished reading a book like that. But it’s not completely out of the realm of possibility.”

“You know I’d never tell you what you can and can’t read, Lainey,” Thomas says, leaning against the wall, his eyes locked on hers. “As long as you know there will never be a third person in our relationship. You are mine and mine alone.”

Lainey bites her lip while bile rises in my throat. “Goddammit. You’re not fucking newlyweds; keep those moments to yourself.”

“You’re jealous.”

“Nope. I’m appalled.”

“Whatever.”

Thomas chuckles while Lainey crosses her arms over her chest. She and I may be close, but I don’t need intimate details about her relationship with my best friend. It’s weird.

“So, back to my sex life,” I say instead, bringing things back to the topic at hand.

Lainey scoffs, but before she can argue, Thomas cuts in. “What’s the issue? So you slept with her. It’s not the first time you’ve had to work closely with someone you’ve been with. Not to mention you’ve been trying to score Keeley since she started working with us last year. How is this any different?”

It’s different because she played me, and I don’t like being played. “You’re right, it’s not. I’m going to pretend it didn’t happen like I do with everyone else. Thanks for the chat.”