Beautiful Storm (San Francisco End Game #1)

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

Luke

I t’s only midday and I’ve already downed three shots aptly named “Panty Droppers” plus two whiskeys and… I’ve got to admit, I feel better.

“I can’t believe I skipped practice.” I fake a gasp or maybe it’s real; I can’t tell. Either way… “I can’t believe you skipped practice. For me.”

“We didn’t skip practice; it was a voluntary team workout. We both worked out before anyone else arrived.”

I ponder that but he’s right. We have a bye this weekend. Well, ain’t that lucky.

“You’re a good guy, East. Have I ever told you that?”

Easton huffs out a laugh before shaking his head. “And we’ve made it.”

“Made it to what?” I stare at him confused until he shakes his head with a laugh.

“What’s going on in your life, Luke? Anything you want to get off your chest?”

“Ahhh. I see what this is. You’re trying to get me drunk so I’ll spill all my secrets.”

He raises his hands in the air. “You caught me. So spill.”

I stare at him deadpan, but when he stares right back, I can’t stop myself from laughing. “Okay, you win. But first, I don’t think I’ve ever heard you laugh before. It’s nice; you’ve got a good laugh. I feel special having heard it. And second,”—I wave my hand in the air before flashing him a smirk—“you’ve been played.” I point at his chest. “I don’t have any problems.”

“You don’t?”

“Nope. I’m fine. So what if I’m falling for the mother of my child? What does it matter if barely two months ago I thought I hated her? Life is still good.”

Easton's lips almost form a smile until his eyes widen. “Your child?”

“What child?”

“I don’t know, man. You mentioned the mother of your child.”

“Oh. Yep.” I chuckle. “I’m going to be a dad.” His jaw drops a little, making me laugh. “Come on. You all knew this was going to happen one day. You had bets going.”

“I didn’t. Having kids is nothing to joke about.”

My face drops. “I know. Sorry.”

“Don’t apologize. Do you want to talk about it?”

“I wouldn’t know where to begin.” I grab his shoulder but he shakes me off. “I’ve known Amelia forever.” I pick up my drink and raise it to my lips before putting it back down. “It’s not like I had a random hookup and the condom broke. Although, that’s exactly what happened but it’s different. Because it’s her .”

“Okay. If I’m understanding correctly… Amelia’s the mother of your unborn child?” He says unborn slowly, almost like it’s a question.

“Yes. And before you ask, it’s the same Amelia.”

“I wasn’t going to ask.”

“You know, Director Amelia.”

“Yep, I got that. I even knew she was pregnant, but I didn’t know it was yours. I should have guessed though with the way you defended her.”

“You defended her too, and you don’t like the crew.”

Easton’s nose flares and he sits tall. “That guy was a fucking asshole and needed to be put in his place.”

I’m not going to argue there. “I’m curious, what did you do?”

“Nothing.” He shakes his head. “I just stood my ground and followed him out of the building.”

“Well, thanks.”

“I didn’t do it for you.” Easton takes a sip of his drink, rolling his eyes as I smile.

“No, but you did it for my wife and kid. Same, same.”

“Wife?” He half chokes on his drink before coughing to recover. “She’s your wife now?”

“Yep.” I nod with a force that makes my head spin. “You’re probably wondering why I’m here, instead of with her, right?” Hell, I’m wondering the same.

“Nope. That thought never crossed my mind.”

“Shouldn’t you be at home spending time with your wife and kid too?”

“She’s not my wife.”

“She’s not?” My brows furrow as I tilt my head to the side, studying him. Is he bullshitting me right now? “Don’t you have the same last name?”

“We do. For Isaac’s sake. But she checked out… Goddammit, this isn’t about me . When did you get married? Last I heard you were bragging about being single for life.”

“Things change, people change, and now I think I’m falling for her.”

“Your wife?”

“Yep.”

“Fuck, I’m confused.”

“You and me both.” I’m so fucking confused. Easton’s right; I had plans to be a bachelor for life. I never wanted to settle down, yet I’m pretending to play happy family with Amelia and it actually feels right. Only we can’t tell anyone about it because it’s fake and—

“Oh shit.”

“What?”

“You’re not supposed to know about our marriage. Did you drug me?”

“What the hell, Luke?”

“I don’t know. I just thought I was better at keeping secrets.” I kept Amelia’s dad’s secret for years. God, I’m an asshole.

“Luke, you knocked back five shots within the first twenty minutes of our arrival.”

“Five shots? I could have sworn… Okay, then. Maybe I did it to myself. Come to think of it, I haven’t had much to drink lately. Maybe I’ve gotten weak. Should we dance?”

Easton laughs out loud, and while it’s definitely one of those sarcastic laughs, like he can’t believe what he’s hearing, I still take it as a win. “It’s the middle of the day.”

That’s right . Huh. I guess I’ll have to get the party started. But that's not important. “I’ve made you laugh twice now.” I hold up two fingers. “Does this mean we’re friends?”

Easton shakes his head, but there’s something in his expression that tells me he doesn’t hate me like I thought he did. “Don’t push your luck,” he says, and I may be drunk but I swear I can see his suppressed grin. “Go and dance. I’ll be here.”

I don't drink anymore while I’m dancing, and it doesn't take long to sober up as I sweat the alcohol out of my system.

I try to keep to myself, but since there aren’t many people on the dance floor during the afternoon, and almost everyone knows who I am, I don’t have much luck. I’d normally be in my element in a situation like this. Laughing, flirting, taking my pick of the women throwing themselves at me, but right now I don’t want that.

And if I’m being honest with myself… I’m actually a little uncomfortable. Especially when the third woman tries to subtly rub her hand over my junk…I’m out.

“I think I’m broken,” I whine when I get back to the table, falling into the seat beside Easton. “I am in desperate need of a good fuck and I could have half of those women.” I gesture around the entire bar before laughing. “Who am I kidding, I could have any of those women. But I don’t want them. And the one woman I do want, I can’t fucking have.”

“Why? Because she’s off-limits?”

“What?” I stare at him confused. “No. I don’t care about that. But it’s complicated.”

“Because…”

“Well, for one, up until recently, she hated me.”

“Mmm, yep. That would make things difficult. What did you do?”

“Why does it have to be me that did something?”

“Because you’re you.”

“Asshole. The feeling was actually mutual between us.”

“Was?”

“God, you ask a lot of questions.”

“I wouldn’t have to if you just told me the full fucking story.”

“Jesus. Okay. We used to be close but I messed up. Only I didn’t know I messed up, so instead, I made the assumption that she thought she was too good for me and hated her for it. Years passed. We started to talk at a party at an old, abandoned mansion. There was a fire. I tried to help her. She got pissed off because I ran the other way. And in the end we were both questioned by police. She was released, while I was arrested based on her statement. Cut to fifteen years later, we had sex, she got pregnant, we got married so I could add her and Jelly Bean to my insurance, and now she’s in my head. I don’t hate her anymore. I want her. Only her. And it’s driving me fucking crazy.”

Easton stares at me like I am crazy then laughs. Loudly. “Anything else or did you just give me your entire life story in less than a minute.”

“That’s pretty much it. Oh, and I obviously became a phenomenal football player along the way.”

“Of course. Sometimes I wonder why we never became friends, but then there are moments like these where it all makes sense.”

“Hilarious. Feel free to give me some fatherly wisdom whenever you’re ready.”

“Fatherly wisdom?”

“Yep. I’m ready when you are.”

Easton pauses as a server places another whiskey in front of him and a water in front of me, and when she’s gone, he sighs.

“You admitted yourself that you’re falling in love with Amelia and—”

“Woah. What? Who said love?”

“And,” he continues, ignoring me, “judging by your reaction to her being too cool for you in high school, I’d say you liked her back then too.”

What? I burst out laughing, grabbing his whiskey and knocking it back before he has a chance to take a sip.

“Okay, oh wise one.” Since none of that’s true, I know it’s got to be something else. “Tell me, East, when your wi–girlfriend was pregnant, did you ever feel different toward her?”

“Different how?”

“I don’t know. More attracted to her. Because she was carrying your child. But only then.”

Easton stares at me in confusion. “Is that the excuse you’re trying to tell yourself? Do you want me to say yes?”

“Please. Yes, that would be great.”

“Then yes,” he deadpans. “I was extra attracted to my girlfriend when she was pregnant, but it went away as soon as my son was born. Happy?”

“Yes. Perfect. That must be what’s happening. It has to be. Because I can’t fuck things up for us. We need to make this co-parenting thing work.”

“A little part of me wants to ask more… but a big part of me does not want to get involved in this mindfuck. I do have one thing to say though…” He trails off and I stare at him in anticipation, like his words are going to make everything right in the world. “Maybe you should try talking to her and telling her how you feel. And…maybe you should try actually being married.”

“What?”

“Which part was confusing?”

I’m looking his way but I’m not seeing him as my mind replays his words. Fuck . He’s right. What the hell am I doing here? I may not know what I feel, but I’m not going to figure it out drinking with Easton.

“You’ve been awesome, man, but I’ve gotta go,” I announce, standing up with a new confidence coursing through me. “I need to talk to Amelia.”