Baller (Heritage Bay Series Book 5)

by M. A. Foster

  I nod. “I respect that. I miss having you in my life, and I’d like a chance to redeem myself.”

  “I miss you, too, kid.”

  “I’m gonna get her back.”

  He laughs, shaking his head. “There’s that persistent, stubborn little shit. I’d wondered where he went.”

  “You forgot handsome and charming.”

  He rolls his eyes. “What makes you think she’ll take you back?”

  “True love,” I say with a smirk, quoting a line from Vanessa’s favorite movie.

  VANESSA

  After lunch, I head to the bathroom in the nurses’ lounge to brush my teeth. A few moments later, the door swings open and Mia steps in.

  “Hey, I’ve been looking for you all over the place,” she says, leaning against the counter beside me with her arms crossed over her chest. “Are you okay?”

  “Hmm.” I rinse my mouth and hold up a finger. Grabbing a paper towel from the dispenser, I turn to face her while wiping my mouth and chin. “Yeah, why?”

  She tilts her head and purses her lips. “Vanessa.”

  I wave her off. “I’m fine. I promise.” I offer her a genuine smile. “I looked for you before I went to lunch, but you were gone. It looks like you two worked it out.” As much as it hurts to say those words, I mean them. And despite the ache in my chest, I genuinely want them to be happy.

  Mia brows dip in confusion. “What are you talking about?”

  Leaning my head back, I blow out a breath before meeting her eyes. “I saw you two in the hall. I saw him hug and kiss you.” I pause to swallow past the lump in my throat. “I figured he finally pulled his head out of his ass and came back to grovel.”

  Mia barks out a laugh. “You figured wrong. Liam comes back to Heritage Bay during the off-season to spend time with his family. You should know that. And clearly you missed the look on his face when he saw you with Noah Riley. I’m pretty sure I heard him growl before he charged in your direction. I thought he was going to hulk out on poor Noah in the middle of the hallway.” She laughs harder, prompting a snort from me.

  “We were talking about my oldest brother, who plays for Chicago,” she continues. “And that kiss was on the forehead.” She rolls her eyes. “There was nothing sexual about it. I’ve seen him kiss his mother, sister, and niece the same way. And honestly, even if we were still dating, we wouldn’t be after today.”

  I frown. “Why do you say that?”

  She reaches out and grips my bicep. “Because he loves you, Vanessa. You. I’m not an idiot. I would never get between two people who are still clearly in love with each other.”

  “I don’t—”

  “Yes you do.” She gives me a knowing smirk. “I’ve always been honest with you. It’s only fair that you be honest with me. Admit it.”

  I sigh heavily. “I feel like such a bitch.”

  “You’re not a bitch. Our girls’ night could’ve gone differently after you realized I’d dated your ex. It’s hard enough for women to be friends, or continue to be friends, knowing they’ve both been with the same man. But you pushed your own feelings aside to make me feel like a part of your group.”

  “I told you I wasn’t upset with you.”

  “I know, and I believe you. Even if you didn’t want to admit it that night, I knew you still loved him.”

  I drag my hands down my face. “I never stopped loving him,” I admit. “But it’s not that easy.”

  “Well, I think you two are meant to be together. I know it won’t be easy, but you have to start somewhere. Talk to him.”

  I huff out a humorless laugh remembering the last time I tried to talk to him. “Like I said, it’s not that easy.”

  “Is there anything I can do?”

  “How about another girls’ night?” I grin.

  She mirrors my grin with her own. “Sounds good to me. Friday?”

  Crap. I wince. “I can’t. I have a date with Noah Friday night.”

  Her mouth falls open. “Why?”

  “Because he asked, and I haven’t been on a real date in months.”

  Mia groans. “Liam is going to lose his shit.”

  “I didn’t agree to dinner to spite Liam. I didn’t even know he was back. Besides, Liam and I are not together.”

  Am I trying to convince her… or myself?

  “Princess Buttercup,” I call out as I step into the foyer. Dropping my purse on the table, I listen for the familiar tapping of nails on the hardwood floor. But it doesn’t come.

  Frowning, I make my way to the little nook in the kitchen where Dad keeps her bed.

  It’s empty.

  Pushing through the back door, I step out onto the patio. “Princess B!” I yell, knowing she won’t be outside. Dad never leaves her outside when he’s not home.

  My heart rate kicks up a notch as panic washes over me. Where the hell is my dog?

  Turning, I rush back inside, slamming the back door behind me as I dart for my purse to retrieve my phone. Just as I fish it out, the front door swings open and in walks my dad with Princess B. The moment she sees me, her entire back end swings back and forth with excitement.

  “Hey, Vannie,” my dad greets as he reaches down to free her from her leash.

  “Oh thank God,” I say, relieved. Dropping to my knees, I hold out my arms for a hug. “Where were you?”

  “The vet,” he says, closing the door behind him. “Princess B had a checkup today. She had an accident in her bed this morning, so we stopped by the pet store to pick up a new one. What brings you by? Not that I don’t love seeing my baby girl, but you seem stressed.”

  “I came by to see her, and when she didn’t come to me, I panicked.” I run a hand over Princess B’s fur, avoiding his eyes. “Her bed wasn’t in its usual spot, I thought something had happened to her.”

  Dad stays quiet, but I can feel the heat of his stare. He knows me too well.

  Sighing, I get to my feet and meet his curious gaze. “Liam’s home.”

  He gives me a tight smile and says, “I know,” before heading to the kitchen. “He came by here today.”

  “You talked to him?” I pull out a barstool at the counter and sit. “What did he say?”

  “He said a lot of things”—he opens the refrigerator, pulls out two bottles of water and passes one to me—“but mostly he wanted to apologize. He wants another chance.”

  “With you or me?” I tease, and he tosses the plastic cap at me.

  “Both, I guess.” Dad leans with his forearms resting on the counter, head lowered as he picks at the plastic wrapped around the bottle. “Vannie, I need to tell you something. But before I do, please keep in mind that you’re always my number one.”

  I frown as a knot forms in my stomach. “I know, Dad.”

  “About a week after you came home from California, Liam showed up asking to see you.” He shakes his head. “I’d never been so furious in my life. I was this close to taking a swing at him.” He holds up his thumb and index finger about a half inch apart. “I loved that kid like he was my own son. I trusted him with the most important person in my life, and he broke that trust. He hurt you. To this day, I still remember the heartbroken look on your face when you stepped off that plane.”

  My heart twists in my chest. “What did you say to him?”

  “I told him to get the fuck off my porch and to stay the hell away from you.” He swallows. “I told him to let you go.”

  A sob bursts from my lips, and I bring my hands to my face.

  “Vannie,” he says softly, and a moment later, his arms are around me. “I’m sorry, baby girl. I’m sorry I interfered.”

  I shake my head and pull back to wipe my wet hands on my pants. “I thought he just gave up. That’s why—” I start to say “that’s why I filed for divorce,” but that’s not true. “You should’ve told me.”

  “You’re right. I should have. But let me ask you something. Would it have changed anything?”

  I shake my head. “I don’t know.�
�

  “If you really believed he gave up, then what about the phone calls and the text messages? Those aren’t the actions of someone giving up. I pushed him away and he still didn’t give up. Are you implying that you filed for divorce because he didn’t chase after you?”

  “I filed because he broke his promise and was seeing another woman behind my back.” I sniffle. “She kissed him.”

  “Okay.” He clears his throat. “Now we’re back to the root of the problem.”

  “What should I do?”

  His brows pinch. “Vanessa, you’re a twenty-six-year-old woman. You’re not a little girl anymore. My days of telling you what to do are long over. Not that you ever listened to me then, either.” I snort. “You know no matter what, I’ll always support your decisions. Good or bad.”

  “Are you saying Liam was a bad decision?”

  “Who said I was talking about Liam?” He smirks.

  I full-out laugh, shaking my head. He’s talking about Jake.

  “What does your heart want?” he asks.

  “My heart wants him. Every broken piece of it.”

  “Well—” He sighs. “—he broke it. Give him a chance to mend it.”

  Closing my eyes, I take a deep breath. “It’s not just my heart, Dad.”

  He broke my trust, too.

  “Well, this is a surprise.” Gabbi beams. “Did you bring food?”

  I hold up the bottle of wine. “Liam’s back, and I really need you right now,” I say in a shaky voice.

  Her face falls as she steps back to let me in, then closes the door behind me. “Go sit. I’ll get the glasses.”

  She disappears into the kitchen and returns a moment later with two wineglasses and a bottle opener. “What happened?” she asks as she pours the wine.

  I start from the beginning, from Noah asking me out to my conversation with Dad.

  When I’m finished, Gabbi leans forward and sets her glass on the coffee table before dragging her hands down her face. “Wow. Okay.” She heaves out a breath. “That’s a lot.” She stares at me. “You know what just occurred to me?”

  “Hmm?”

  “You never have just basic drama. It’s like you go years with no drama and then boom, catastrophic.”

  I snort. “Go big or go home.” I raise my glass in a salute before taking a sip.

  “Truth.” She nods. “Okay, let’s break this down. Starting with Noah Riley.”

  “Should I cancel?”

  “Absolutely not. Just because Liam’s back doesn’t mean you should drop everything and welcome him with open arms. Now, if you’d said yes to a date with Noah to spite Liam, then I’d say you’re an asshole and you deserve to have it blow up in your face.”

  I curl my lip. “Jeez. Take it down a notch, Gigi.”

  She lifts a shoulder. “You came to me because you needed a voice of reason, and that’s what you’re getting. I love you, V. You know that. I know we don’t always agree, but that’s why our friendship is solid. I can’t really blame your dad for what he did. You were heartbroken, and he was being your dad, protecting you.”

  I nod. “Yeah, I know. I think I was just grasping for more reasons to justify why divorcing Liam was the right decision.”

  “He hurt you. And we all know what happens when someone hurts you.” She quirks a brow, and I give a careless shrug in return. “I know I’ve been judge-y about the way you choose to handle your shit, and I’m sorry. I realized after your breakup with Jake that you handle your shit just fine. If someone hurts you, you remove yourself from the situation while trying to keep your dignity. That said, I still think walking out on your husband was wrong and a big mistake.” I open my mouth to argue, but she continues, “I agree that what he did was wrong, too. But walking out the way you did only goes to show you weren’t ready for marriage, and that’s really the only justification you need.”

  Goddamn her.

  VANESSA

  It’s a beautiful October day. The weather is cooler, and the humidity is pretty much nonexistent. Although in Florida, that could change any minute. Grabbing a sandwich, a bag of chips, and a bottled water, I find an umbrella-covered table in the far corner of the patio overlooking the bay. Settling into a chair with my back to the sun, I pull out the romance book I snagged from Katie’s bookshelf. I prefer to read on my Kindle when I’m out in public, but the battery died, so it’ll have to be a paperback today.

  A shadow falls over the pages as soon as I open the book, but I brush it off as a cloud passing overhead until a deep, familiar voice asks, “What are you reading?” Before I have a chance to react, the book is yanked from my hands.

  Startled, I suck in a breath, slapping a hand to my chest as I tilt my head up to find Liam skimming over the page. “Jesus, Liam. You scared the shit out me.”

  Keeping his focus on the book, his eyes flicking over the page, he pulls out the empty chair beside me and drops down in the seat. “What the hell is this, Vanessa?” he asks, brows pinched. “I push my tongue into her soaking wet channel, devouring her sweet pussy. The taste of honey and sunshine coats my tongue.” Liam throws his head back and laughs, pressing the book to his chest. “This is the most ridiculous shit I’ve ever read.” He tosses the book on the table and leans into my space. “Spoiler alert. Pussy tastes like pussy. That’s the whole point.”

  “Would you keep your voice down?” I look around to make sure we aren’t drawing anyone’s attention.

  A devilish smirk plays on his lips. “Except your pussy.” He grips the bottom of my chair and turns it so we’re facing each other, our knees touching. “Your pussy always tasted like pure heaven.” A shiver runs down my spine, and my core clenches as images of Liam’s head between my legs flash through my mind. I force myself not to squirm in my seat remembering what sex was like with him. The weight of his body. Our naked skin pressed together. The way he moved inside me.

  A small groan rumbles in his throat. “You’re remembering what it was like, aren’t you?”

  I clear my throat, blinking rapidly. “No.”

  “You’ve always been a terrible liar.” He moves closer, his mouth just inches from mine. “Admit it. You were remembering what it was like having my face buried between your legs. I sure as hell remember.”

  “I’m honored, considering you’ve been buried up to your eyeballs in it over the last five years.” Yeah, I said it.

  He tilts his head. “You of all people should know better than to believe everything you read.”

  I roll my eyes. “So that wasn’t you in those photos leaving the club with that half-naked skank the same day you were supposed to be in court?” I shove my book into my bag.

  He leans back in the chair, his playful expression turning serious. “There you go, assuming the worst. You know what they say about people who assume.” His eyes cut to my ring finger. “Where’s your ring?”

  I shoot him a look that says “Really?” Is he really trying to make me say it? “Don’t pretend like you don’t already know.”

  He narrows his eyes. “What happened with your fiancé?”

  “None of your business,” I reply coldly.

  Liam frowns, his brows pinching together. “Is that why you called me that night? Your fiancé dumped you so… what? You were feeling sorry for yourself, got drunk, and called me? Did you expect I would just drop everything and come running to your rescue?”

  I bark out a bitter laugh and push my chair back to stand. “Wow.”

  Slipping my bag over my shoulder, I snatch up the bag of my untouched food and toss it in Liam’s lap. “Here. Lunch is on me.” I turn to leave, but he grabs my wrist. “Let me go.”

  “Not until you answer my question.”

  “I broke off my engagement because apparently I’m good enough to love, I’m even good enough to marry, I’m just not good enough at keeping a man faithful.” My voice wavers at the end, and Liam’s face pales. I guess that wasn’t the answer he was expecting.

  Jerking my wrist from his h
old, I raise a brow. “Happy now?”

  With that, I turn and storm off.

  “Holly and I are going to the Mexican place for Taco Tuesday. Wanna come?” Mia asks.

  “Ugh,” I groan. “I’d love to, but I’m exhausted. I just want a hot bath and my pillow. Thanks for the invite, though.”

  “Of course. If you change your mind, you know where to find us.”

  I grab my purse from my locker and head for the employee parking lot.

  “Hey,” a familiar male voice says.

  Startled, I jerk my head to the side to find Liam leaning with his backside against the arm of a concrete bench which is usually occupied by the smokers during their breaks.

  Pushing to stand, he swaggers toward me and shoves his hands into the front pockets of his jeans. I wonder if it’s some kind of defensive stance or if he’s trying not to touch me. “You headed home?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Can I walk you to your car?”

  A small smile tugs at my lips. “Sure.”

  Liam falls in step beside me as I make my way through the parking lot.

  “This is me.” I gesture to my X5.

  “Nice.”

  “Thanks. Dad bought it when I graduated from nursing school.”

  “I bet that was a proud day for the both of you.”

  “It was.”

  Leaning his backside against my car, he crosses his arms over his chest. “I’m sorry about today,” he says. “I thought if I was being playful, it would break some of the tension between us.”

  My shoulders drop on a sigh. “And I turned it into an argument.”

  He reaches for my hand and pulls me forward to stand in front of him. “We never used to be like this.”

  “Like what?”

  “Angry. It’s like we’re two ticking time bombs waiting to explode.”

  “Because I am angry, Liam. No, I’m beyond angry.”

  He looks down at our hands. “I’m angry, too.” His voice kicks up a notch. “You ripped my fuckin’ heart out and took off.”

  I gently pull my hand from his grasp. “Liam, I don’t want to fight with you. Not here. Not now.”