The Big One (Second Chance Romantic Comedy)

by Katherine Hastings

  “So, you must have been hallucinating.”

  “I guess so. Jesus. It was like seeing a ghost, you guys.” I blew out a breath and felt my heart beat slow down.

  “You need another beer. Nita pushed me toward the door and I pulled it open and started back through the crowd. I was met with more praise and a few pats on the back while I made my way to the bar. My breathing returned to normal when I saw the dark corner the man had been in and found it empty.

  “False alarm, guys.” I looked over my shoulder and wiped my hand across my brow. When I turned back, I slid to a stop causing Louie and Nita to slam into my back.

  “Holy. Shit,” I said, and my heart galloped out of control. Liam stood near the bar, eyes searching the crowd and heading my way. Panic possessed my body, and I dove to the floor, ducking under a table.

  “Ellie!” Louie called, leaning down to look at me tucked into a ball beneath the little table.

  “Shhhh!” I shushed him. “Don’t say my name! He’s here! He’s here!”

  “Shut the fuck up,” Nita said, her head joining Louie’s beneath the table while they peered down at me. “Where?”

  “By the bar! Blue shirt! Do you see him? Am I losing my mind?”

  They both stood up, and though I could only see their legs, I knew they were searching the crowd.

  “Jesus, Mary, and Joseph,” Louie breathed, ducking his head back under the table. “He’s here. And he’s even hotter in person.”

  “Holy shit!” I whispered, pushing myself back and bumping the legs of the woman sitting at the table. She peered beneath and stared at me with wide eyes.

  “Don’t mind me. Ex-boyfriend alert. I’m hiding.”

  Her face lit up with recognition. “Been there. Good luck!” she called under the table and sat back up.

  “He’s coming! He’s coming!” I could see Louie’s legs hopping up and down.

  “Get it together, Louie!” Nita kicked him, and I saw her stance widen while she covered my hiding place.

  “Hello, you must be Louie and Nita,” Liam said. The sound of his voice sent those waves through my body and I cursed him for still being able to elicit that response from me.

  “What the hell are you doing here, Liam?” Nita demanded, her voice dripping with disdain.

  “I’m looking for Ellie. I know you must all hate me right now, but please, I really need to talk to her.”

  “I think you’ve done enough, Liam. She doesn’t want to see you,” Nita growled.

  “How the hell did you even find us?” Louie asked. “Who are you? Jason Bourne?”

  “I flew to Chicago yesterday and stopped by the restaurant she told me you worked at. They said you were gone, but they didn’t know where. Then I remembered something. Since she blocked me on social media, I had an idea and went and looked on Instagram. There is was. #fuckliam. I saw pictures of you guys in Door County, so I rented a car and drove up today.”

  I clasped a hand over my mouth. Louie had been posting pictures of our entire trip, and this time instead of #fuckallen, he was using #fuckliam. He’d been able to see every step of our trip on Louie’s page, right up to my karaoke debut.

  “Clever,” Louie crooned. “Very clever. But it doesn’t matter. You’re a liar and she is so done with you. You can just fly that freakishly perfect ass right on back to Italy.”

  “Please,” he begged. “I just need to talk to her.”

  “Seriously, Liam. Get the fuck out of here. She’s no homewrecker, and you destroyed her with your lies,” Nita growled.

  “Ellie. I know you’re under there. Please come out and talk to me.”

  Shit! My eyes bulged, and I pushed back up against the post of the table.

  “Please, Ellie.”

  I knew I was busted, but I was too scared to come out. If I looked in his eyes, I worried I would cave, and he could hypnotize me into forgetting he was married. With just one glance of those piercing blue eyes, I would forget he was a liar who had broken my heart.

  “Go away, Liam!” I called out from under the table.

  “Ellie, please come out and talk to me.”

  “No!”

  “You heard her, Liam. Go,” Nita warned.

  “Ellie, please.”

  I crawled on the floor and popped up on the other side of the table, keeping it between us and careful not to look him in the eyes. “Are you married?” I asked. “Don’t you dare lie.”

  “Just let me explain—”

  “Yes or no.” Holding my breath, I waited for the only answer that could patch up my broken heart.

  “Technically, yes, but—”

  Hearing the confirmation managed to rip the last shard of my heart into even smaller pieces. “Go to hell! Don’t come near me!” I screamed at him and stormed off, still careful not to make eye contact.

  “Ellie!” he called after me, but I knew Nita would stop him.

  Tears threatened to break loose, but this time anger helped me fight them back. Hearing the admission fall from his own lips strengthened my resolve, and I pushed my way up to the bar.

  “What’s your name?” I called to the bartender.

  “James,” he answered back.

  “I’m gonna need a few more of those magical little Jäger shots, James.”

  “You got it, Pipes!”

  “Pipes?”

  “Yeah. I heard you sing. You’ve got some serious pipes!”

  At least if I’d just stood on stage belting out my broken-hearted anthem in front of Liam, apparently, I’d kicked ass doing it. He dropped three shots in front of me just as Louie and Nita crashed into me.

  “Holy shit. He’s here,” Nita breathed, and I knew her heart was racing as fast as mine.

  “This is crazy!” Louie shrieked, and we each downed a shot.

  “I can’t believe he’s here. What is he doing here?”

  “Apparently he wants to explain things to you. I told him to eff off in no uncertain words.”

  He dwarfed Nita in size, but he wouldn’t be the first man to back down from her growls. They called her a pit bull in court, and when she told you to back down, you listened. I was glad she was snarling at my side tonight.

  “Where is he now?” I asked, glancing around.

  “Over there. Other side of the bar pouting. I think he’s scared of Nita.” Louie pointed.

  “I’m scared to make eye contact. If I do, I’m afraid I’ll forget that he’s married and fall back into his arms.” I hated admitting it, but it was the truth. My gaze dropped to the floor. “Why do I have to be so weak when it comes to him?”

  “He’s like Medusa,” Louie said, eyes bulging. “He’s like a Love Medusa.”

  “Just don’t look left and you’re safe. We’ll watch him.” Nita leaned in front of me, blocking any chance he had of seeing me.

  My head was spinning, and not just from the shots. Liam had followed me to Door County, and despite my well-placed anger, I felt that pull tugging at me and beckoning me to his side. But I’d never been a cheater, and I would never knowingly be with a married man. No matter how I felt about him. I’d never be that girl.

  “#fuckliam. That was actually pretty freakin’ smart,” Nita said. “Nice job, InstaKing. You led him right to us with your little Instagram crumb trail!”

  “This is my fault?” Louie gasped. “How the hell was I supposed to know he’s like 007 or something?”

  “Louie Carter! You’re up!” the DJ called through the speakers.

  “I’ll go tell him to skip me. Ellie needs me.”

  “No.” I grabbed his arm. “Let’s all go.”

  “Seriously?” Nita asked. “I’m down if you’re down.”

  “Oh, I’m down.” Alcohol and rage pumped through my veins and I smirked while I headed toward the stage.

  “Louie... you know what song I want.”

  “Oh, do I ever!” He clapped and ran over to the DJ before joining Nita and I on stage. The crowd cheered when the three of us stepped up to the micro
phone. Careful not to look directly at him, I could still feel those blue eyes fixated on me while the piano riff poured out of the speakers. When the lyrics started, the three of us belted out the lines to I Will Survive in unison.

  The crowd roared when we hit our stride and our dance moves began. Even more anger boiled up inside of me as I sang that song to Liam, still careful not to look directly at him. With each word I sang, I felt more empowered... more prepared to move on and walk away. Louie and Nita danced beside me, and I poured my heart into that microphone. I let Gloria Gaynor fill me up, and her lyrics helped push down all those feelings for Liam that still bubbled just below the surface. When the song ended, we held hands and took a bow. Laughter mingled between us as the crowed continued cheering, and when we stood up, I made the mistake of losing focus and my eyes collided with his.

  Like a sledgehammer to the stomach, just one look knocked my newfound tenacity loose, and I felt my resolve crumbling into dust. I tried to look away, but his gaze held me fast and those blue eyes started to hypnotize me once again.

  “Don’t look directly at him! He’s a Love Medusa! Look away! LOOK AWAY!” Louie shouted, noticing my frozen stare.

  “Shit!” I mumbled, and raced off the stage, tears welling up in my eyes. Pushing through the cheering crowd, I burst out the door and raced across the street as fast as my legs would carry me. When I stumbled into the Bowl, Eddie was leaning on the bar chatting with a young couple.

  “He’s here! He’s here!” I puffed, sprinting to the opening behind the bar. Eddie shot across the bar to meet me, concern tightening his face.

  “Who’s here?”

  I collapsed in his arms. “The douchebag!”

  “What? The douchebag? Like the douchebag, douchebag?”

  “Yes!” I panted. “He’s here! He found me!”

  “Like the douchebag from Italy? He flew here?” Eddie stepped back and examined my face that pulsed from the heat.

  “I tried not to make eye contact, but I did make eye contact. And now I’m a wreck again. He has like black magic in his eyes or something! He is a Love Medusa!” I tossed up my hands in exasperation and flopped down on the bar stool at the end of the bar.

  “Here. Drink this.” He pulled a bottle of water out of the well and put it into my shaky hands. “Are you okay?”

  “No,” I admitted, taking a big swig of my water. “I’m very far from okay. I can’t believe he’s here.”

  “What did he say?” Eddie leaned in and I was so relieved to have him to pour my heart out to once again.

  “He said he’s married.”

  “That’s it? He flew all the way over here to just to tell you he’s married?”

  “Well, I asked if he was married and he said, ‘technically yes, but—’ and then I ran away. I hid under a table, Eddie. A table. Like a child.”

  His contagious laughter started and even though I didn’t feel like it, I joined him. “You hid under a table?”

  “I totally did.” I laughed harder and buried my head in my hands. “But I did sing karaoke! And you know what, I kinda crushed it.”

  “That’s my girl!” He held out his hand, and I slapped his palm. “So now what happens?”

  “I just want to go home. My phone is dead, and I lost Nita and Louie in the crowd. Can you call me a cab? I need to go home. I can’t risk seeing him again. I can’t.”

  “You’re in Door County, sweetie. There are no cabs.”

  “What?” I closed my eyes, remembering how many times we’d had to hike miles back home that summer since no cabs ran up here. “Shit. I forgot. Uber?”

  “There are a few up here, but at this busy time of the night it could be awhile.”

  “Well, shit.” I let my head slam into my arms on the bar.

  “Just sit here for a little while and relax. Nita and Louie will figure out where you are eventually and come looking. I’ll find you guys a ride home, okay?”

  “Thanks, Eddie,” I mumbled into my elbows. “You’re the bestest.”

  I heard his chuckle start up and then stop abruptly.

  “Is the douchebag wearing a blue shirt and freakishly attractive? Like ‘I’m a straight man and even I have a little man crush right now’ attractive?”

  “That sounds about right. Why?”

  “He’s here.”

  “What?” I gasped and yanked my head up, spinning toward the door. Liam stood in the doorway staring at me and those eyes captured mine again.

  “Son of a...” I mumbled while I remained locked in his stare.

  “Should I throw him out?” Eddie asked, straightening up tall and towering over me.

  “Ellie, I just need a minute. I promise. I can explain everything.” Liam stepped toward me and I felt the tears start again. I wanted to say no, but nothing came out. His slow steps brought him closer and closer until his gaze ensnared me.

  “Ellie? You okay?” Eddie asked protectively.

  “I just want to go home,” I whispered, giving up my fight.

  “I’ll drive you,” Liam said, stepping to my side.

  “I’m not going anywhere with you, liar,” I snarled.

  “You heard her, get out of here.” Eddie placed a hand on my back.

  “Ellie, I promise I can explain everything. Let me drive you home and I can tell you the whole story. If you still hate me when I’m done, I’ll drive straight back to Chicago and out of your life.”

  I didn’t want to hear his side of the story. I didn’t want to hear him confirm Louie’s theory about him leaving his wife for me, causing the stunning woman to sob in the middle of a public street. He was married, and I was a home-wrecker. Period.

  “I’ll be fine. Just go.”

  “Ellie, please. Just let me drive you home.”

  The need to be sobbing alone in bed and not at this bar made me nod my head against my wishes. “Fine. But you don’t get to talk. You don’t get to explain anything. I’m tired, now I’m crying in public, and there are no cabs. Just take me home. But no talking.” I leveled him with a glare.

  “Fine. No talking. I’ll just get you home safe.”

  “You sure, Ellie?” Eddie asked, glowering at Liam with condemnation.

  “I give up. I’m so exhausted. Can you just tell Louie and Nita I’m back at the ‘cabin’ when they come looking for me? They’re having fun and I don’t want them to miss out on all those cute boys on my account. Please tell them to stay out and have fun. I’ll be passed out soon.”

  “I’ll tell them.”

  “Thanks, Eddie. You’re the bestest. We’ve got one more night, so I’ll come say goodbye before we go.”

  “You’d better. Don’t be a stranger.” He pulled me off my stool and wrapped me in that warm hug once again. With one big squeeze, my tears dried up, and I felt ready to face Liam.

  Liam offered me his hand, but I looked at it with disdain, pushing past him to the parking lot.

  “I’m parked over here,” he said, his voice softer than normal, an apologetic tone in every word.

  He opened the car door and I climbed into the seat, closing my eyes against the bright lights until he got in his side and closed his door.

  “Where am I taking you?” he asked.

  “Ephraim.”

  “I remember how to get there.”

  “Good. Then no more talking. I don’t want to hear one word or I’m getting out and walking.”

  He nodded, but I could see the hurt flash in his eyes. For a moment I felt guilty, but then I remembered seeing him on the street and hearing her say ‘wife’. My guilt washed away, and I felt the anger return to take its place. We pulled out of the parking lot and I stared out the window while he drove up the Sister Bay hill and we made our way to Ephraim. When we came down the little hill along the lake we’d once sailed on, I saw the moonlight glinting on the water and a cool breeze blew in through my open window. It mixed with Liam’s familiar scent and instantly transported me back to the day I met him, right here. Just around the corner.
Agony ripped through me, and I choked down a sob.

  “Pull over. I’m going to be sick,” I lied. I didn’t want him to see me fall apart, and I knew I wouldn’t make it the last mile to the cabin.

  He pulled the car to the side of the road across from Wilson’s, and I opened the door and jumped out before it stopped. The tears broke free and burned down my cheeks while I ran down the Ephraim dock, memories of seeing him there for the first time pushing into my mind and deepening the sobs that racked my body. When I reached the end, I considered jumping in and swimming to the cabin to get away from him, but instead I flopped down on the edge of the dock and buried my head in my hands. I heard him run up behind me, and when his hands touched my shoulders, I let the last of the struggle against the tears subside.

  CHAPTER NINETEEN

  Liam

  Sliding my hands down her shoulders, I leaned forward and knelt behind her. When she pulled away from my touch, I felt like she’d just ripped my heart from my chest and stomped on it. I released my grip on her and slid to her side, letting my legs dangle off the dock beside her. Tears streamed down her face while she gazed out at the water, her eyes fixated on the soft glow of the ripples from the moon hovering above. She looked so beautiful, and it took every bit of my strength not to reach out and brush a tear from her cheek. A dark cloud rolled across the sky and swallowed the moon, taking with it the soft light dancing across the water.

  “Ellie, I know I said I wouldn’t talk, but I need to tell you the whole story.”

  “There’s nothing to say, Liam. You’re married. You’re a liar. I’m a homewrecker. I feel so stupid, and you broke me. You broke me when I was eighteen when you ruined any chance of me falling in love with anyone else, and now you’ve broken me again... and this time you broke my heart.”

  Knowing she’d been in so much pain, all because of my stupid decision, ripped a hole through my own heart. “Ellie. I am married, but only because the divorce isn’t official yet.”