by L. P. Dover
Chapter 30
Lacey
“I bought tickets to watch the game this Friday,” Leanne said excitedly. She took off her blue scrubs and quickly slipped into a pair of black yoga pants and a light blue T-shirt that had her son’s soccer team name on it. “My son is dying to see the Strikers play.” Other than Callie, Leanne was one of my other favorite nurses. We worked well together.
It felt like I was moving in slow motion. My whole body was drained, both physically and mentally. “That’s awesome. I’ll be there, too.”
“So will I,” Callie called out as she entered the locker room.
Leanne sat down beside me on the bench, her sheepish gaze on mine. I could tell she wanted something. “What is it?” I asked, laughing.
Clasping her hands together, she grinned wide. “Think you can get some of the Strikers to sign my son’s poster?” Then she turned to Callie. “And your husband as well? Damon loves them all to death.”
I patted Leanne’s shoulder. “I’m sure they’d be happy to.”
Callie nodded excitedly. “Of course they would. Dallas loves kids.”
Leanne hugged me and Callie tight. “Thank you. I can’t wait to meet them, too.” Grabbing her things, she rushed to the door.
“Have fun at your son’s soccer game.”
“I will.” Waving, she disappeared out the door.
Callie snickered. “Leanne’s so funny. One time when Dallas came in to see me, she froze when he tried to talk to her. Sometimes I forget that others see our guys as superstars and not the regular men they are.”
I couldn’t help but laugh. “You can’t tell me you wouldn’t scream and lose your composure if someone like Chris Hemsworth or Charlie Hunnam came up to you.”
Her lips pursed. “You know something, you might be right. I’d faint if I ever met them.”
“So would I.”
She pointed at me. “Don’t you dare tell Dallas I said that.”
“I won’t,” I said, giggling.
I pulled out a pair of leggings and a thin sweater. Callie glanced down at them and smiled. “Are your jeans getting too tight?”
I snorted. “Yep. I tried a pair on this morning and they were tight around the waist. Figured it’s time to break out the leggings.”
She shrugged. “It’s fall. You should be good.”
Pulling out my phone, I showed her the surprise present I was going to give to Maddox. “This Friday after the game, I’m going to give Maddox this. Isn’t it cute?”
Squealing, she bounced on her feet. “It’s adorable. He’s going to love it.”
Once Callie was dressed, we grabbed our things and headed out, only for Dr. Young to be right there outside the door. “Dr. Young,” I said, coming to a halt. His eyes were red and his jaw firm. “What’s happened?”
With a heavy sigh, he rubbed his eyes. “My mother fell and hit her head. She’s in a hospital in Charleston. I need to drive down and see her.”
“Oh no,” I gasped. “Is she okay?”
“I hope so. Is there any way you can come in and work the night shift tomorrow and Friday? Dr. Stanton offered to take your morning hours so that you’re not doing a double.” Dr. Stanton was a single mother, so I could see why she couldn’t take the night shift. Soon I wouldn’t be able to, either.
I nodded. “Of course. Go take care of your mother.”
“Thanks, Lacey. I appreciate it.” He took off down the hall.
Callie tapped my arm. “At least you can still make it to the hockey game.”
“Yeah, but now I’ll have to push the baby gift until Saturday morning.”
Callie chuckled. “You can give it to him and then pass out from exhaustion. You sure you can handle night shift right now?”
Linking my arm through hers, we stepped into the elevator. “As long as I can stay awake I’ll be fine. It’s only for two days.”
The elevator opened and we walked into the parking garage to the corner where we always parked. “Let me know if you need help. I’m sure they’d let me come in, too.”
I waved her off. “Don’t be silly. I’m pregnant, not helpless.”
She burst out laughing and held up her hands. “I know, I know. It was just a suggestion. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Bright and early.” I winked and got into my car. Before I could pull out of the garage, my phone rang. I thought it would be Maddox, but it was Braeden. “Hey,” I answered.
“Hey. Have you left work yet?”
“Just pulled out. What’s up?”
“Think you can get away for an hour? All I want to do is talk, and maybe get something to eat right by the park.”
“Maddox isn’t going to like it, but I’ll see what I can do.” A beep came through my phone and it was Maddox. “Speaking of the devil, he’s on the other line. I’ll call you back.”
“Okay. Drive safe.”
Grinning, I switched the lines. “Hello, hello,” I greeted in a singsong voice.
“Hey, sunshine. Did you have a good day at work?”
“It was busy. Dr. Young asked if I could work his night shift tomorrow and Friday. It’s going to be rough, but luckily it’s only for two days. What about you? How did practice go?”
“Good. I think we’re ready for our game on Friday.”
“That’s what I like to hear.”
“Will you be able to come to it?”
“Yep. I just can’t hang around too long afterward. I’ll go to work and see you Saturday morning when I get off.”
“Sounds good to me.”
I pulled into Braeden’s neighborhood. “Speaking of the weekend, Braeden asked if I’d grab some dinner and walk around the park tonight. Do you mind?”
The line went quiet for a second. “Can I trust him with you?”
“Maddox, you’re reading too much into it. I’ll only be gone about an hour.”
“Fine,” he replied with a sigh. “I don’t like it, but I can’t keep you two apart. Justin wanted to hit up Sammy’s tonight anyway. I’ll hang out with him and see you at the house?”
“Sounds good. I love you.”
“Love you, too.”
Braeden was in the garage when I pulled into his driveway, dressed in a pair of khaki pants and a green polo shirt. He waved and opened my car door. “I thought you were going to call me back.”
I got out and grabbed my purse out of the backseat. “I was in the neighborhood so I thought I’d just stop by.”
“Was he okay with you going to dinner with me?”
“Really?” I answered incredulously. “Of course, he’s not okay with it. He trusts me, not you.”
He cleared his throat. “All right, then. Ready to get something to eat? We can grab some ice cream and walk around the park afterward.”
“Perfect. Let’s go.”
* * *
—
We ended up eating dinner at the Carolina Tavern. It was one of the best restaurants in the city. The owner was married to one of the Carolina Cougars football players. It was pretty cool how one restaurant was the local hangout for famous football players and the other with the hockey ones. However, I didn’t see any of them when we were there.
“How’s everything with the baby?” Braeden asked.
He pulled into the parking lot of the park and shut off his truck. I rubbed my stomach. “Good. I’m eight weeks along.”
His jaw clenched. “I bet Maddox was happy to see pictures of the baby.”
“He was. He’ll be a good father.” There was no mistaking the look of pain on his face as he turned his head. “Ready to go for a walk?”
With a sigh, he opened his door. “Okay.”
We walked around the park and grabbed an ice cream cone from the general store. Cookies and cream ice cream was my favorite. Silence filled the air. Braeden and I always had things to talk about. I hated the tension between us.
“Please tell me things will get back to normal,” I murmured, finishing off my ice cream.
/> Braeden sat down on the park bench and I sat beside him. “It will, Lacey. I just need time. It’s not easy going from having you all to myself to nothing. Granted, we’ve always been just friends, but we talked every day. I was the one you always came to if something was wrong.”
“I know,” I replied softly. “I can’t say that things will go back to that, because they probably won’t, but you’re still important to me. Maddox knows that.”
The wind started to blow and the fall colored leaves began their slow decent down to the ground. Fall was my favorite season.
“You about ready to take me back to your house?” I asked him. He started to stand, but then stopped, his eyes narrowed at something across the street. I followed his line of sight and watched Maddox walk into Sammy’s. Through the windows, I could see him sitting across from Justin.
“We could always go in there,” Braeden suggested. “Or if you don’t want me there, you could go.”
I shook my head. “No, I don’t want to impose. He hasn’t spent a lot of time with Justin in a while. I don’t want to crash his guys’ night.”
“Looks like somebody else is,” he said, nodding toward the parking lot. I searched the cars and that was when I saw them. Clenching my teeth, I watched as Laura and Miranda bolted into the restaurant. Laura appeared to be upset, but I could tell it was fake. They went straight over to Justin and Maddox. Laura frantically waved her hands, her face pinched as if she was crying.
“What the hell is going on in there?”
Braeden shook his head. “Don’t know. Maybe we should find out.”
Laura grabbed Maddox’s arm and that set me off. “I agree…we should.” She was going to know once and for all to stay away from him. Before we could get across the street, Maddox hurried out of the restaurant behind Laura. Miranda and Justin stayed inside.
I didn’t like that at all. Laura hopped into her car and so did Maddox in his. He followed her out of the parking lot. Braeden grabbed my hand. “Come on. We’ll follow them.”
“Good. I have some words I’d like to say to her.”
We rushed to his truck and got in. “Don’t do anything stupid, Lace. You’re pregnant.”
“I’m not going to start a fight, Braeden. How immature do you think I am? I’m not a testosterone-filled caveman like you and Maddox.”
He cleared his throat and kept his mouth shut. He knew I was right. Laura didn’t live far, only a few minutes down the road in an older neighborhood. We’d gotten there just in time to see Maddox’s backside as he raced inside. The lights were already on in the house but I couldn’t see a damn thing.
“I’m going to the door.”
Chapter 31
Maddox
“What the fuck are you doing? Where’s your dog? You said it was trapped.” As soon as I walked in the door, I knew something was up. Laura stripped down and underneath her clothes was a set of red lingerie.
Laura tried to push me against the wall, but I sidestepped her. “I don’t have one. I used it as a ploy to get you here.” She reached for the button on my jeans, but I smacked her hand away.
“Whatever you’re doing, it’s not going to work, Laura. I don’t want you or any other pussy you try to throw at me. I’m out of here.”
She stepped in my way. “I’ve wanted you for too long now, Maddox. Surely you’re not going to turn me away?” She held out her arms as if to show me what kind of prize she was. “From what I’ve heard, you love your fair share of women.”
“What makes you think I’d want you?” I snapped, glaring at her. “I haven’t given you any reason to think otherwise. You lied to get me here so you could seduce me? What the fuck is wrong with you?” Then it hit me. What if someone put her up to this? Someone like Braeden. She fetched her clothes off the floor, her breath hitching with each movement. “Who told you to do this?” I shouted angrily.
“Nobody,” she snapped. She tried to hurry into the kitchen, but I stood in her way. I didn’t want to scare her, but I was so fucking angry I couldn’t see straight. Tears fell down her cheeks and she turned her head to avoid my stare.
Taking a deep breath, I softened my voice. “Laura, please. If someone asked you to do this, I have to know.”
She shook her head. “All I wanted was to be with you. Why am I not good enough?”
Of all the times I’d seen her, I’d never known her to look so vulnerable. She reminded me of myself when Lacey left me. I thought I wasn’t good enough for her. Tears filled her eyes and she broke down. However, we both snapped to attention when the front door burst open.
Lacey appeared in the kitchen, her eyes blazing with fury. She got one look at Laura in her lingerie and all hell broke loose. “Lacey, it’s not what it looks like.”
Laura jerked around and covered herself with her clothes. Lacey’s hands shook with rage. “I don’t want to hear it,” she shouted. I tried to reach for her, but she smacked my hand away and went straight to Laura. “I don’t know what your deal is, but you need to back the fuck off. Maddox is mine, which means he’s not interested in you.”
Laura cowered away and cried. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know he was taken.”
Lacey huffed and turned. “Now you know.”
“Lacey,” I hollered, racing after her. She took off across the yard and right into Braeden’s truck.
I got into my car, the tires screeching as I hammered on the gas. I tried to call Lacey but she didn’t answer the phone. The whole way to Braeden’s house, I drove twenty over the speed limit. I didn’t give a shit if I got pulled over. If he had anything to do with what just happened, he was going to pay the fucking price.
I made it to his house in record time and slammed on the brakes, leaving skid marks on his driveway. Before I could even make it to the door, it opened. Braeden stood there, his expression guarded.
“That didn’t take long,” he said blandly.
“You son of a bitch.” I punched him as hard as I could. He fumbled back and brought his hand up to his bloodied lip. “You did this, didn’t you?” Braeden made no move to come at me. “Where is she?” I shouted.
Braeden huffed. “I had nothing to do with what happened tonight.”
“What about the flat tire? Something tells me that wasn’t a coincidence.”
He threw his arms up. “I just told her you’d know how to fix it. Her throwing herself at you was all her. I didn’t make her do anything.”
That made my blood boil. “That’s fucking bullshit. You knew I wouldn’t fall for any of it.”
He shrugged. “You did tonight. Whatever problem Laura had, you didn’t have to go.”
“She needed help!” I growled. “I would’ve done it for anyone.”
“Especially beautiful women who are more than eager to do what you want.”
“So that was your plan, huh? Have Laura draw me in under false pretenses in hopes of me fucking her? You did this to break Lacey and me up.” He backed away inside the house and I stormed closer. “Lacey’s coming with me. I don’t want you anywhere near her.”
Gaze narrowed, he stopped abruptly. “You can’t make that choice for her.”
“Like hell I can’t.” Fists clenched, I was ready to fight, and so was he.
“Stop!” Lacey shouted. “For Christ’s sake, just stop.” I looked up at the top of the stairs and there she was, her face red with anger, but it was directed at both of us.
“Let’s go. You’re coming home with me.” Shaking her head, she quickly stormed down the stairs.
At the last step, she turned to Braeden and pushed him. “You wanted to sabotage Maddox’s and my relationship, didn’t you?”
Braeden tried to grab her arms, but she jerked away. “I would never do that, Lacey. Hurting you hurts me. I never asked Laura to come on to him. She did that herself.”
“Still. You played a part in it.”
Every single part of me wanted to lash out at Braeden, to beat the shit out of him. Instead, I focused on Lacey. I took a step
toward her, but she moved away. It was like a knife to the heart. “I didn’t do anything wrong, Lacey. You have to believe me. I’ve never given you a reason not to trust me. I don’t know what else to say or do.”
She held up a hand. “I know,” she snapped, tears running down her face. “I’m pissed off and I want to hit something.” Fists clenched, she looked like she was about to kill someone.
“Calm down, sunshine. It’s not good for the baby.”
“Dealing with this shit,” she shouted, waving her hand at us, “is not good for the baby. Next time someone like Laura asks for your help, you call the goddamn police or get someone else to handle it.”
“Either way, you should know to trust me. I let you be alone with a man I know who wants you because I know you love me.”
She swallowed hard and hung her head. “I know.” Her angry glare turned to Braeden and then back to me. “I’m going home. I’m too angry to think right now.”
She stormed past me and I followed her outside, with Braeden right on my heels. “Let me drive you.”
With her back to me, she opened her car door. “It’s okay, Maddox. I’m going to the pool house. I just want to be left alone tonight.”
I grabbed her shoulders and turned her around. “I don’t want you alone.”
“It’s what I need,” she murmured. “Just let me go. I’ll see you tomorrow.” With those final words, she got into her car and left.
I wanted to punch Braeden so fucking bad, but instead, I jumped into my car and sped out of his driveway. Picking up my phone, I called Callie.
“Hey,” she answered.
My throat was thick, and it took a few seconds to get my words out. “I need to talk to you.”
Chapter 32
Lacey
I didn’t want to leave Maddox, but I really needed time to clear my head. Not to mention, I had to get ready to switch over to night shift. I didn’t know how I was going to do it being exhausted. I’d slept all day and woken up with a massive headache. Maybe because it was four o’clock in the afternoon and I hadn’t eaten a thing. Even the hot shower I took did nothing to help.
