Cassie worked hard and spent all of her spare time with the kids. That was exactly how it should have been too. She was doing a great job. I'd gotten her to bring the kids to one other game, and when I looked up at them, that shit pulled at my heart. They were there for me. I didn't need her to admit it for it to be true.
If James hadn't talked about her all those years, and if I hadn't seen her when she'd first moved there, I never would have suspected her of being like my ex. She seemed just the opposite. There were even times I'd totally forget and take my guard down. It didn't happen often, but it did happen. She wasn't the same anymore, I knew it deep down, but that didn't make me worry any less. In the back of my mind, it was there.
We were friends. She'd said it several times. Shit! I'd even said it as a way of reminding myself. Not one bit of any of that changed the fact that I wanted her beneath me so damn bad. I wanted to be buried balls deep inside of her over and over again. We'd been together once, that was it, and I hadn't been with anyone since. Pathetic, right? Nobody had to tell me. I already knew.
I wouldn't risk my heart again though, not ever. I'd told myself a million times. I'd never put another child through what my children were going through either. What made it worse with Cassie was the fact that she had three kids. Even if my heart got me and I caved, it could never be with her. I could never hurt her kids. That was how I felt. I knew it more than anything. I felt that shit deep. It was real. So, when something good happened during a game, why was she the one I wanted to tell? When I had a shitty day and felt like I'd let my team down, why was she the one I wanted to count on to make me feel better? When I looked up in the stands, why was she the one I wanted to see watching me?
Chapter 21
Cassie
I was sitting on the couch, playing a game with the kids, when my phone rang. Without even looking, I picked it up and answered it.
“Hey, Parker,” I said.
“It's not fucking Parker,” I heard my brother snap through the line, and I silently cursed at myself for not looking.
“Oh,” I said. “Hey, James. What's up?”
“If I weren't freaking out, I'd be all over that shit,” he said.
“Cut it out, James,” I heard Sammie in the background.
“We're on our way to the hospital,” he said.
“What?” I asked. “Is everything okay?”
“I sure hope so,” he said. “She's in labor.”
“Already?” I asked.
“Yes,” he said. “You know her, always in a hurry for everything.”
“James,” I heard Sammie snap.
“I'm on my way,” I said. “I'll be there as soon as I can get the kids ready.”
“Thank you,” he said. “I just hung up with mom. They're on their way to help.”
“Tell her I love her,” I said. “I'm going to be there. I'm so excited.”
“We love you too,” he said. “Try to hurry. Both Lances, Lucy, and Lauren will be there, but I want you to be there for the kids.”
“I'll be there,” I said. “Never was before, but I am now. See you in a few.”
I hung up the phone, got my shoes on, hurried to get the kids ready, grabbed my keys, and hurried out the door. It wasn't until I was in the parking lot of the hospital that I realized I didn't have my phone or my purse, but there was no way I could turn around. James and Sammie needed me, and I was finally going to be the sister I should have been all along.
I found my way through the hospital, to the labor and delivery waiting room, with the kids. When I swung the door open, Lucy was sitting with James Jr. on her lap, and Lance Jr. was playing with Jillian and Jackson.
“Where's Lance?” I asked.
“Where do you think?” Lucy asked, with a laugh. “He's up Sammie and James' asses. You know he won't leave her until her and the baby are safe.”
“You're here,” Lauren said, as she walked up behind me.
“Where were you?” I asked.
“In the bathroom,” Lance said. “Same place as always.”
“That would be because your big baby is moving around inside of me,” she said, as she stuck her tongue out at him.
I shook my head and laughed.
Jenny and Jeff ran over to Jillian and Jackson, and they all began playing together. I sat down with Jake and let out a sigh.
“What's wrong?” Lucy asked.
“I left my phone and purse at home,” I said. “I was trying to get out of the apartment as fast as I could.”
“You don't need your phone,” Lauren said, and I didn't miss the sneaky smile on her face.
“Why not?” I asked.
“Because you're being graced with my presence,” she said, as she walked over and sat down next to me.
“Your mom, dad, and grandma are on the way,” Lucy said. “They must have left the second James called them. I almost wonder if they all had a hospital bag packed for them too.”
We all burst into laughter. Just as our laughter stopped, I turned to Lucy.
“Bring James over here,” I said. “I'll watch him. You should be back there with Sammie.”
“No way,” she said, as she waved her hand in front of her.
“Why not?” I asked.
“Because her dad is back there,” she answered.
I rolled my eyes, and Lauren didn't miss it.
“You have no idea,” Lauren said. “That man is far worse than they'd warned me.”
She let out a laugh, and Lance did too.
“Your asses shouldn't be laughing,” Lucy said. “You're next.”
Both Lauren and Lance went completely serious, and it took all I had not to laugh at the fear on their faces.
We'd been sitting there for hours, and the kids were beginning to get restless. I was starting to feel stressed, but I was happy. I was going to be there when my brother's baby was born. I hadn't been there for the first two, but I would be there for the third and every single thing they'd need after.
When the waiting room door opened, I thought it was my parents and grandma, but I couldn't believe it. I knew they had at least another hour to go, and I was right. I saw the jersey before I saw anything else. It was Parker. I looked over at Lauren to see a huge smile on her face, and if she weren't about to pop, I wouldn't have turned back toward the door. Instead, I would have let her have it. There was no way I could miss what she was doing, and that was fucking with me.
“What are you doing here?” I asked, as I stood up with Jake in my arms.
“I came to see if you needed anything,” he said, looking right at me the whole time.
“If she does?” Lauren asked, in a sarcastic tone.
“All of you,” he said, giving her a quick smile. “Even your pregnant ass.”
“Ha ha,” she said, with a smirk.
“You're busy,” I said. “You don't need to waste your time here with us.”
“Not wasting my time,” he said sternly.
“Don't you have to leave tomorrow?” I asked.
“Yes,” he answered.
“Then you need to go home and get some sleep,” I said.
The second the kids realized he was there, they were all wrapped around his legs. The man looked like an octopus.
“Can I take them down to the cafeteria to get them some snacks?” he asked.
“That's not going to work,” I said.
“Why not?” he asked, with an offended tone to his words.
“In the rush to leave, I forgot my phone and my purse,” I said. “They'll be fine.”
“Cassie,” he hissed. “I can afford a few snacks.”
“Didn't say you couldn't,” I said.
“We'll be back,” he said. “Come on kids.”
They all formed a line behind him, everyone but Jenny that is. She was right in the front, with his hand in hers. My girl was adorable.
“Parker,” I warned.
“Let it go, Woman,” he said.
Then he walked out the door and t
ook them all with him.
Lauren looked over at me, and I narrowed my eyes at her.
“Not one word,” I hissed. “You shouldn't have told him.”
“Why not?” she asked. “He's Sammie's friend. It had nothing to do with you.”
“Oh,” I said, feeling ridiculous. “I'm so sorry.”
Lauren burst into laughter, and I shook my head.
“Ouch! Shit!” she yelped out.
“What?” Lance asked, in a worried tone.
Lauren stood up, and her eyes widened.
“My water broke,” she said.
“Fuck!” Lance hissed, and his face took on a very pale look.
“Oh no,” Lucy said. “Your dad is going to flip his shit. Come on.”
Lucy grabbed Lauren's hand and looked over at Lance.
“Keep it together, Son,” she said. “This is just the beginning.”
He nodded but didn't speak, as he followed Lucy and Lauren out the door.
“The kids?” Lauren asked, as she stopped at the door. “Who's going to watch Jackson?”
“I've got them,” I said. “We'll figure it out. You just go have that baby.”
“This can't be happening yet,” Lauren said, as they reached the door.
“Oh, I'd say it is,” Lucy said, as she pulled Lauren out the door and down the hall.
I shook my head, not able to believe that they'd both seriously gone into labor hours apart.
When Parker came back in with the kids, I had Jake in his seat next to me and James on my lap.
“Where did they go?” Parker asked. “She didn't have the kid already, did she?”
“You're not going to believe this,” I said.
“What?” he asked.
“Lauren's water broke,” I said, still not believing it myself.
“Shit!” he said with a snicker. “You're kidding, right?”
“Not at all,” I said.
“They really were in this together,” he said. “I'd love to be a fly on the wall back there. Lance has to be a total mess.”
“I hate to ask you this, Parker,” I began.
“What?” he asked.
“Do you think you could stay long enough for my parents and grandma to get here?” I asked. “If one of the kids has to go to the bathroom, I'm screwed. I'm so sorry. I know you have to get home to rest. They shouldn't be more than an hour.”
Then I thought about what I was asking from a friend, and I opened my mouth again before he even had the chance to answer me.
“You know what? Just go ahead and go. I'll be fine. I'll just barricade us all in here.”
“I'm staying,” he said, in a stern tone that told me there was no changing his mind, but I tried anyway.
“Are you sure?” I asked.
“Yes,” he answered.
“Thank you, Parker,” I said, and I meant it so much more than he would ever know. “Thank you for everything. I honestly don't know what I would have done without you the last few months.”
He looked into my eyes, and the feeling that ran through me was something I'd honestly never felt before. There was something there. I could feel it down deep, and the way he was looking at me told me that he felt that shit too.
“That's what friends do, right?” he asked, keeping his eyes on mine.
I nodded but didn't reply. There was no way I could. Anything I would have said in that moment would have had him running for the hills, and there was no way I was going to let that happen.
The door opened behind him, and in walked my parents and grandma. Damn! I'd just asked him to stay and was looking forward to at least a few minutes with him. He'd been so busy, and I'd missed him. Guess they hadn't been kidding when they'd said how close they were. How darn fast were they driving, I wondered?
My grandma stepped around Parker and looked down at me.
“Don't look so happy to see me,” she said, with the biggest smile on her face.
“Oh, I am,” I said, as I got up and hugged her before moving to hug my parents as well.
Once the kids realized they were there, they all jumped up and began hugging them too.
“I guess you didn't have to stay after all,” I said, as I looked up at Parker.
“I'll stay for a bit,” he said. “Once Sammie has the baby, I'll leave, unless it takes her all night.”
Grandma sat down, and my parents headed for the hallway.
“Lauren's water broke,” I said, before they got to the door.
Grandma let out a loud laugh.
“Have you seen Lance?” she asked.
“No, and I don't plan to either,” I answered.
“They're going to throw him out of here,” she said.
“Yes, they are,” my dad said. “We'll be back after we check on the girls and Lance.”
I watched through the window as they walked out the door and down the hall. Those were my parents, and I'd missed them so much. It felt so good seeing them again and knowing that I'd be seeing them more often than I had in years.
“Wouldn't it be cute if one of them had a girl and one had a boy?” grandma asked.
“That would be adorable,” I answered. “They could grow up being best friends.”
“Maybe they could get married,” Jenny said, as she looked over at us from where she was playing with the other kids.
“No way,” Parker said. “That would be gross.”
“Why is that?” I asked.
“Because they're related,” he said, looking at me strangely.
“Lance is adopted,” I said, giving him a disgusted look.
“I'm not talking about Lance,” he said, and I heard grandma call out his name as he continued. “I'm talking about Lauren and James. They have the same dad, Cassie. That's gross.”
“They have the same dad,” I whispered, and I heard my grandma gasp as I said it.
I felt the tears begin to fall, as I turned toward my grandma.
“Is that true?” I asked, with the most unsteady tone I'd had in months. “What he just said, is it true?”
I watched her slowly nod as sadness filled her eyes. Then I turned back to Parker, who had a confused look on his face.
“Cassie,” my grandma said, and I turned back toward her.
“No,” I said. “You knew. You knew they had the same dad. How could you not tell me? Out of everyone in this family, you're the one person I thought would always be honest with me.”
“Shit!” Parker snapped. “You didn't know.”
I shook my head, feeling completely lost.
“I had no idea,” he said. “I'm so sorry, Cassie. They're going to kill me.”
“Six months,” I said. “I've been here for six months, and not one of them has ever led on that James and Lauren were related. I guess he was close to his sister after all. It's just that sister wasn't me.”
“Cassie,” my grandma said. “I told them.”
“Told them what?” I asked.
“That they needed to tell you,” she said, with guilt in her tone.
“When?” I asked.
“At Christmas,” she answered.
“That was four months ago,” I said, in almost a whisper. “Shit! My mom even seems closer to her than she is to me. I have to go.”
I picked up Jake's carrier and looked down at Jenny and Jeff.
“It's time to go,” I said.
“Not yet, Mommy,” Jenny said.
Then she looked up at me, and her face took on a sadness I never wanted to see there again.
“It's okay, Jenny,” I said. “It's just time to go.”
“Okay,” she said.
She got up, grabbed Jeff's hand, and came over to me with him right next to her. My tears began coming even faster than I could wipe them away, and I knew I had to get out of there before I had a total meltdown.
When I pulled the door open, I heard my mom's voice, and my heart broke even more.
“It's a boy,” she said. “Sammie and James had a boy, and they
're naming him Jason.”
Then her eyes connected with mine.
“Cassie,” she said, worry replacing the happiness she'd just had. “What's wrong?”
I shook my head at her but didn't speak.
“Cassie,” my dad said, as he reached out for me, but I pulled away before he could touch me. “What happened?”
I looked at him and thought for a moment.
“I don't belong,” I said. “I never have. I should never have come here.”
Then I walked by them and toward the elevator as quickly as I could with three kids.
“Cassie,” I heard Parker yell, but I didn't stop.
The elevator doors opened, and I stepped in. When I turned around, he was standing on the other side.
“Go,” I said. “Just go back to them. They're your friends.”
“No,” he snapped. “I didn't know. I swear I didn't. I'm so damn sorry.”
“Be careful tomorrow,” I said, as I pushed the button for the first floor. “Good luck, Parker.”
“Cassie,” he growled out, as the doors closed, and he was gone.
I got out of there as fast as I could. Once the kids were in their seats, I got in and took off toward our apartment, so damn glad I didn't have to go back to Sammie and James' house. When I parked in front of our apartment door, I let out a long breath.
“Three more months,” I whispered to myself. “Then I'll have the house. I can go back there.”
I had to pay James back with the money I was getting from the divorce, and I'd still have a lot left after that. I didn't want to use Jeff's money to support the kids and me, but I'd do it if I had to. What did it matter anyway, I thought? Nobody really gave a shit about me, and I honestly couldn't blame them. I deserved exactly what I was getting. I was the one that had walked away from them. Why I thought I could fix it, I didn't know.
A knock on my window had me jumping in my seat. When I looked over, I saw Parker looking back at me.
“Unlock the doors,” he said. “I'll help you get the kids inside.”
When I didn't do it, he growled out my name along with a threat of breaking a window, which was one more thing I couldn't afford, so I hit the unlock button. He opened Jake's door and got him out of his carrier.
“Come on, kids,” he said. “Let's get inside.”
Out of My League: Complete Box Set Page 31
