by Mj Fields
“Maddox tell you about the date?” I ask then take another drink.
Brody laughs. “It seems the two top bids for the date with you were Maddox with your money, and Emma with ours.”
I nod and can’t help smiling.
“They trust you. I trust London. She says she loves you. I see you feel the same. I do not want my daughter to hurt.”
Now’s as good a time as any.
“I want to marry London.”
He stiffens a bit, then takes a drink.
It’s going to get a lot worse, but fuck it.
“I plan to ask her to marry me tomorrow.”
He nearly spits his drink out.
“Before you threaten me, understand I’m not afraid. Also understand I’m not talking tomorrow, next week, next year, or hell, maybe I’ll wait until she graduates, which she will. And after we’re married, I’ll support every dream she has.”
After he collects himself, he nods. “So, a long engagement?”
I nod. “As long as she needs.”
“Then, why the rush?”
“I love her,” I tell him simply.
He takes a deep breath. “I know that.”
“I’m glad.”
“Are you waiting for my blessing?” he asks.
“I suppose I am.”
I see him ball his fists, and then he looks down at them and relaxes. He then smiles a tight-lipped smile as he says, “You have it.”
“Thank you, Brody.”
He picks up his drink and tosses the rest of it back before starting with, “Just remember—”
“I’d kill myself before I ever hurt her again.”
“What?” I hear London say then laugh as she walks into the room.
Fuck, did she hear everything? I ask myself.
“I threatened him again,” Brody answers her.
I look at him, and he shrugs.
“You both need to get a grip,” she mumbles as she walks past him and toward me. She stops just out of my reach. “I never want to hear that again.”
I nod then shrug. “Got it.”
She turns and looks at Brody. “I want him to spend the night.”
He lifts his hands in the air in defeat, then shakes his head as he walks away. “Couldn’t you just sneak him in so I can pretend I haven’t a damn clue?”
She laughs. “He’ll be out before Lexington wakes.”
He simply shakes his head and keeps walking.
§
Last night, she nearly begged me to “just get it over with already.” I had to grab her hand as she was trying to shove it down my damn jeans. I left those fuckers on all damn night, too. In the end, she got off again. Then, like a satisfied little kitten, she curled up around me and fell asleep. I made damn sure I was out the door before anyone woke up.
She has always had the ability to out shit talk me and give it back when I dish it out, and honestly, I fucking love that I am making her wait. I know when and where we will be when it happens. It’s already been fucking planned.
Dad and I hit the gym, eat breakfast out, and then we hit the jewelers. Something about him not knowing before Brody fucked with me. I wanted him here. Would have loved Mom to be, too, but she had made her bed.
When I open the box for the twentieth time, Dad laughs.
“You sure that’s the one?”
“Knew it when I saw it. Just trying to picture what it will look like on her hand.”
“You know your sister is gonna be full of I told you so’s.” Dad chuckles.
“I always knew it. Just didn’t want to hurt her. Never thought I could do this, you know.” I close the box. “Always thought second loves were the ones people actually fucking worked at.”
He nods. “That’s on me.”
“No, Dad, it’s on me. I shouldn’t have been so fucking afraid of fucking this up.”
He chuckles again. “That’s on me, too.”
I shake my head. “You raised a better man than that.”
He smirks. “You bet your fucking ass I did.”
It’s Super Bowl Sunday and the Hines’ house is full of London’s family, my family, and some friends when we walk in.
I wink when she looks at me, and she blushes. I haven’t a clue why, but it’s cute as hell.
London, Tessa, Emma, Lexington, and Keeka are in the kitchen where they have obviously been the entire day, cooking. The family room has enough food sitting on tables to feed an entire NFL team. Trays of vegetables and various dips, fruit platters, chicken wings in crockpots, those little cocktail wieners, nachos, chips, and so much more. And they are still cooking, laughing, and talking.
I force myself to stay the hell out of there, because I have a feeling that blush had something to do with me pulling her hand away from the goods. And now, well, now my cock is getting its revenge on me for not letting her have what is and always will be hers from before cuddle season on out.
I see Dad walking around with Leddie, singing to her and doing so very off-key whenever he’s around Maddox, who laughs at him.
I look at Brody and see he’s already looking at me. He smiles, shakes his head, and then he chuckles.
I don’t need his approval, but I’m certainly glad he seems to be giving it.
“Almost time,” Dad yells, and within minutes, everyone is in the living room, settling in before the players take the field.
I should be fucking nervous, but I’m not. I actually feel calmer than I ever have at one of these gettogethers. I mean, London Fields was the reason I was always in a defensive stance, just waiting for her to say some shit that would make me crazy.
When the volume of the TV goes down, everyone looks at Dad, expecting him to flip shit, scramble around, and try to figure out why the damn thing’s not working. Yes, it’s happened before.
I stand and turn around, holding my hand out to London. She looks at me oddly, yet she still gives me her hand.
I nod to Dad, and then the song starts.
“Dance with me?”
She looks at me, eyes wide, and nods her head nervously as Ed Sheeran’s “Perfect” begins. She’s speechless, which is far from normal for her, and an incredible turn on at not such an opportune time.
I take her hands, placing them on my shoulders. Then I place mine on her waist and begin slowly moving to the beat.
“Oh. My. God,” I hear Ava whisper.
“It’s obvious that you and I immediately connected when we were kids.” I smile, and she blushes. “I winked at you, you stuck your tongue out at me, and then your cousins instantly threatened to kick my ass if I pulled that shit again.”
She grins. “Really?”
“Yeah, really.” I nod. “From that point on, I wondered what the hell it was about you that they all felt the need to protect you against me. Then I realized they were probably protecting me against you.”
Everyone laughs, including her.
“Not really, but for some reason, it made me feel...protective over you.”
She pushes her forehead against my chest and sighs.
Ava coughs out, “Possessive.”
Everyone laughs again.
“Tomayto, tomahto.” I shrug, and then London looks back up at me as I continue. “Your prom date wasn’t good enough for you. Your senior dinner dance date didn’t show up.” London laughs, and I shrug. “Then college came, and with it, the reality that no one was good enough for you because you were always supposed to be mine, and I was supposed to be yours.”
I hear the women in the room, “Ahhh...”
“I spent way too much time pushing you away, trying to act like I knew more than you, and I should have been showing you that you are perfect for me.”
Ava coughs again, “Jail bait.”
I laugh, and so does London.
“I don’t want to wait anymore,” I tell her, and her eyes grow bigger than ever. “You okay?”
She leans in and whispers, “I don’t think this is the appropriate time to tell me
to be prepared.”
I can’t help laughing. She thinks this is about us having sex. Then I can’t help fucking with her a little more.
“I think it’s the perfect time to ask you to be—”
She kisses me hard then steps back. “I would love to be your girlfriend.” She steps back and looks around the room. “Logan and I are officially dating.”
They all start laughing.
London turns back to look at me, having to look down.
I am on one knee, holding a black velvet box.
“We’re perfect for each other, London Fields. Marry me.”
She looks at me like I cracked, and I just smile. Then she looks around and finds Brody, who gives her a soft smile.
“Is he being serious?”
They all laugh again.
“He is,” I tell her, and she looks back at me.
“Did you really just ask me to marry you?” she gasps out.
I nod.
“And Dad—”
“No, just you,” I interrupt.
Tears immediately start falling as she smiles. “Ask me again?”
“London Fields, marry me.”
She nods, batting away tears.
“May I?” I ask, pointing to her hand. Then I open the box, and she covers her mouth.
“Holy crap! You’re being serious.”
“Yeah, pretty, I am.”
I laugh as she thrusts her hand in my face.
“Yes, yes, yes!” London chants as she laughs, tears falling, as I push the ring onto her finger. Then I stand up, and she grabs my face. “Yes!”
I wrap my arm around her and lift her up to kiss her.
“I love you, London.”
“I love you more. So, so, so much more.”
§
I lie in bed, my bed, at my old house, looking at the ceiling and realizing I paid no fucking attention to the damn Super Bowl.
I laugh when my phone goes off, knowing it’s London.
I can’t believe you’re not staying here tonight...
I reply with:
Two words.
I watch the bubbles jump before her reply appears.
What two words? What are you talking about?
Blue. Balls.
Her immediate response is:
Your fault.
I laugh as I run my fucking hand over my hair because, fuck yes, I want her, but no fucking way is it going to be when Brody is under the same roof.
I love you. See you in a couple days.
Bubbles and then the message:
Oh no, just no. I’m not waiting for the rigged date in New York City to see you.
Yes, you are.
My phone rings immediately, and I hit accept.
“You don’t get to call all the shots here,” she fucking growls at me.
“London,” I sigh out.
“Lord Logan,” she hisses.
“I want it to be perfect, like the song, you know?”
She groans out, “Good night.”
“I love you, pretty.”
“Yeah, well...same.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
* * *
Father / Son
Logan
London has been back to school for three days, and I have been home, keeping my fucking distance and going through all Dad’s properties with him. He managed to keep several, four of them much like the one I have taken over. Old warehouses and apartment buildings that he hasn’t done anything with. He’s enjoying his retirement.
“I’m willing to do all this with you,” he offers for the hundredth time.
“I know, and I will take you up on it when I need it. But let me give it a shot on my own first.”
“Not really an issue, Logan. I actually kind of miss it. These past couple months reminded me of that.” He smiles.
“I think you’d rather play Pop-Pop to Piper, Reed, Chance, Hope, and Leddie. Maybe you should run a daycare.” I laugh.
He doesn’t, but Tessa does.
He whips his head around and scowls at her.
“He’s right, you know.”
He stands up and starts toward her when my phone rings. It’s Mitch.
I step, outside knowing when he catches her, things will get loud.
“What’s up?” I ask.
“It’s Downs, man. You should come up.”
“Is he...?” I pause, knowing damn well I can’t handle another death. And London, it will push her back a fucking month.
“Not yet, but they’re taking him off the ventilators, so we’re all going in one by one to tell him to fucking fight. You need to be here.”
“Does Jamie know?”
“No one knows,” he tells me.
“Let’s keep it that way. I’ll be there in a couple hours.”
Once I let Dad know what’s going on, he and Tessa grab their coats.
“You don’t have to go,” I tell them, yet I’m glad they are.
I call London on my way up and let her know I will be there tomorrow morning.
“Take your time. I have a date in New York City tomorrow. Maddox and Harper asked if I wanted to ride with them. They’re driving down to meet with Thomas’s lawyer to finalize his estate.”
“We fly out in the morning; you sure you want to go with them?” I ask.
“Yeah, actually,” she whispers. “Maddox asked. I think he needs me there.”
It’s really damn odd.
“All right then.” I sigh. “What time are you heading out? I’d like to see you before you leave.”
She fucking laughs at me. “Oh no. Nope. I’ll see you in New York.”
“London...”
“I love you. See you in New York.” She hangs up on me.
I will make her regret that one.
§
Sitting in the waiting room for my turn, Trucker walks in. I nod at him, and he nods back before looking around for a place to sit. The spot to my left is free, but he walks across the room and sits in a seat next to Coach.
Ass kisser.
When it’s my turn to go in, I promise myself not to take up too much time. It’s nearly midnight and there are still a couple more guys waiting.
I walk by his parents, who look fucking exhausted. His father is holding his mother, and they both have tears running down their faces.
I sit next to Downs. He looks a hell of a lot better than he did, but that clearly doesn’t mean shit.
“Hey, Downs,. It’s Logan. Look, man, I’ve done five years here, three with you, and until you wake the fuck up, I’m stuck here.” I pat his shoulder and sigh. “Your folks haven’t left. Your team takes shifts. Hell, there was a rumor Coach Brown was going to retire if you didn’t wake up, and we all know he’s done his time.”
I sigh again, trying to think of something more to say and admit as much to him.
“I’m grasping at what to say, man. You can bet your ass, if I knew what play to call to get you up and on the line, I would.” I breathe out heavily.
“That’s offense’s job.”
I look up to see Trucker walking in.
He stands on the opposite side of Downs’ bed, looks at me then nods to the door. “The doctor wants us to come in two at a time; speed up the process.”
I nod.
“Trucker’s here, Downs. You must be something special to bring his ugly ass back here from living it up down in Jersey.”
“He’s something special for sure. Always thought he was better than both of us on the field.” Trucker scowls at me. “Look, Downs, the sooner you wake up, the sooner I’ll get to go back to where I belong. You do it soon, I’ll make damn sure to put in a good word for you down there. Would be really cool to play with a friend again. You do it tonight, I’ll buy you a new fucking car.”
I roll my eyes, and Trucker sneers silently at me.
“More of the guys are waiting to come in, man. We need you to fight. We need you to wake up; give us some hope. You were always that guy. See you soon, Down
s.” I grip his shoulder before walking out.
“How’s he look?” Coach Brown asks when I walk into the waiting room.
“Better. Looks better, Coach,” I tell him as I sit next to him.
He nods.
“You been in yet?”
He shakes his head. “Can’t do it.”
“Tough shit, old man. He looks up to you. We all do.”
When everyone has been in and returned, I look back at Coach and whisper, “I’m not leaving until you get your ass in there and tell him to fight.”
Trucker sits on his other side. “He’s right.”
“Usually am,” I jab.
“You two need to knock the shit off,” Coach Brown tells us. “That could be one of you lying in there right now. Think about how that would make your ugly asses feel.” He stands up and takes a few steps before looking back. “I fucking mean it.”
When he walks out the door, I look at Trucker. “This doesn’t right your fucking wrongs, you hear me?”
He leans in. “I don’t give a fuck what you think of me.”
“The hell you don’t.” I pull my hat down and lean back.
“You sticking around?” Mitch asks. He’s sitting on the other side of me.
“I’m here till the old man gets back,” I tell him without looking at him.
Mitch leans over. “I know what the fuck you’re doing. I wouldn’t expect anything less. I’m talking to the fucking superstar over there.”
“You got a fucking problem with me, bitch two?” Trucker whisper-hisses at him.
“I got more than one,” Mitch snaps. “You make a good show here. Act like you give a damn about any of us, then go in there and tell a dying man to fight when you just really wanna know if his swimmers got there first.”
“You better put your boy in check,” Trucker tells me.
“I’m not anyone’s boy,” Mitch snaps. “And I’m not anyone’s daddy either.”
“You better shut your fucking mouth,” Trucker whispers.
Mitch laughs. “Or what?”
“End it...now.” I look at Mitch. “For Downs.”
I look at my phone when it vibrates in my hand. It’s London.
