Love You Anyway: Our Second Chance at Love, page 7
“I get that, but I’m still going.”
“Maddox, it’s a public restaurant. If you walk in there with me, you keep your cool. You let me say what I need to, and you don’t ever repeat a word of it, or I won’t go in there. Do you understand?”
“I’ll do my best.”
“No, Maddox, you’ll do as I ask. Trust me on this.”
He wasn’t budging, and neither was I. I crossed my arms in front of me and waited for him to truly realize I wasn’t fucking around.
“Fine.”
❖
I walk into the restaurant that is full of people enjoying a Sunday breakfast. The hostess tries to stop us, but I smile and keep walking.
I see the weasel’s shiny bald head in the back corner then look back at Maddox to make sure he isn’t ready to lose his shit.
We walk toward the group of men, and I grab a chair from a table next to theirs, filled with women. I wink and drag it to the asshole’s table.
I sit backward in the chair next to Sam and reach over to his plate, grabbing a piece of bacon. “Sam Hammond, just the man I was looking for. Oh, and hey Maddox, do you recognize these two”—I hand him a piece of bacon—“pigs?”
Sam starts to stand, but I push his chair forward, trapping him. “Oh, please don’t get up, Sam. Don’t waste your pleasantries. Maddox, you have your phone?”
“Yeah.”
“Great. How about you get a few pictures while I explain why the fuck the shit that went down last night will never happen again.”
Maddox smirks and snaps a couple pictures. I smile at the camera and point to Sam.
“Perfect. Now, Sam, your daughters—”
“One daughter, Links. The other girl was my niece, Senator Robertson’s daughter.”
“Which little bitch hit my fiancée?”
Sam looks back at Maddox. “My daughter moved her arm, and it just so happened her face got in the way.” Sam looks over at the cops from last night. “A complete accident.”
“And who was talking about a young woman whose father and child had just been murdered?” I shove his chair just as he’s taking a drink.
“Fucking asshole, you spilled my drink.”
“Oh, I am so sorry.”
“You can tell your little bitch to keep her mouth fucking shut!” Maddox snaps.
I look up at him and shake my head. Then I grab another piece of bacon off Sam’s plate and take a bite. “Here’s the deal; stay the fuck away from my kids. Stay the fuck away from Maddox and his family. And you two boys need to really think about who you align yourselves with.”
“We have photos now proving the link between you scum.” Maddox holds up his phone. “Sent to others, so don’t even try to deny it.”
“Links, how’s your wife?” Sam snarls.
“She’s just the same. But yours is looking a little lonely. Give her my number?” I stand up then return the chair to the ladies at the table next. I smile at them. “You catch all that?”
They smile and nod.
“Perfect.” I wave the waitress over and hand her a hundred bucks. “Please see to it these beautiful women are well taken care of.” I turn around and sniff at Sam Hammond’s table. “Smells like shit over here. Let’s roll, Hines.”
Maddox turns around, walks back to Sam Hammond, and whispers in his ear. Then he walks back to me.
“You couldn’t help yourself, could you, boy?” I put my hand on his shoulder, and we walk out the door.
“No.”
We stop in front of my car, and Maddox’s driver pulled the car in front of us. “You’re on the shit list, you know?”
“She won’t like it, but she’ll understand.”
“Was it worth it?”
“I know his name and his face, so yes, it was.”
“Good. Okay, let’s get back to the hotel. With any luck, they slept in.”
❖
As soon as I get in the car, I dial the wife.
She answers immediately with, “You can’t answer your phone when I call!”
“Good morning, my queen.”
Everything comes out in a high-pitched screech when she says, “Did you see Ava on the news? Why aren’t my kids answering the phone when I call? I don’t want her around Harper Abraham! Do you understand, Lucas?”
Remaining calm, I respond, “I did see her on the news. Logan and I drove in when I heard she may be in some trouble. She was sticking up for her friend. Put Robby on speaker.”
“What makes you think—”
“The fact that I sent you texts last night and you ignored them! Put that fuck on the phone!”
“No.”
“Fine, I’ll be over to see you both in ten minutes.”
“Like you know where I am.”
“Try me, Ash. Put him on the phone, or you can see exactly how much I know about you and your fuck buddy.”
“I’m here, Links, but you will not speak to her—”
“You shut the fuck up and listen to me! You see the video of my daughter’s alleged attack?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Links. I came because Ashley was upset.”
“Hey, Ash, you know I don’t give a fuck what you do, but we’re a team when it comes to our kids. When I’m off the phone, google that shit. Put Harper’s name in the search. Her name is more likely to bring up the footage used by the police when they showed up and dragged our daughter and Harper to the thirteenth precinct last night, harassing them.”
“She was arrested because of Harper!”
“I’m so fucking glad I’m not in front of you right now, Ash. I swear to God, I have never wanted to slap the stupid out of a woman more than I do you right now.”
“That’s enough, Links!” Robby screams, and straight-up sounds like a bitch.
“Fuck you. Ash, politicians are worms. Why not ask him who else was involved? Remember, they lie and manipulate for a living.”
“I’m not a liar, Links!”
“Good to know,” I say, Then, to test the theory, I ask, “Who else was in the video, Robby?”
“I haven’t seen the video, Links.”
“Ash, that’s a politician for. My fucking daughter and my niece. Robby’s and Sam’s daughters were the two little bitches who said Harper didn’t deserve Maddox and that it was good that she was beat so badly her baby died. You may wanna consider that before you talk shit about Harper, saying she’s a bad influence, or telling Logan that Harper is a bad influence! Your fuck buddy’s daughter and niece were the bitches who fucked with my kid! And he sits there, knowing full well this went down, lying to you, Ash. He—”
“I came to tell her—”
“You shut the fuck up. I’m talking to my wife!” I inhale a deep breath, hoping it calms me. “Ash, things between you and I will never be the same. Never! But you decide now which side to take, and so help me God, you choose carefully. ’Cause if you think you can mind fuck our kids with lies, you have no idea what I’m capable of doing with the truth on my side.”
I hear a muffled sob escape her mouth.
“No time to puss out, Ash. Show me that I wasn’t wrong about you for twenty plus goddamn years. Do what’s right for your kids. They haven’t heard anything about your lies. I don’t want to hurt them, and dammit, I know that you don’t, either. You stepped in a whole pile of shit, but shit washes off, Ash. Regardless of what happens with you and I, for them, pull your head out of your ass and do the right thing now.”
She doesn’t respond.
“Robby, if your daughter so much as looks in the direction of my kids or Harper Abraham’s again, I will kick your ass so hard you’ll be pissing sneaker laces. You put that little bitch, Sam, on a leash, or I’ll fucking ruin you like I did him.”
“I don’t take kindly to threats.”
“Motherfucker, that’s not a threat.” I laugh.
“This is about you and I, Links. What happened was purely coincidental.”
“My daughter and her friend being harassed wasn’t a coincidence, Robby. You’ve been warned. Ash, I hope you know what you’ve gotten yourself into. You think you’ve seen me pissed? If anymore shit storms down on our kids, you’ll see the motherfucking apocalypse. And Robby, she’s the mother of my children. Nothing will change that ever. You better make damn sure she’s safe from Sam’s bullshit, too.”
“Lucas?”
“Ash?”
“Is she okay?”
“The kids are fine. You need to step back and get your fucking head on straight. They’re not toys, Ash.”
“I never said they were.”
“Don’t pull that bullshit on Logan again.”
“You’re going to tell them, anyway.”
“No, Ash, I don’t want our issues to be their problem any more than they have to be. June, that and peace is all I ask for. Gotta go. Text me and let me know you’re okay later. Goodbye.”
❖
I pull into the parking garage and sit, trying to calm the rage, and catch Maddox waiting for me. I hope he didn’t catch on to the issues Sam so blatantly spoke about.
As I slide out of the vehicle, he nods. I hope this kid can keep his mouth shut.
“You ready?” he asks.
“Sure am.”
When we get off the elevator, Tessa is pacing at the end of the hall, along with Harper and Ava. Who am I kidding? Everyone except Maddox’s little sisters are out there waiting.
“She a foot stomper?”
He nods.
“It’s gonna feel like a heat wave outside for a while, boy, and it’s fucking winter in New York.” I pat him on the back as we walk down the hall to the angry mob assembled.
The Brit begins, “Links—”
“Dad, he didn’t know I was following him.”
“Maddox, I can speak for myself.”
“Lucas!” Tessa snaps at me, and hell yes, I like it. “Where have you two been?”
“Brunch.” I smirk. “You guys eat yet? We have a game to get to.”
EIGHT
GAME TIME
My kids, Harper, and Tessa’s boys pile into the SUV to head to the game. Maddox is being shunned, poor bastard. I know how that felt at that age. Who the hell am I kidding? I know what it feels like now.
I’m so glad the storm came last night and we had all these extra tickets. Tessa and her kids need to have one day to relax and enjoy themselves. Just like Ava, her boys will be heading back to school soon. I am making it my mission today to show them a good time and make sure Logan knows this is still our day. I can pull this off … right?
We pull into the parking lot ahead of the Hines crew following us and park. I jump out and open the hatch. I grab the folding table and pull it out first.
“What is going on?” Maddox asks quietly.
“Tailgate party, Maddox.”
Logan and I set up a grill, and Ava pulls out a cooler. She reaches in and grabs two drinks, opens one, and hands it to Harper. Harper takes a drink and nearly chokes.
Bad influence my ass, Ash.
“Be careful, Harper.” Tessa laughs and pats her on the back.
Ava hands Tessa the other.
“I shouldn’t.”
“Yes, you should. We’re tailgating. Come on; let your hair down, girl.”
Ava grabs another and hands it to Maddox’s mom, Emma.
“Thank you, Ava.”
“All right, little ladies, let’s go grab you some fan gear.” Maddox’s dad takes his sisters to a vendor walking around, selling foam fingers and tee-shirts.
Ava holds her drink up. “A toast to you, and a toast to me, and a toast to the boys that lick us where we pee!”
What the fuck did she just say?
I can’t even yell at her. I swear, I’m in shock as all the females laugh.
Logan holds up his drink. “May the girls with itty bitties let me pet their pretty kitties.”
“All right, you two, that’s enough.” Okay, maybe a bit of a bad influence.
I reach out for Logan’s beer. “Logan, hand it over now.”
CJ lifts up his beer. “Here’s to the girl on the hill who says no way, but her sister will.”
Matthew is next. “To a fine selection, no rejection, a firm erection, a clean injection, and no infection.”
Tessa covers her face and laughs. It’s great to hear her laugh again.
Then … Harper. “To the hole that never heals. The more I rub it, the better it feels.”
Okay, so no, Ava is not worse than Harper.
I look at Tessa, who is still covering her face. “You teach her that one, Tessa?”
She shakes her head and holds up her drink. “Here’s to those who wish us well, and those who don’t, can go straight to hell!”
Fuck it, I think as I hold my Gatorade up. “To the ones who love and the others who hate. May we know the difference while standing face to face.” I set it down and rub my hands together. “All right, let’s cook some steaks.”
Ava jumps in and cranks up the radio. “Seventeen” by Winger plays.
Oh shit, here we go. Old school. Keep it together, I tell myself as I fire up the portable grill.
She then hurries to me and wraps her arm around me. “Dad and I discovered some things while we were going through boxes the other night. I made a playlist of my favorites.”
“Good stuff, huh, Ava?” Fuck, fuck, fuck. I kiss her head and get back to the grill. Shit!
The song changes, and Tessa nudges me with her hip. “Goo Goo Dolls?”
“What?” I try to act like I’m not paying attention. “You need another drink?”
“No.” She laughs, but I handed her one, anyway. “Name. I like this song.”
“Yeah, I forgot all about the shit in the box. Cool find, huh?”
The song changes to “Hook” by Blues Travelers. Son of a bitch!
“The hook brings you back,” Ava sings, and I look over at her as she’s twirling Harper around and they laugh.
Sweet Jesus, please let this not get any worse.
I peek out of the corner of my eye and see Tessa looking at me. I hold up another drink, asking if she’s ready.
She smiles and holds up both hands; one drink Ava gave her and the other I just handed her.
I’m drowning here. Son of a bitch!
“My Own Worst Enemy” starts, and I can’t help it. This song’s fucking awesome. I grab Ava, spin her around, and her and I sing. Even Logan joins in. I’m pretty sure his sister has snuck him a couple when I wasn’t looking. Logan doesn’t loosen up like this normally. Not gonna lie, it’s good to see my kids happy.
“I made Loggie his own copy.”
“Good stuff, Dad … for dinosaur rock.” Logan chuckles.
“Dinosaur rock?” I huff. “You can say that when you can out-lift me, boy.” I mess up his hair, which is a no, normally.
“Found Out About You” is next, and I laugh. “High school tunes.”
Both my kids look at Tessa, who shakes her head in embarrassment.
“That’s not what I meant.” Holy hell!
Tessa’s kids laugh, and then so does she. Pretty sure she’s buzzed. Thank God, because “Poison” by Alice Cooper is next.
She laughs out loud, and so do I.
“Well, this one was during that time.” She shrugs.
I grab a beer now and crack it open it. “To the good times, of long ago.”
She does the same.
Fuck, I need to get drunk.
The geriatric version of my one-winged angel shows up, all, ‘No, Lucas is a grown up now. He can’t get drunk to get through an uncomfortable situation.’
Motherfucker.
“Love this song.” Baby, I want to call her that so damn bad right now, almost as bad as I want to watch her dance and sing.
When I see the Brit and his girls heading back, I clear the coolers, running to turn the damn music off.
“Dad!” Ava scolds when I come back over.
“Kids, Ava.” I point to Maddox’s sisters.
Logan chuckles.
“Mr. Links—”
“It’s Lucas, London.”
“Okay, fine. But just so you know, my dad and brother are rock stars. I can assure you I’ve heard worse than that. I know the words to Buckcherry’s ‘Crazy Bitch.’”
Her parents gasp, and I’m sure I appear just as shocked.
“London, bitch is a bad word,” Lexington, Maddox’s other sister, corrects her.
Everyone laughs except Maddox’s parents, who scoot both girls away, I assume to correct them.
“You just got two little girls in trouble, Ava,” I scold my little girl.
I look up at Logan, who’s trying not to laugh but is staring in the foul mouth little beauty’s direction. I look toward London and catch her sticking her tongue out at Logan, and he laughs as he lifts a beer to his mouth.
I snatch it away. “Logan, enough.”
“Sure, Dad.” He smirks.
I look at my watch. “Let’s eat, and then it’s time to head in.”
❖
We’re finally going into the stadium. Ava, Emma, and Harper are extremely giggly. Everyone seems to be having a good time, which makes me happy.
In the box, I spot José on the sidelines and shake my head.
I look next to me, and Tessa is right there.
“You miss it?”
“Football?” I ask.
“Yes, football. What the hell did you think I was asking?” She laughs.
“No.” I nod to my kids. “I wouldn’t give up all this for the game. Those two kids are everything I never knew I deserved.”
“So, was football never really what you wanted?”
“I wanted it. Love the game.”
She stands, looking at the field.
“Every part of my past brought me to where I am today. No regrets, Tessa.”
She sighs. “I miss field hockey.”
“The game, or beating the hell out of people during the game?”
