Three Grumpy Groomsmen

31. Liam

CHAPTER 31

Liam

I’m on my way down to the boardwalk when my phone rings. I’m still not really a boardwalk guy but I’ve been playing chess there for the past three mornings and I find myself walking in that direction on purpose now.

The old men who gather there are hilarious and I haven’t had a good game of chess in forever. Despite the gossiping and insults and jokes they toss back and forth as they play, they take their chess seriously. Sam’s my favorite. He’s the one who invited me that first morning, and he’s the sneaky one. He seems laid back and friendly, as if he’s just there for a good time and doesn’t care about the outcome at all. But he’ll kick your ass with a grin on his face. And then buy you popcorn while he tells you what’s wrong with your game.

I like him.

I haven’t asked, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Sam was a fisherman back in his working days. It was something blue collar. All of these guys were, I’m sure. They’re so down to earth. They’ve also clearly known each other for years and years. Their friendship reminds me of Ford and Harrison’s. Easy and loving, with lots of inside jokes and a clear level of comfort that comes from knowing someone really well and knowing they have your back.

The way the older men have accepted me into their group is a little surprising, honestly. It makes me feel warm as I pick up my pace down the sidewalk.

I really don’t want phone calls from L.A. interrupting my mental pre-game prep. But when I don’t answer the call, my friend texts.

Pick up! I have news.

Dammit. I stop walking and dial Toby’s number. He answers immediately. “What’s up?” I ask. “I’ve only got a minute.”

“Well, hello to you too,” my friend and fellow writer answers. “I’ve missed you too. I’m fine, thanks for asking.”

I roll my eyes. Tobias Franklin is nothing if not a drama queen. “Hi, Toby. I’ve missed you. How are you?”

“I’m panicked , Liam,” he informs me. “When are you coming home?”

I grin, but try to keep it out of my voice. I start toward the boardwalk again. “I’m not sure. Why are you panicked?”

It could be almost anything from a new guy he’s seeing that hasn’t called in twelve hours to his mother coming to town to stay for a week. The latter is definitely cause for panic.

“Andrew loves the new storyline you’ve added,” Toby says.

I stop. “Really?”

Andrew, our showrunner, actually emailed to tell me that himself. He loves the idea of giving Captain Daniels a new love interest. He even said that he thought changing that up could get us a renewal for another season. I was thrilled, of course. But if he also told Toby and others, that’s huge.

“Definitely. They’re going to start casting soon. You have to get back here or…” Toby trails off dramatically. Then he lowers his voice. “Or he’s going to give that storyline to Gwenyth.”

I freeze. “ What ?”

One, I had no idea that they’d be casting the part of the love interest so soon. I mean…I should have. Obviously. The storyline really kicks off in four episodes. And we’ll need to foreshadow it.

I should have thought of that.

I’ve been too distracted. I’ve had too much going on. Ivy. Harrison. Honeysuckle Harbor. I got the pages written and sent off but I haven’t really thought about it all.

Dammit.

Two, Gwenyth is the worst choice of anyone in the writer’s room. But yeah, I can see Andrew giving it to her.

“I know ! She will ruin it ,” Toby says. “You have to get back here. If you’re here , you can take the lead in discussions and you’ll make Gwenyth look pale in comparison, as always. But if you’re not here and you’re only emailing or doing it over video call, I’m afraid Andrew will be more impressed with her than he should be.”

He’s right.

Fuck. By now, Andrew should know that Gwenyth sucks. All of her characters lack depth. She mostly works on very, very side characters so the others cover up their shallowness and how boring they are, but she kisses up to Andrew more than anyone else and she’s very pretty. Pretty people get a lot of grace in this world.

And Andrew is very busy. If Gwenyth acts confident enough, he just might give her this storyline.

No. I can’t let that happen. This new character will directly impact my main character. She cannot be boring and one-dimensional.

I have to get back to L.A.

“Thanks for the heads up,” I tell Toby. “I’ll…see you soon.”

“Oh, holy shit,” he breathes out. “Thank the heavens and the hells and everything in between.” He pauses, then says, the smile evident in his tone. “Also, I can’t wait to see you and Ivy together. God , I’ve been dying to see the two of you finally admitting your feelings. You better plan a big dinner party for all of us. No! I’ll plan the party. You just bring your gorgeous, sweet girlfriend and prepare for us to all tell her how long you’ve been pining over her.”

I wish I could laugh. I wish I could roll my eyes and then grin, imagining this party. Because yes, Toby and a few others on the show figured out how I felt about Ivy pretty early on. But…

I’m not sure Ivy will be thrilled about going back to L.A. like this. I know this will feel sudden to her. It is sudden, even though we’ve both been planning to go back to California. Now, though, I feel unprepared. I know she will too.

The house sold faster than we expected. I’d really thought I could work remotely longer.

We’d thought we could get Harrison and Ford out of our systems.

But that is clearly not going to happen.

I’m not ready to leave South Carolina.

I’m not ready to leave Harrison.

I don’t know if I ever will be.

“Sure. Yeah, I’ll let you know when I have more specific plans,” I tell Toby, trying to sound normal. “I’ve got to go right now, though. Thanks again for the call.”

“Of course! Talk soon!”

We disconnect and I head for the boardwalk, because I can’t even think about going back to Harrison’s right now. If I see him, I might decide I don’t care about My Fellow Aliens or the new character, or…any of it. My career , for fuck’s sake. I might actually consider giving it all up for a rich and pretty playboy who hasn’t committed to anything in his life.

That’s not true, and you know it .

He has committed. To Ford, and their business, and this town and his family.

Harrison has roots. More so than I do, if I’m honest. He knows what it’s like to be a part of a real community. I’ve had more long-term romantic relationships, maybe, but Harrison has people who really know him. People he can’t let down. People who matter on other levels.

He gives money, sure, but he also gives time and energy. He’s here for these people he loves. He might come off as laid back and fun-loving—and he is definitely both of those things—but watching him with everyone last night at the bonfire, it’s clear these people are important to him. And vice versa.

Being someone important to Harrison Reed is actually a big deal. He doesn’t take it lightly and being welcomed into his life means being a part of his entire life—his town and his family, blood and beyond.

No wonder he keeps things with romantic partners pretty superficial. It would take someone special to really be a part of everything in Harrison’s life.

That realization makes my chest feel tight and I have to work to paste on a smile as I approach the table where Sam is sitting, the chess game already set up in front of him. He’s chatting with the two men at the table next to his—Walt and Ed.

“‘Morning,” I greet as I slide into the chair opposite Sam. “Sorry, I’m late. Got a phone call.”

“No worries,” Sam says. “I’ve got nowhere to be. Which is glorious.”

I grin despite my tangle of thoughts and emotions. “Aren’t you the same guy who insists we play speed chess because you’re old—your words—and don’t have time for classic chess?”

Sam chuckles. “It’s just a fact that I’ll get more games in if we play speed chess.”

I can’t argue with that.

He hits the clock and makes his first move.

Ten minutes later, he sits back in his chair. “You’re not even trying.”

I look up from the board to meet his eyes. He beat me easily. I sigh and sit back as well. “You’re right.”

“I’m insulted,” he says. “I’ve been bragging about how often I beat you, but if you’re not even going to give it an effort, it’s not as much fun.”

“Sorry, Sam.” I study the pawn. “I have a lot on my mind today.”

“The phone call you got that made you late?” he guesses.

“That’s part of it. But not the entire thing.”

“Did Harrison do or say something stupid?”

I chuckle. I’d told the guys that I was here visiting Harrison. They’d known I was staying there. I chalked it up to a small town thing. They knew the next day that Harrison and I are ‘dating’. None of them seemed fazed by it at all. In fact, they seemed to approve.

“No, Harrison is…great,” I say.

Sam nods. “He is. That doesn’t mean he doesn’t do and say stupid things sometimes.”

I outright laugh at that. “You know him pretty well?”

“Very well.”

Honeysuckle Harbor is very small, and Harrison grew up here. I’ll bet these guys have some great stories about him, as a matter of fact.

Now I want to hear them all.

“Harrison is making things complicated,” I confess. “But only because he’s great and I…like him…so much.”

Ed snorts and Sam and Walt exchange eye rolls.

“What?”

“You’re in love with him,” Walt says. “You can say that here. We think it’s great.”

I like that. I blow out a breath. “Fine. I’m in love with him.”

“So what’s the problem?” Ed asks. He frowns. “Does he not love you?”

Sam sits forward. “I’ll talk to him.”

That amuses me. And warms me. These three men don’t know me that well. They have to know Harrison better than they know me, regardless. But they seem truly offended by the idea that Harrison might not have feelings for me.

“You’ll talk to Harrison for me?” I ask Sam. “And what? Demand he fall in love with me?”

Sam nods. “Damn right. Sometimes a boy needs advice from his grandfather. Nothing wrong with that.”

I smile. Then frown. Then sit up straighter. Then lean in. I narrow my eyes at Sam. “Excuse me?”

“What?”

“His grandfather ?”

Sam nods. “Yes, his grandfather. His parents do a pretty good job. God knows Ford is his voice of reason more often than not. But it’s not as if I have nothing to contribute.”

I stare at the man across the table from me. The nice old man I’ve been playing chess with. The nice old man I’ve been assuming is just…a nice old man. Who probably used to be a fisherman. Who just happens to know Harrison because it’s a small town.

I’m an idiot.

“Sam?” I ask.

“Yes?”

“What’s your last name?”

“Reed.”

I run a hand over my face. “Your Harrison’s grandfather?”

“One of them, yes.”

“You were never a fisherman, were you?” I ask.

He chuckles and looks at Walt and Ed. “I’ve fished plenty.”

“But…not for a living.”

“Oh. No. I’m rich,” he says nonchalantly. “I don’t need to fish for a living.”

Right. He’s rich. He’s Harrison’s grandfather.

“How about you Walt?” I ask. “You rich too?”

I shouldn’t be surprised when Walt nods, but I am.

“Yep. Ed too,” Walt says. He holds out a hand. “Walter Ambrose. Ambrose Industries.”

I take his hand. Jesus.

“And I’m Edward Parks,” Ed says. “Parks Financial Services. I’m not as rich as these two, but I do okay.”

I have no idea what to say to that, so I just look back at Sam.

He grins. “Samuel Reed. Reed Investments. And other things. That’s what I started with though.”

“Were you ever going to tell me that I was playing chess with my boyfriend’s grandfather?” I ask.

“You would have figured it out eventually,” he says, unapologetically. “At the wedding, if not before.”

I groan. “Sam! I mean, Mr. Reed ?—”

He frowns now. “Don’t you dare get all ‘Mr. Reed’ on me. We’re friends. It’s just Sam to you. I didn’t know who you were when I invited you to sit down and we played those first few games. And I didn’t tell you who I was because I didn’t want you to treat me differently. If you start now, I’m going to be disappointed.”

“But you’re Harrison’s grandfather,” I protest.

“So what?”

“So you should have told me,” I say, pretty sure that’s true. “What if I’d complained about him to you?”

“I’m sure you would have had a good reason,” he says. “From your point of view, anyway.”

“But wouldn’t giving me advice about my relationship with your grandson, without me even knowing who you are, been a conflict of interest or something?” I ask, feeling confused.

Sam scoffs at that. “I would have never given you advice about your relationship with Harrison. I’ve been in that kind of love with exactly one person in my life. I married her the second she said yes, and never let her go. But that’s the only relationship I know anything about. Who am I to tell you what to do in yours?”

I study him. Then I look at Walt and Ed. Excuse me, Walter and Edward . But they simply shrug.

“So you don’t give business advice either, since you’ve only ever had the one business?”

Sam laughs. “Oh, hell no. I give business advice all the time. I’ve done lots of business. I also give advice about chess, where to vacation, movies, books, and pizza. Because I’ve had a lot of all of those.”

I nod. “Okay.”

“But people aren’t pizzas or movies. They’re exceedingly complicated and ever-changing and the same one that makes you happier than you’ve ever been will also have the ability to rip your heart out, so…I’m just grateful to have mostly figured one out. I would never try to advise on another.”

“That’s actually…” I sigh. “Not that helpful right now.”

Sam laughs.

“Especially because I’m in love with two people. And there are three other people in this relationship.” I wait for their reactions.

They all just nod.

“Isn’t this where one of you says ‘love will find a way’ or ‘if it’s meant to be, it will be’?” I ask.

Ed shakes his head and Sam just shrugs.

“Well, that’s ridiculous,” Walt says. “You have to work at things. Even chess and pizza are crap if you don’t try . You’re going to have to figure it out. You can’t just leave it up to chance.”

I sigh. Maybe I should have just gone back to Harrison’s.

“But,” Sam adds. “At least you have three other people to help you. In my experience, chess, vacations, books, movies, and pizza are all better when shared with people you care about. A great relationship and the problems that crop up are the same.”

That makes sense. At least it sounds wise. Finally, something that’s a little helpful.

I push my chair back. “Okay, gentlemen, I think I have somewhere I need to be.”

“Let me know when you want to get pizza and tell me how smart I am,” Sam calls after me as I head up the boardwalk.

I just grin.

I probably shouldn’t be surprised to find that I really like Harrison’s grandfather.