Chapter 33
Chapter Thirty-Three
GRIFFIN
Liam jogged toward us, helmet in hand, hair plastered to his forehead, grinning.
I whooped and sprinted ahead, colliding with him. “Dude.” I gave him a rib-cracking hug. “That was the sickest touchdown of all time. You juked that defender better than Blue ever did.”
He clapped me on the back. “I’ll make sure not to tell him you said that.”
Everyone descended on Liam then. Cash, Theo, Bowen, Charlie, Sophie. Even Maggie. Jules held back, though, fingers pressed to her lips, smiling nervously. I pulled back from the hug. Everyone else let go after that.
“Good to see you, Juliette,” Liam said, but it was stiff.
“You too,” Juliette said, just as stiff.
It would take them some time.
I put Liam in a headlock. “So proud of you, man.”
Maggie shook her head. “Boys are so weird.”
“Facts,” Charlie said. “Weren’t you two about to tussle on Granny and Gramps’s lawn last time you were together?”
“That’s the best thing about being a guy,” Theo said. “We don’t process. We baptize. One touchdown and the whole relationship is washed clean.” He made a sprinkling motion. “Begun anew.”
“Begun anew?” Charlie turned to Cash like, are you hearing this? “What is this, Sunday school?”
Holden, Christy, and Maddie arrived, all grins.
“That’s my boy.” Holden pulled him in.
“So, so good.” Christy beamed, waiting for a turn.
Maddie shrugged. “Meh. It wasn’t terrible.”
“Wasn’t terrible?” Liam yanked her into a bear hug, squeezing until his biceps looked ready to pop—along with her rib cage.
“Can’t. Breathe.” Her feet left the ground, and she kicked.
Liam set Maddie down, his jaw tightening as something past us caught his attention. “Not her.” He swore and his face darkened. “She must’ve crawled out of Satan’s anus.”
“Liam,” Christy said sharply.
“Just wait, Mom. You’ll see.”
We turned to see Liam’s nemesis striding toward us, microphone in hand. Two cameramen followed.
“Yes.” Theo rubbed his hands together like a villain. “We get to see the Liam and Sariah Grudge Match live and in person.”
Jules gave me a questioning look.
I leaned over and whispered, “We’re pretty sure these two are headed for an enemies-to-lovers romance. If they can ever stop bickering long enough to let it happen.”
Charlie snorted. “Not if he keeps saying she crawled out of Satan’s anus, they aren’t.”
Liam shoved a hand through his hair and put his back to Sariah, like he was genuinely considering sprinting off the field.
“Liam,” Sariah said, all business, not a hint of excitement compared to the other three sports reporters scattered behind Liam, interviewing other players. She tapped him on the shoulder. “A quick word.”
Reluctantly, he faced her. “Sure.” He gave her a closed-mouth smile.
Christy moved to his side and took his arm, planting herself like she intended to stay.
Sariah’s whole face reorganized itself into a smile. “Liam, incredible run just now. What was going through your mind as you broke free down the field?”
“I was thinking about getting there,” he said. “Didn’t want to let my team down.”
“Of course,” Sariah said. “And with your family right here watching—” she swept a hand toward our group, “—did you feel any added pressure to finally deliver a moment like that?”
There it was. The verbal jab. She always got it in at some point.
“Enemies-to-lovers romance?” Sophie crossed her arms. “Over my dead body.”
Liam’s smile held, but his eyes went cold. “No more than usual. I always want to come through for my team and my family.”
“We’re proud of him, no matter what.” Christy kissed his cheek.
“Mmm.” Sariah’s gaze dropped to the scar on Aunt Christy’s arm, then back to Liam. “And what does a play like that do for you moving forward?”
“Just means I’m ready,” Liam said. “Whenever my team needs me.”
“Right.” She nodded. “And if you don’t mind—what do you make of the story that broke tonight? That’s got to make the family dynamic…” She paused, letting the silence do its work. “Tricky.”
Liam’s head tilted. “Sorry, I’ve been a little busy playing football. What story?”
Her eyes moved deliberately from Jules to me.
The corner of her mouth lifted. “It was on the six o’clock news.
Everyone’s talking about the story of how Juliette Serrant, who just happens to be here tonight—” One of the cameras panned over us, “—is married to your favorite cousin, Griffin, for starters.”
I felt Jules go rigid.
I patted my pocket for my phone, then remembered—it was in the car.
Liam chuckled, but it was stilted. “Why is that tricky? We’re thrilled Griffin found someone who makes him this happy. And the Dupree women are loving all the free makeovers.”
We all laughed.
“Interesting,” Sariah said. “So it doesn’t cause tension between you, knowing Juliette had a list in high school—one that mentioned marrying you…”
I looked at Jules.
She shook her head like don’t you dare believe it.
But my stupid insecurities didn’t care. What if it’s true? What if that’s why Jules never mentioned her list until last night? No wonder she wanted to divorce you. You’re her second choice. You’re everyone’s second choice.
“Excuse me?” Jules said. “But no. My list very specifically says that one day I will marry Griffin Dupree. Not Liam.”
That seemed to be exactly the opening Sariah was looking for. She crossed to Jules, sticking the mic in her face. “Are you sure about that?”
Juliette yanked the microphone from her hand, looking angry enough to beat Sariah over the head with it. “I think I know what I wrote.”
One of the cameramen handed Jules his phone. I crowded close enough to see the screen. Sound off, captions on—there was an anchorwoman talking about the list. And right behind her, projected onto a flatscreen TV, was a picture of Jules’s supposed list.
My name was nowhere to be found.
But Liam’s was.
“What do you think, Griffin?” Sariah asked, shoving the mic in my face. “Is your wife telling the truth or not?”
I couldn’t form words. My confidence was gone.
“Don’t believe it,” Sophie said. She swung on Sariah. “It’s been photoshopped, obviously, you sad excuse for a journalist. I mean, use your brain.”
Sariah’s brows flicked up, seeming impressed by Sophie’s spitfire attitude. But confrontation fueled this woman like a bowl of Wheaties. “Or, and I think we can all agree this is more plausible, Juliette is lying.”
“I’m not,” Juliette spat. “Why would I lie about something like that? If I wanted Liam, why would I marry Griffin? It makes no sense.”
I turned at the sound of someone chuckling off to my left. Quentin Pike stood five yards away, arms folded, the picture of someone enjoying a show.
“Are you certain?” Sariah pressed. “Because from what I understand, you’re not exactly the queen of morals.”
Um, what?
Jule’s shoulders curled in.
“What is that supposed to mean?” Holden asked. He pointed at one of the cameramen. “This isn’t upstanding reporting, what y’all are doing here. You’d better watch yourselves, or you might get sued for slander.”
Sariah didn’t flinch. “That’s your subjective opinion, Counselor Dupree. But I’m not saying anything that wasn’t already aired on the national news tonight.” She moved in on Jules. “So you refute the claims made about you?”
“What claims?” Jules’s voice quivered.
“Hey.” I knocked the mic aside. “Leave her alone. Leave all of us alone.” I stepped between Jules and the cameramen.
At least one of them had the decency to lower his camera.
Sariah dodged around me and lifted her microphone again. “As soon as she admits the truth.” She rolled her shoulders back and asked...
“Juliette Serrant, have you or have you not prostituted yourself out to over sixty men?”
The gasp was collective.
My hands shoved into my hair. “What the…?”
Jules staggered back. But she said nothing.
“J-Jules?” My voice broke. “Tell her she’s wrong.” Why wasn’t she denying it?
Eyes wild and desperate, she glanced from me to Liam to… Pike? What did he have to do with this?
He and I locked eyes. His smirk widened. Then he nodded.
Wait. Was this why Liam had been so rattled when I brought Jules over to meet the family?
Holy…
It all made sense. Too much sense.
I swayed, my heart cracking in a way I’d never felt before. No. I couldn’t believe it. I wouldn’t. I know Jules!
Do you though? Do you really?
All the questions she never quite answered. Why she’d been so determined to leave DayGlow and start the company with Peyton. Why she’d wanted to stay in Seddledowne even if I didn’t. Why she’d never told me about a single guy from her past…
Maybe she was trying to stop.
Who cares? She’s a prostitute!
Why would you believe Pike? You don’t even know him.
I didn’t. But I knew Liam. Liam, who loved me and had tried to warn me about my wife. Liam, who wouldn’t lie, even if you put a gun to his head.
I had to know.
“Whatever your beef is with me,” Liam seethed at Sariah. “You leave my family out of it. Do you hear me? You’re never interviewing me again. You’re a real piece of—”
“Liam?” My voice came out small. “Liam?”
He turned to me, eyes squeezed shut. When he opened them, they were wrecked. The most wrecked I’d ever seen him. Then, like Pike, he nodded too.
The stadium tilted. I couldn’t get air.
I took one breath that didn’t come close to being enough. Then my knees went, and the grass came up to meet me.