Chapter Twenty-Five
Two whole days off. It isn't often that I get this kind of opportunity—not simply a brief respite, but also the chance for Amy and me to blend our families. I want to marry that woman. But I should probably wait until after the multi-family gathering before I pop the question.
Right now, I'm all alone in Braddockville. Amy took off to Cooperstown to retrieve her mom. Okay, maybe I'm not totally alone, and maybe the Braddocks don't have our own town. Worrying about the impending collision of families might've made me a tiny bit anxious.
No, that's dumb. I am not anxious. That would be pathetic.
Everyone is gathered in the living room waiting for our guests to arrive.
"Chill out, Charlie," my sister Kaitlyn says, rolling her eyes at me. "Your girl will be here soon."
Lauren chimes in too. "That's right. Sit down and shut up, little brother."
Sydney just shakes her head, staying out of the fracas as usual.
Then the doorbell rings, and I leap out of my chair. I race to the door before anybody can tell me not to do it and swing the door wide open. But it's not Amy standing there. No, it's Alicia—and that guy I'd seen her with a while back.
My ex-wife smiles almost shyly. That's not like her at all.
Alicia grins at me. "Hi Charlie. Surprise!"
I gape at her, my mouth suddenly dry. Alicia's wearing jeans and a flowy white top—casual but still immaculate, just like she always is. Her companion stands slightly behind her, his hand hovering near the small of her back without quite touching it.
"What are you doing here?" I finally ask.
"I heard about the family gathering. Your mom invited me." She tucks a strand of hair behind her ear, a nervous gesture I remember all too well. "This is Teddy, by the way."
Teddy Whoever extends his hand. "Nice to finally meet you, Charlie. Heard a lot about you. I'm Theodore Freeman, but you can call me Teddy."
I shake his hand on autopilot while my brain scrambles to process what's happening. My ex-wife is at my family gathering—the one where I'm supposed to be introducing my girlfriend to everyone.
"Who is that?" my sister Sydney calls out from behind me. Her tone is way too interested for my comfort.
"It's, uh…" I fumble for words, still blocking the doorway.
Alicia peers around me and waves. "Hi Sydney! Hi Lauren! Hi Kaitlyn! Long time no see."
That's all it takes. My sister Kaitlyn practically bulldozes me aside, throwing her arms around my ex-wife like they're sorority sisters at a reunion. "Oh my god, Alicia! Mom didn't tell us you were coming!"
I shoot a desperate look at Sydney, who has appeared in the hallway. She gives me a sympathetic grimace and a tiny shrug. Her meaning is crystal-clear. Everyone knew about this but me.
"Come in, come in," Lauren is saying, practically dragging Alicia inside.
Teddy offers his hands to my youngest sister. "Pleasure to meet you, Kaitlyn. Are all the Braddock women as lovely as you?"
He's laying it on awfully thick. But I guess he's trying to impress…
somebody. Can't be me. If he's hitting on my sister, I'll deck him.
But he keeps his compliments pretty tame as everyone returns to the living room.
I'm still standing half-dazed at the open door when my phone vibrates in my pocket.
It's a text from Amy: About 15 mins away. Mom is SO excited to meet everyone!
My stomach drops to somewhere around my ankles. Fifteen minutes. I have fifteen minutes to figure out what the hell is happening and why my ex-wife is currently making herself comfortable in my parents' living room with some guy called Teddy.
"Charlie, honey, close the door. You're letting all the air conditioning out," my mom shouts from somewhere inside the house, probably the kitchen. She must've sneaked out to fix a snack for us.
I step back inside and shut the door, feeling like I'm sealing my own fate.
When I return to the living room, Alicia is perched on the sofa, Teddy beside her, while my sisters have formed a semicircle around them as if they're the main attraction at a zoo.
I settle onto the sofa and cross my arms to study the new guy more closely.
"So, Teddy," I begin, emphasizing his name. "What do you do for a living."
He whispers something to Alicia, then faces me. "I'm the pinch hitter for the Aspen Altitude."
I think I just did a double take, like a cartoon character. The world tilts slightly, then rights itself. Of all the teams in the league, he had to be with our biggest rivals. I can feel everyone's eyes on me, waiting for my reaction.
"The Altitude," I repeat slowly, keeping my voice neutral. "That's…interesting."
Alicia's eyes widen a smidge. She knows exactly what this revelation means to me. The Admirals and the Altitude have the fiercest rivalry in the league, and here's my ex-wife dating one of them.
"I'm their utility man," Teddy continues smoothly. "But I've been getting more regular starts lately. Coach says I've got a good eye."
"Uh-huh."
"Charlie's with the Admirals," Kaitlyn pipes up helpfully, as if anyone in this room doesn't know that.
"Yeah, I 'm aware," Teddy confirms with a slight smile. "Been following your career since college. You've got quite an arm."
I can't tell if he's being genuine, or if there's a hidden barb in there somewhere. Athletes from rival teams don't exactly exchange friendship bracelets.
"Thanks," I reply stiffly. "Your batting average has been decent this season."
"Decent?" Alicia raises an eyebrow. "He's hitting .320."
Of course she knows his stats. Of course she's defending him. I grind my teeth but then force myself to relax and give him a polite smile. "That's what I said. Decent."
The tension in the room ratchets up a notch.
Sydney clears her throat and jumps up. "Anyone want something to drink? Mom made her famous strawberry lemonade."
"I'd love some," Teddy says, breaking our staring contest.
Sydney disappears to get the drinks, and I'm left staring at my ex-wife and her new boyfriend. The boyfriend who plays for our biggest rivals. The boyfriend who is currently sitting in my parents' living room like he belongs here.
"So, how did you two meet?" Lauren asks, leaning forward, just waiting for some juicy gossip.
Alicia and Teddy exchange a glance, a private communication passing between them that makes my stomach twist.
"Actually, we met at a charity event in Denver," Alicia explains. "I was there representing the magazine I work for, and Teddy was one of the athletes auctioning off a date for charity."
"Did you bid on him?" Kaitlyn asks with a sly grin.
Alicia laughs, the sound so familiar that I have a brief flashback to our marriage. "No, but we ended up talking at the after-party."
Lauren aims her best big-sister stare at me. "Charlie, I know you're not jealous of Teddy. That would be stupid."
Kaitlyn grins. "No, Charlie isn't jealous. He's protective of Alicia, that's all. They were married for a long time."
"That's over now," I interject. "But Alicia is still a good friend, and I'm sure Teddy will be too."
Did those words actually come out of my mouth?
The doorbell rings again, and I nearly trip over my own feet getting to it. This time, it must be Amy.
I yank open the door, and there she is—chestnut hair slightly windblown, green eyes bright with excitement, looking more beautiful than ever in a simple green dress that hangs down just below her knees.
Her mother stands beside her—an older version of Amy with the same warm smile but with gray hair instead of brown.
"Charlie!" Amy throws her arms around me, and I hold her tight, breathing in her familiar scent. For a moment, everything is right with the world.
"Hey," I whisper against her hair. "You finally made it."
She pulls back, searching my face. "Is everything okay? You look like you've seen a ghost."
"Not a ghost exactly," I mutter. "More like an ex-wife."
Amy freezes. "What?"
I clear my throat. "Alicia's here. With her new boyfriend. Who, by the way, plays for the Altitude."
The color drains from Amy's face. "The Altitude? As in your team's biggest rivals?"
"That would be the one." I try to keep my voice light. "Our surprise family gathering just got a whole lot more surprising."
Amy's mother steps forward, extending her hand. "I'm Pamela Keller. You must be Charlie. I've heard so much about you."
I shake her hand, grateful for the momentary distraction. "It's great to meet you, Mrs. Keller. Please, come in."
"Call me Pam," she insists with a warm smile that reminds me so much of Amy.
I lead them inside, my hand firmly clasping Amy's. Her fingers are cold, and I give them a reassuring squeeze. I whisper "it's going to be fine," though I'm not entirely sure I believe that myself.
We enter the living room together, and everyone turns to look at us. Alicia's eyes widen slightly when she sees Amy, then she quickly composes herself. Teddy watches the exchange with interest, his arm casually draped across the back of the sofa behind Alicia.
"Everyone," I announce, "this is Amy Keller and her mother, Pam."
My sisters immediately swarm them, offering hugs and introductions. Amy handles the onslaught with grace, laughing at something Kaitlyn says while Pam starts chatting with my mom who's appeared from the kitchen. I stand here like an idiot, watching the two halves of my life collide.
"Hey Charlie," Alicia says, suddenly beside me. I didn't even notice her approach. "This is awkward, huh?"
"No kidding. As long as my sisters don't turn this into a block party, I think we'll all be okay."
A few minutes later, Lauren corners me and Amy in the kitchen where we're hunting for booze. She announces, "Charlie, you picked the right one this time."
Yeah, I finally did.