Chapter Twenty
Wells
“You know what, Wells? I like Victory,” Keira says, studying me as I refill her wineglass. “She and I are a lot alike. She’s smart, accomplished, and confident. I respect that in a person.”
“And she’s a total smoke show like you, Kei,” Bellamy chimes in.
“Thanks, Bell. Right back at you,” Keira says, and they clink glasses like they’ve just solved the world’s problems.
My sisters showed up at Rock Bottom half an hour ago claiming to be on a mission to cheer me up. “How is this supposed to cheer me up?”
“I’m getting there.” Keira sips her wine. “You said you thought she wasn’t ready for a relationship, but you guys were seeing a lot of each other, which indicates that you were already in a relationship, so maybe what she’s not ready for is your drama.”
“What drama? I don’t bring any drama.”
A pair of brunettes at the other end of the bar flag me down for the third time since I came behind the bar to help out.
Ignoring Keira’s smug expression, I glance at the other bartender, but he’s busy with customers.
“I’ll be right back.” I head to the other end of the bar. “Ready for another round?”
The taller of the two women smiles flirtatiously and says, “Only if you’ll join us.”
I’m not in the mood for this shit. The last few days have been torture. “Sorry, ladies. But I don’t drink on the job.”
“We figured you might say that,” her friend says.
“I’m here through the weekend,” the taller woman says. “Maybe we can grab a drink another time.” She slides a piece of paper across the bar.
I pick it up and see Sherry and a phone number on it. There was a time when I might jump on that offer, or more likely, I’d have been the one offering. But now the thought of being with anyone other than Victory turns my stomach.
“That’s really nice of you, Sherry, but I’m afraid I’m spoken for.” I motion to the bartender coming back from his break. “When you’re ready, Chuck will ring you up.” As I head back to my sisters, I crumple the paper and drop it into the trash can.
“See?” Keira says accusingly. “You bring drama.”
I grit my teeth. “I didn’t instigate that, and I turned her down.”
“But Victory has seen you in action,” Keira says.
“What are you talking about?”
“You hit on her at Sutton’s wedding,” she reminds me.
“And at the holiday dance,” Bellamy adds.
Fuck . They’re right. She did see me in that light at first, but I have to believe Victory knows me better than that now. She knows the real me. The one I didn’t even know existed before her.
“There’s Kei!” Six-year-old Ritchie Lacroux shouts as he bursts through the crowd followed by his uncle and legal guardian Ryan.
Ryan stepped in to raise Ritchie for his brother, who has a substance use disorder.
Ritchie stops abruptly a few feet from Keira and starts jumping with both feet toward the bar. He has a thing for kangaroos.
Behind him, Ryan smiles, shaking his head.
Ritchie hops between Bellamy and Keira, flashing a toothy grin, and says, “Hi, Bellamy! Hi, Wells!” Then he pats Keira’s legs excitedly, beaming up at her. “I didn’t know you were here!”
“Hey, Ritchie Roo.” Keira ruffles his sandy hair. “How is my favorite customer?”
“I’m good, thanks for asking,” Ryan says, his eyes locked on Keira.
“Uncle Ryan , I’m her favorite!” Ritchie insists.
“Yeah, Uncle Ryan,” Keira teases, and we all chuckle. “There’s no competing with this cutie. What is that on your cheek, Roo? Icing?” She brushes something off Ritchie’s cheek with her thumb.
“Uh-huh! Me and Uncle Ryan shared red velvet cake!”
“You guys are cheating on my baked goods, huh?” Keira glances coyly at Ryan. “I see how you are.”
Ryan leans in and lowers his voice. “Don’t tell your brother, but it wasn’t as good as yours.”
I scoff.
“Sounds like Wells needs to up his dessert game,” Bellamy says.
“I’ll get right on that,” I say.
“You should use Keira’s bakery,” Bellamy suggests. “I can negotiate a good deal for you.”
“ No ,” Keira and I say in unison, earning an eye roll from Bellamy.
“Where are you off to, Roo?” Keira asks.
“Home,” Ritchie says sadly.
“We’ve got a fun night of bath time and stories ahead of us,” Ryan says. “Say goodbye, buddy.”
“I wanna stay with Kei,” Ritchie pleads.
Ryan puts his hand on Ritchie’s shoulder and says, “We can’t stay, but if you get up a little early, we can stop and see Keira at the bakery before school.”
“We can? Yes! ” Ritchie pats Keira’s leg again. “Bye, Kei!” He turns to us and waves. “Bye.”
“Bye, buddy,” I say.
“See you, cutie.” Bellamy sets a serious stare on Keira and crosses her arms. “Did you see the way Ryan was looking at you? You can’t tell me he’s not into you.”
Keira rolls her eyes. “We’re friends, Bellamy. That’s it . You know what I see when I look at them?”
“The most lusted-after cop on the entire island?” Bellamy asks. “A tall drink of champagne with a body made for giving pleasure?”
“Bellamy.” I glower at her.
“What?” Bellamy picks up her wineglass. “You know darn well why he’s always in her shop.”
“He might be hot, but he is drama waiting to happen,” Keira says. “All men are. Look at Wells. He doesn’t even have to do anything but exist, and drama finds him. It’s woven into the fabric of their beings.”
“Bullshit,” I say.
“Leave him alone, Kei. You’re making him feel bad.” Bellamy eyes me. “I’ve got your back, Wells, and I’m about to make you very happy. I came up with an idea for a new reality show that will make us both stars.”
For Christ’s sake. “This shit again?”
Bellamy waves her hand dismissively. “Hush up, and hear me out. Love Match, Sibling Edition . We go on the show together and choose each other’s matches. Every week I’ll eliminate one for you, and you eliminate one for me.”
“ No ,” I say flatly.
“Come on . It’s a great idea,” she pleads. “I’m going to pitch it to Flynn this weekend.”
“Flynn doesn’t produce dating shows,” I remind her. “And please leave me out of it.”
“You’d get good ratings and probably find a slew of hot babes,” Bellamy urges.
“You do have a face for drama,” Keira adds, then finishes her wine and holds up her empty glass, her eyes glittering with the same teasing look she used to give me when we were kids and she thought she was being clever.
“Sorry, guys, but the only woman I want is in New York City.” I turn to grab the wine bottle.
“Actually, she’s on Silver Island, if you still want her.”
My fucking heart leaps into my throat at the sound of Victory’s voice. I turn around as my sisters greet her, and our eyes connect with a thunderous beat, drowning out everything else. I set the bottle on the bar, disbelief swamping me. “Vic…?”
Victory steps closer to the bar, her hopeful, apologetic eyes tugging at something deep inside me.
“I’m sorry to show up unannounced, but I screwed up, Wells, and I had to see you.
You weren’t wrong about what you said, but you weren’t totally right either.
You did push me, but that’s who you are, and I like that about you.
” Her words fly so fast, she barely takes a breath.
“You just caught me off guard. I know I’m messed up when it comes to Harvey, but I don’t want to be.
I hate that I hurt you, and I don’t blame you if you’re done with us and want to be with someone who doesn’t have my baggage.
But before you make that decision, you need to know that I’m not messed up about my feelings for you.
I want this, too. We just happened so fast, and my feelings are so strong, it scares the hell out of me.
But what scares me more is how empty I feel without you. ”
She takes a breath, and my heart is so full of her, beating so fast, it takes a minute for me to realize the entire bar has gone silent, and all eyes are on us. She must feel it, because her cheeks pink up, but my strong girl draws her shoulders back and lifts her chin. There you are .
Her eyes never leave mine as she says, “If you haven’t kicked me to the curb yet, I’m hoping we can go on our Wednesday Walkabout and talk.”
It takes everything I have to say, “I don’t think I can do that.”
There’s a collective gasp as I come around the bar, drinking her in.
She’s wearing a sleek sleeveless cream blouse and black slacks.
When I meet her toe-to-toe, her teary eyes crush my heart.
“I’m sorry, Vic, but I’d like to keep our walkabouts upbeat.
How about tonight we call it a Wednesday Workitout ? ”
Nervous laughter tumbles from her lips. “I’d like that very much.”
Someone yells, “Yes!” The bar erupts into cheers as I take Victory in my arms, kissing the ever-loving hell out of her, and Bellamy says, “There goes my reality show.”
I’ll take my reality with the incredible woman in my arms over a show any day.