Chapter 30
Chapter Thirty
BOWEN
“Well, looky, looky,” Sophie said, as we pulled into Uncle Ford and Aunt Peyton’s circular drive.
“There’s a red Mini Cooper here with the license plate HOOHEAL.”
I grunted and put my Land Cruiser in park. “So?” I said like it was no biggie. But in my head, I was freaking out. Who invited Magnolia? And what would Granny say? But most importantly, what if Griff found out?
“So,” Sophie said, fluttering her lashes annoyingly. “Maggie’s hot body running around in a bikini?” She shook my shoulder. “Good luck, big brother. You’re gonna need it.” Then she jetted out of the vehicle.
I texted Fletch, stalling.
You’re coming to the baby shower, right?
Fletcher
I guess. What should I get Willow?
You didn’t buy anything yet? Forget it. Just hurry please. I need backup. Magnolia’s here.
Fletcher
Magnolia? Is Foot Cop there?
Fletch was high-key terrified of Abilene. They’d shown up to some of the same Dupree family functions back in the day, and Abilene roasted him every time.
Foot Cop’s not here.
I didn’t actually know that, but I couldn’t imagine why she would be. And I needed a wingman. Someone to keep me from doing something I’d regret.
Fletcher
Fine. Be there in a bit.
With a water bottle swinging from my hand, I took my time heading toward Lake A, the larger of Uncle Ford’s two lakes. And I tried not to think about the image Sophie had put in my head. I walked under the baby shower banner and followed the buzz of conversation.
Like I had Magnolia Wren Hollis radar, even in the crowd of Duprees, she was the first person I saw.
Over by the quilting frame the ladies had set up to make a blanket for the baby, Magnolia’s face was full blush as she stood tucked against Gramps’s side.
He was looking at her proudly, eyes sparkling, saying something I couldn’t hear.
Whatever it was, there were a lot of darlin’s and shugga’s interspersed. That was a given.
She was in her signature outfit: a tank top and tiny running shorts, rolled up towel under her arm, long legs tempting me. Today, her blond hair was perfectly straight and silky smooth. She looked like pure sunshine.
James sat with Sage and my aunts in the shade. He watched his wife with concern. My stomach twisted at the worry in his expression. I don’t think he’d let her out of his sight for more than a few minutes since the cardiologist gave them the diagnosis.
I caught James’s eye. You good? I mouthed.
He forced a smile. Yeah.
“What up, Bowen!” Ford reached out to fist-bump me.
I bumped him back. “Hey, Funcle Ford.”
When she heard my name, Magnolia’s eyes flashed to me.
Along with half the family. Conversations lulled awkwardly, gazes bouncing between the two of us.
Not sure what they were waiting for. Another kiss?
For Griffin to appear out of nowhere and tackle me to the ground?
If so, they were going to be sorely disappointed on both accounts.
I kept my eyes straight ahead, like I felt none of them watching.
Oh dang—Liam was here, chatting with Charlie, Cash, and Theo.
Wearing board shorts and no shirt, he looked like a protein-shake commercial come to life—every defined muscle courtesy of the Carolina Fury, an NFL team based out of Raleigh, North Carolina.
I strolled toward him, a grin overtaking my face.
When he saw me, he hooted, “Bocephus in the house!”
“What up, William!” I shot back. He hated when people called him that because Liam wasn’t a nickname; it was his full first name.
He huffed. “I swear, I’ve been here for twenty minutes and y’all are testing my patience already.”
I laughed and went in for a hug. “No one told me you were coming.”
He squeezed me so tight my feet came up off the ground. “I decided to surprise everyone. Last minute, they said I could come home since it’s a bye week.” He set me down and pushed his blond bangs out of his eyes.
“And since he never plays,” Theo coughed into his fist.
Liam’s eyes turned into heat-seeking missiles. He lunged for Theo, who screamed like a little girl and sprinted away, shoving his glasses up his nose so they didn’t fall off.
“You don’t just walk onto the field!” Liam shouted, not chasing him at all. “I’m behind a Pro Bowler. Coach isn’t benching him for me!”
“Translation!” Theo hollered back, fingers clapping to his palms like Come and get me, sucker. “You’re the world’s most expensive practice dummy!”
Liam’s jaw rolled. He wanted to pummel Theo to the ground. It was written in every tense muscle in his body.
“Are you trying to die?” I yelled at Theo.
“Don’t kill him, Liam,” Cash said.
“He can’t,” Theo taunted. “Gotta save all that energy for warming the bench.”
Liam cupped his hands around his mouth and yelled. "Girls would still rather date a benchwarmer with an NFL jersey than Captain Kirk’s number one fan.”
I chuckled.
“Oh, really?” Theo smirked. “That’s not what Sariah Morgandale said on Game On.”
Charlie pressed her hand to her head. “Oh, Theo.”
He refused to tell us how it started, but Liam had some kind of history with Sariah Morgandale, one of the most popular—and hottest—sports commentators in football.
So we’d made up our own backstory. Liam met her at a hotel bar after one of his games.
Not knowing who she was, he convinced her to have a drink with him—virgin, of course, since Duprees don’t do alcohol—she fell hard and fast, but when he realized she knew more about football than he did, he dropped her even faster.
Because Liam didn’t know how to date women who don’t need football plays explained to them.
Whatever had happened between them, it must’ve been something terrible. The fiery brunette treated Liam like her favorite chew toy—on TV, in print, and anywhere else she could sink her teeth in.
Liam’s face went bright red, and a string of swear words leaked from his throat.
Theo must’ve had a death wish because he shouted in a high-pitched female voice, quoting Sariah verbatim, “Apparently, women are really into Liam Dupree. I don’t get it, personally.
” Theo tittered. “Sure, he has a nice smile, but he can’t take two steps without tripping over his own ego.
Which is precisely why Coach Kozlowski won’t let him on the field. ”
“That’s it!” Liam bellowed. Then he sprinted faster than I’d ever seen him sprint in an actual game.
Theo’s scream hit a frequency only dogs should’ve heard, but he kept it up at full blast, running for the lake like he thought volume might stop Liam from breaking him in half.
“Your contract!” Blue shouted as Liam burst past him.
Yup. Those legs belonged to his team. They were insured, right along with the rest of him—and in his contract, he had what we called the “No Fun Clause.” Right after prohibiting skydiving, bungee jumping, obstacle course racing, motorcycling, all extreme sports, including riding on a side-by-side—which really chapped his butt by the way—there was another line that said: Player shall not participate in roughhousing, fighting, or other unsanctioned physical conduct. ”
Theo dove, disappearing under the surface. Liam dove in after him. A couple of seconds later, Liam heaved Theo—who was laughing too hard to fight back—above his head, and body slammed him into the water.
Satisfied, Liam stomped back onto the white sand beach that Uncle Ford had specially delivered for Aunt Peyton every summer. Theo heckled him as he went.
Liam looked murderous by the time he got back to us. “He’s lucky I’m under contract,” he fumed. “Otherwise, he’d be at the bottom of the lake right now.”
“You can kill him in fifteen years when you’re already retired and he’s still slaving away making websites for other people,” Cash said.
“Not likely,” Charlie said. “He’s probably going to sell that ridiculous app he’s been working on and be richer than any Dupree yet.”
Cash and Charlie began debating whether anyone would actually buy Recallio, Theo’s app that helped you ‘recall things on the tip of your brain.’
Liam’s eyes narrowed, watching our aunts and uncles.
“How long are you here?” I asked Liam.
“Just today.” He nudged me in the side. “I didn’t know you and Nova were back together.”
“What?” My head gave a little shake. “We’re not.”
He tipped his head, and I followed his gaze.
Sure enough, Nova was here. Skipping down the hill in a floral tankini, matching cover-up, a hat the size of a beach umbrella, with sunglasses almost as ridiculous.
It would’ve looked comical on anyone else.
But, like my mom always said, Nova could wear a burlap sack and make it look intentional.
She gave me a huge wave, arms making a wide windshield wiper motion. “Hiiii, Bowen!” she yelled.
Everyone turned to look at her, including Magnolia.
I tugged at my hair. “Who invited her?” I said to no one in particular.
“Uh…” Theo timidly raised his hand.
“Why?” I flinched, jaw pulsing. “Like what in the world possessed you to do that? I’ve been avoiding her for weeks.”
Magnolia couldn’t possibly want to see the woman I’d snubbed her with on nighttime TV. Yup. She was side-eyeing Nova like You did not just show up here. Or maybe she was planning her escape. I couldn’t quite tell.
Theo shrugged like I was being a douche. “Because she doesn’t have any friends here, bro. After they’re done filming for the day, she spends every evening in the hotel room alone.”
“And also because he has a crush on her,” Cash offered.
“Do not,” Theo protested, but his cheeks actually turned pink. I didn’t even know it was possible; he was so naturally tan. “I just don’t like excluding people, okay?”
“Yeah,” I said with a bob of my head. “But you’re not the one who has to deal with her following you around, hounding you to get back together all evening. I would rather re-fence an entire barbed wire field alone, with no gloves.” Maybe I’d go and do just that.