Chapter 30 #2
But Nova wasn’t the plot twist of the day. Liam was. His thick arm put me in a near headlock. He turned me to face Magnolia. “You’re over that, right?” He took her in appreciatively, head to toe.
Um, what?
And all the while, Nova kept skipping closer and closer and closer.
Oh, this day was turning into a disaster. And where was Fletcher?
“The man asked you a question,” Cash reminded me.
My mouth opened and closed a few times. Finally, I managed to spit out, “Uh…ye-ah,” my voice cracked. “Yes. I’m way…over that.”
IDIOT.
Charlie shook her head, disappointed. Cash just chuckled like he was excited to watch this go down. Theo grinned and offered me a thumbs-up.
“Good.” Liam gave my shoulders a hard squeeze. “Then you won’t mind if I shoot my shot.” He wasn’t asking. I would’ve reminded him that she was Griffin’s ex, but that would’ve made him go harder. Liam had harbored serious resentment towards Griffin ever since he left.
He sauntered toward her, and it felt like my life was over. Liam was in the freaking NFL. He kept NDA forms in his glove box the same way most people kept a stash of fast-food restaurant napkins. And he had a stupidly pretty face, just like his dad.
I. Was. So. Screwed.
Nova bounded over and threw her arms around me, oblivious when her hat whacked me in the face. “Hey, you,” she murmured. “Long time no see.”
I patted her stiffly on the back, gaze trained on Liam. “Hi.”
Magnolia’s eyes narrowed. Is she jealous? The thought made me way too happy.
But then Liam stepped in front of her, blocking my view, and stole her from Gramps.
Arms crossed over his chest, making his biceps look even bigger than normal, he said something I couldn’t quite hear.
She smiled, eyeing him curiously, like she’d never thought about him as a possibility before. But she was definitely thinking it now.
I swore in my head.
Cash chuckled. “Oh, I think you’re going to regret that.”
“Regret what?” Nova asked.
“Nothing,” I mumbled, just quietly dying inside while my cousin intercepted the girl I’d mentally picked out china patterns with.
Liam tipped his head toward the water, and Magnolia’s eyes turned bright. She nodded and peeled off her shirt and shorts, stepping into the sunlight to reveal a microscopic black bikini.
I felt my testosterone begin to weep.
“Holy…” Theo started. He took his glasses off and quickly cleaned them on his shirt before putting them back on. “Did she get even hotter in the last two years?”
“It’s the power of the bikini,” Charlie said with a wistful sigh. Charlie never wore bikinis anymore.
“That navel piercing isn’t hurting anything,” Cash said in a purely respectful way.
I gulped. Because he was right. That piercing—which had been my idea in the first freaking place—was mocking me like Congrats, jackass, you played yourself.
Always ten seconds behind, Nova finally realized who we were talking about. She scoffed like she was personally affronted that anyone would dare look as good as her in a two-piece. “What’s she doing here?”
“I invited her,” Charlie said proudly.
When Liam and Magnolia walked past—like I was invisible, I might add—and grabbed a single paddleboard, I felt the hit straight to my chest. As I watched them launch into the water, laughing and holding onto each other, trying to stay upright, my entire body clenched, remembering exactly how good it felt to have her in my arms.
“Is paddleboarding in your contract?” Theo hollered.
Liam didn’t even look his way. Just flipped him the bird and kept paddling.
Charlie cleared her throat, and I realized I’d been staring at Magnolia, trapped between Liam’s arms. Charlie’s mouth tugged up in a self-satisfied smirk, as if my reaction told her everything she needed to know.
“This is good,” I said, trying to cover. “Liam and Magnolia would make a great couple. Happy for them, if this works out.” The if might’ve been a tad mocking.
“Maggie,” Charlie corrected smugly, as if my using her full name was proof enough that I was not okay with this.
“Whatever you say, bro.” Cash shook his head like I was pathetic. “I’m getting in the water. I need to cool off from all the hot air.”
“Same,” Theo said. “You coming, Nova?”
“I’m going to stay with Bowen,” she chirped, obliviously.
“No. I have…an ear infection, and can’t get my head wet,” I lied. “You go ahead.”
“Suit yourself.” She trailed her pointer finger down my arm, eyes flirty. “We’ll talk later.”
No, we definitely would not.
Charlie stood next to me as we watched them walk to the lake. But really, I was only watching Magnolia and Liam.
Charlie linked her arm through mine. “You know, whether it’s Liam or someone else, Maggie is going to get a happily ever after. Why not let it be with you?” she asked, as if it were that easy. Then she skipped away.
It was anything but easy. We were Duprees. We didn’t ride off into the sunset with the girl we cheated with, especially if she was our brother’s girlfriend.
I strode back up the hill toward Uncle Ford and Aunt Peyton’s house, muttering swear words as I went.
Silas, Holden, Ashton, and Blue huddled in a circle, talking football as I passed by.
Specifically, they were discussing Liam’s stats and whether they thought the Fury had a chance at the playoffs.
Normally, I would’ve joined in. But I had to get out of there before I did something I’d regret.
Like shove Liam’s stupid face into the water and steal Magnolia away in front of everyone.
I checked Fletcher’s location and pinched the bridge of my nose.
Why are you at freaking Walmart in Honeyville?
Fletcher
I can’t show up without a gift! My mom would kill me!
Look what I got Willow!
He sent me a pic of a whiffle ball set, bases included.
Hey, Captain Obvious, she’s a baby. She won’t be able to play whiffle ball for at least 4-5 years.
Fletcher
We’ll get it warmed up while she waits. Right? #iamagenius
"That tracks.” I snorted. Fletch had the gift-giving skills of a twelve-year-old boy.
Just then, Magnolia squealed. Instinctively, I whipped around. Now she and Liam were sitting cross-legged on the paddleboard, splashing each other with water. The water fight picked up in intensity, each yelling at the other, “You stop!” “No, you stop!” “No, you stop!”
“How about you both stop?” I hissed.
Suddenly, I was in another headlock. “Bowen, my boy,” Uncle Holden said, trying to cut off circulation to my brain. I looked over to see not just him, but Ford, Ashton, and Blue too. “We need to have a little talk.”