Chapter Twenty-Five
America
The Boar’s Head pub is rowdy with fans and footballers reveling over The Cardinals’ victory. They won their match 5-2 and have been celebrating since the siren sounded. They’ll be playing in the finals in a couple of weeks.
Everett’s teammates are all toasted. Cheeks rosy and eyes glassy. They keep breaking out the team song. It’s loud and punchy, and the later it gets the more slurred the words become. One of his single teammates has his arm around two women in Cardinals jerseys. Both with his number.
A few of them get up and announce they’re moving on to another venue. One with dancing. Another teammate slings an arm around a cutie who glued herself to his side after they chitchatted at the bar earlier. Her friend joins her and the two of them giggle as the three of them head out into the night.
Everett introduced me to all of them as his Lucky Charm, as if I had something to do with his skills. It was him that made those fancy-footed goals that sent the crowd into a frenzy.
All I did was pretend the fact that Gray is still here two weeks after he promised he would be gone isn’t getting to me. That him showing up to drive Dove and me to the game wasn’t awkward as hell. That I don’t get the shakes, like I’m having withdrawals, when he stands too close. Like I am right now with him next to me while we wait for the bartender to finish pouring our drinks.
I won’t regret it when he’s gone. I’ll finally be able to move on properly, like I’ve been trying to do for weeks. I’ll be able to forget about the way it feels to be around him. In time.
Everett will make sure of that. He cares for me, and he treats me well. For the first time dating doesn’t feel like going through the motions. I’m developing real feelings for him. Maybe even falling… slowly.
It’s amazing how the heart has room for more than one love at a time. Is this why Indy can be so incredibly happy with Theo, but still care so much for Gray? Because love isn’t simple. It’s not finite, or transient. Love is complex, infinite, and changeable.
I will never get over Gray, but I think Everett could be the one that I find a future with. Happiness. All the things that I’ve tied up in Gray for so long but need to let go of. Which will be much easier when he isn’t here.
I’m jostled by someone moving forward beside me, and Gray reaches out to steady me. Electricity travels through me at his touch on my bare skin. At his voice in my ear. “Are you okay?”
“Fine.” I glare at him and yank my elbow free. “What are you still doing here? I thought you were going to be gone by now.”
“Trust me. I truly am trying to be.” He scoops up his beer. “Do you think I have the time to babysit your boyfriend? Do you think I want to watch you two together every damn day?”
“Don’t say it,” I snap.
“I won’t.” His lips form a pale slash as he angles his whole body to watch Everett with his mates. “But it’s been two weeks of hanging out every day. Bringing him every deal he wants, and then some.”
Two weeks of having to see Gray every day when I just want to move on. When I’m so tied up in knots.
“He should be as happy as a pig in shit. He’s stalling, and I can’t work out why. And I can’t not get his signature, America. My job is the only thing that I have.”
“That was your choice.” My voice turns snarky. I don’t mean to, but it still stings. I wish it didn’t. I wish I didn’t care.
“And I regret it every time I have to see him touch you. Or kiss you.”
“Stop it.” I can’t bear it.
Everett laughs with his mates as he catches us staring. His brow wrinkles and then he breaks into an even bigger grin as he hops to his feet.
“If it helps, when he called me today, he told me to bring the contract. Said if they won, he would sign.”
“So it’s almost over then.” I turn when the bartender taps me on the shoulder. Accept my drink. The realization that Gray will be gone from my life rocks me to my core. But that’s what I need. What I want. I should be relieved.
“Lucky Charm.” Everett plucks me off my feet and swings me around, spilling my drink in the process. As he lowers me to my feet he kisses me and all I can do is try to catch my breath and hope my racing heart slows down. He tastes like alcohol as he sweeps his tongue inside my mouth. “Am I the luckiest man or what? Gray, what do you think? Am I lucky?”
“You make your own luck.” Gray squeezes his shoulder, his smile not quite as fixed on his face as he probably hopes.
“Well, I don’t know about that.” His expression turns cheeky. “I had this beautiful woman cheering me on from the crowd. I’m sure that had a lot to do with it.”
“But I didn’t kick that goal.” His talent is incredible.
“That last goal was phenomenal,” Gray agrees.
Everett’s chest couldn’t puff up anymore. “What can I say? I’m phenomenal.”
“Yes, you are,” Gray says. “That’s why All-Star want you so bad.”
“Did you bring it?” Everett asks.
“Yes, I did.” Gray says. “It’s all electronic, so it’s on my phone. I can bring it up right here and you can sign it and get back to celebrating.”
“Well, actually… I thought we might go somewhere else to sign the contract.” Everett wraps an arm around my shoulder, leaving Gray to follow. “Then the three of us can celebrate.”
“What about Dove?” Gray asks.
“She left a while ago.” I don’t know what is going on with her anymore. After that night Nathan dumped her in the middle of nowhere she’s been withdrawn. Not herself. And even though we made up after our fight, it hasn’t been the same. “She had plans to meet up with friends.”
“Why don’t you just sign it? And then you and I can go have our own private celebration like we planned,” I say. “We’ve been monopolizing Gray’s time for weeks.”
“It’s better this way.” He ushers me into a cab. Gray jogs around and jumps in on the other side so that I’m stuck between the two men. My heart races as we drive away from the pub. My stomach is in knots again. Despite the win, Everett has been off all evening. God, I hope that doesn’t mean he’s going to stall again. I am so ready to stop hanging with Gray constantly.
There are several night clubs on the street where the cab drops us off. Everett leads us into one that’s comprised of two floors. The dance floor where everyone is having fun dancing and drinking, and a balcony where the VIP section is.
We walk right through the VIP line and head upstairs.
It’s much quieter behind the ropes. We make ourselves at home on comfortable white leather couches in one of the seating areas. Opaque curtains hang around the area to provide a modicum of privacy.
An attendant appears and asks if we want the curtains left up or let down, then takes Everett’s order for champagne.
Gray brings up the contract on his phone. He tries to hand it over, but Everett waves him off.
“Let’s wait until the drinks arrive.” Everett takes hold of my jaw and turns my head so that he can claim another kiss.
This one isn’t sweet or short. It’s long and dirty, and I start to feel uncomfortable with Gray watching.
And he is definitely watching. When I break away from Everett I notice that he looks ill as he wrenches on the knot in his tie.
The attendant comes back with the champagne and three glasses. She uncorks the bottle and puts it on the table before leaving us alone.
Everett pours our drinks and then holds his hand out for Gray’s phone. “Okay, let’s do it. Let’s sign this contract.”
Gray hands it over and Everett stares at the screen for a long moment before he places it on the table. “I tell you what… I think I’m going to need one more thing from you before I sign.”
Gray’s gaze narrows. “And that would be?”
“Come sit over here by my Lucky Charm.” Everett leans across me and pats the leather next to me. “She won’t mind.”
“Everett?” I don’t know what he’s thinking but this feels awkward. “What are you doing?”
He traces a finger along my jaw, his gaze fixed on my mouth. “Humor me?”
My stomach fluttering, I tug on the end of a loose tendril of hair. “Of course.”
“America?” Gray calls for my attention.
“You heard her.” Everett grips my jaw and forces eye contact when I try to turn my head. “She said it was okay.”
“It is.” I lick my lips.
Gray huffs as he stands and moves around the small table to my side. When he sits down his thigh presses against mine. “I don’t know what this has to do with the contract.”
“A lot.” Everett must be able to feel my pulse thrumming under his thumb. He brushes his lips over mine before he talks around me. “I know you two are good friends. Practically family. Have you ever thought about what it would be like to fuck her?”
Awareness jolts through me.
“This has nothing to do with the contract.” Gray starts to stand.
He has to know that Gray’s the guy. That’s what this is about. “Everett, please, let’s not do this. You’re the one I’m with. The one I want.”
“You didn’t answer the question, Grayson,” Everett’s tone is full of steel.
“She’s my ex’s best friend,” Gray says. “What do you think?”
“He doesn’t know.” I grab Everett’s forearms, my voice coming out wobbly and breathless.
“Yeah, he does,” Everett says. “I told him you had feelings for someone else. That I was scared I would lose you when you’re my lucky charm.”
“He told me.” Gray sounds weary.
Gray knew and he never said anything. He pretended like it was nothing. Because it is nothing to him. And that feels like a knife in the chest.
“Before I worked out he was the one you were talking about.” Everett chuckles mirthlessly. “I guess I should have seen it, though. It’s so obvious now.”
“You won’t lose me, Everett.” I shake my head.
“I really wanted to believe that you could see what I could see between us, Lucky Charm.”
“I do.” A tear leaks from the corner of my eye. “Everett, I’m with you.”
“Are you?” His gaze narrows even more. “Because from here it looks like you two are playing me to get me to sign this contract. You’re into him. And he’s into you.”
“Yeah, he’s so into me, he chose his job, Everett.” I turn pain filled eyes on Gray. “He chose you. And I chose you. I don’t want him. I want you.”
“Is that why you two have been sharing longing looks for weeks?”
Everett glances at Gray. “Every time I turn around, he’s trying to get close to you. And you can’t stay away from him either.”
I wet my lips, which does nothing for my parched mouth. “That’s not true. I’ve been telling him to leave.”
“She’s telling the truth. It’s best for all of us if she and I go our separate ways,” Gray says.
“I’m not blind. And one would have to be to not notice the heated arguments and the lingering touches. And the funny thing is when I think back to the first time you and I met, mate, they were happening then too. Something happened between the two of you that very first night. I know it did.”
“I’m so sorry.” I hate that I hurt him back then. Even if he didn’t know then, he was waiting for me while I was ruining us.
“And that’s why you said no to being my girl. Which means I never had a chance with you, did I, Lucky Charm? See why I’m having a little trouble believing the two of you are trustworthy?”
Gray clears his throat. “How do we fix this?”
“Anything,” I beg as I throw myself at Everett. “Anything with Gray and I is so over. It never even really began. But you and me… I’m falling for you.”
“See. She doesn’t want me.” Gray’s voice is full of gravel. “She wants you.”
“I’ll believe you,” Everett says, staring into my eyes. “If you fuck me in front of him.”