Chapter 9
NINE
EDDIE
Pearce dropped his SUV at the hospital this morning so I could get Lottie back to his place safely. While I didn’t ask him to do so, I was grateful for how considerate he was. This caring, thoughtful side of him didn’t help diminish my growing feelings for him.
It was only now, with the changes over the years and our developing friendship, I was able to look beyond what was once the young, carefree twenty-four-year-old I’d first met to finally see him as a man who I could depend on.
It wasn’t just his age that reflected that. It was his love for my daughter, his desire to care for us both. He’d changed in so many ways, while remaining in that relaxed, almost happy-go-lucky state of mind.
As I settled Lottie in the bedroom she’d claimed as her own about three years ago, my heart swelled beyond comprehension when I found a bag of new clothes and toiletries for her.
In “my” room—one of the guest bedrooms I slept in when staying over—I’d discovered a note letting me know I could help myself to his closet alongside a bag of new underwear.
It made sense since we were almost identical in size. While I’d gained a few pounds and was nowhere near as firm as I had been in my pro days, I made an effort to stay in shape.
The note led me to standing in the kitchen preparing a salmon salad wearing a pair of his gray sweatpants and one of his Eagles training tees.
Had I liked putting his clothes on? That’d be a firm yes.
I wasn’t even that embarrassed that I’d sprung a boner when I’d luxuriated in tugging on the sweatpants, remembering him wearing the exact same pair and thinking how fucking delectable his ass looked in them.
At the sound of the garage door opening into the laundry room, my heart ratcheted up. The words he’d blurted yesterday remained burned in my memory, and unintended or not, there was no erasing them.
Not that I would, even if that was an option.
“Hey,” he greeted, entering the kitchen.
Looking over my shoulder, I raked my gaze over him. He looked freshly showered and tired. Not surprising since he’d been training for hours.
“Hey, everything go okay today?”
He nodded, dropping his bag next to the door and untying his laces before kicking off his Nikes. “Yeah. It was full-on. Watched a fair amount of tape, practiced until I thought I was going to keel over.” While he chuckled, his exhaustion was easy to read.
“You hungry?”
“I sure am.” He tugged open the fridge and pulled out a protein water. As he chugged it back, draining the whole bottle, I forced myself to look away. This was getting ridiculous. “This” being my attraction, my horniness, my regressing into an awkward teenager.
“Where’s Lottie?”
“Where do you think?” My words earned me a light chuckle.
“Bed and glued to ESPN?”
“You know it.”
Venturing over to me, he asked, “Is she doing okay?”
Meeting his gaze, I nodded, welcoming the warmth and concern in his voice and eyes.
“Tender, demanding, which means she’s going to be just fine.
” I picked up the lettuce to return to the fridge, turning fully toward Pearce for the first time.
His brows shot high, eyes widening, and I realized he was looking at what I was wearing.
I fought hard to push away the heat traveling through me at his attention, but it was useless. This was the reason I never should have shaved my beard.
Pink touched the apples of his cheeks before he cleared his throat, a shit-eating smirk appearing. “Holy shit. Let me grab my phone. Eddie Phelps in an Eagles jersey…”
“Fuck off.” I grinned and pushed past him toward the fridge. “As you’re more than aware,” I said pointedly, “I have so many Eagles jerseys and paraphernalia that I have nightmares.”
He chuckled. “Most with my number on. I know.”
I glanced back, and he bounced his brows up and down. “Uh-huh. For your birthday you received what from me and Lottie, and what did I get in return?”
“VIP Tickets to see Tay Tay, which, I’ll say giving me three tickets was awfully generous of you.” He leaned against the countertop, grinning. I smiled back, remembering what a great night the three of us had.
“And?” I prodded.
“You were the lucky receiver of forty items of Pearce Malcolm merch. Eight of which are one-of-a-kind, I’ll remind you.”
Perhaps this wasn’t the best thing to be joking about right now as it was doing nothing to distract me from what an incredible man he was.
Forty gifts for my fortieth birthday. Nor was he exaggerating about the one-of-a-kind merch either.
Throw cushions, beach towels, a pack of condoms, even a bottle of lube, to name just a few of the special items with Pearce’s face or Eagles number printed on them.
I kept every single item. Admittedly some—the PG stuff—had been swiped by Lottie, but did I like relaxing in clothes with his number printed on them when at home? Maybe a little too much. It was no wonder that Wayne was convinced there was something going on between us.
We stood for a couple of beats, smirking at each other.
“So, dinner?” he asked, breaking the spell, and I noticed a new spread of red on his cheeks. “What do you need me to do?”
I shook my head. “Nothing. I’ve cooked up some fries for Lottie, so keep your hands off them,” I said, heading to the oven to pull out the tray.
“Why does Lottie get fries and I don’t?” He pouted, his bottom lip sticking out so far, I was tempted to nip at it.
“You really need me to answer that?”
A dramatic huff pushed past his lips. “Nope. I can be a responsible adult when I need to be.”
“Uh-huh. And an athlete who has the first of many incredible playoff games of his career coming up.”
“Yeah, that as well.” He eyed the plates I finished preparing. “I, um… promised you a celebration.”
I fought hard not to get flustered, remembering exactly how he’d wanted to celebrate.
“That’s a little tricky, what with Lottie and her wound. So I thought, Lottie won’t be able to come sit with us, right?”
“Not today. Maybe in a couple of days, but she’s not up for it at the moment.”
“So, I thought maybe a picnic in her room. I know it’s cheesy and not exactly a proper celebration, but…”
A fizz of happiness bubbled in my stomach. “She’d love that.”
“And you?”
It took me a moment to answer, too surprised by his tentative tone. Clearing my throat, I answered, “I’d love that too.”
“Awesome.” A grin appeared on his mouth. “I’ll go get it set up.” He raced out of the room, his heavy steps pounding up the staircase. Alone in the empty kitchen, I stood there, listening to Lottie’s sweet laughter and the deep rumble of Pearce’s voice.
Only a few hours here, and this was a version of domestic bliss that was both terrifying and something I didn’t dare dream of. There was something brewing between the two of us. The last forty-eight hours or so had made that crystal clear.
I needed to be brave enough to go for what I wanted, find a way to push aside my joke of a relationship with Wayne, and swallow back my concerns of destroying my friendship with Pearce while not breaking my and Lottie’s hearts in the process.
Pearce Malcolm was worth the risk.
I just needed the dust to settle from the emotional and absolutely terrifying two days I’d had. That way nothing would be clouding my judgement. When I made my move, I needed Pearce to know I meant every word and gesture.
Dinner was fun, Lottie in her element being doted on by the two of us. Pearce and I sat on a picnic blanket. Where he’d found it, I had no idea, but it had made us all smile and provided the perfect setting to finally be able to unwind, knowing that Lottie was safe and healing.
“How’s the team feeling about your first game?” I asked after pushing my plate to the side.
“Good. Everyone’s still buzzed and trying hard not to get ahead of themselves. It’s really something to finally be making the playoffs. To go the whole way….” He trailed off with a sigh that spoke of dreams.
“Your team is strong. You’ve been playing like champions all season. There’s no reason why you can’t get to the finals and win this thing.”
“You think?” Uncertainty dipped his voice, and from his tone, he wasn’t seeking an ego boost.
“I know it.”
“Dad’s right,” Lottie added. She’d given up on her half-eaten dinner and had been resting quietly, flicking through her phone.
“Your stats have been amazing this year, and anyone who knows a thing about the game only has to see you on the court to know you’re one of the top ten players in the League. ”
As I grinned at my daughter, a surge of love filled my chest. I loved that she was so invested, but more than that, that she wanted to offer Pearce the reassurance he needed.
When I focused on Pearce, it was impossible to miss the tenderness etched in his features. He reached out and fist-bumped Lottie, saying, “You’re the best, Lottie girl.”
Her smile was sleepy, cluing me in to her really needing to get a good night’s rest.
“Right, kiddo,” I said as I stood. “Let’s get you washed up and back to bed.”
“I’ll get her pain meds,” Pearce said before I could even ask.
I shot him a grateful look. “Thanks.”
“Anything for my girl.”
Every time he said that, offered such effortless affection, emotion slammed into me.
I’d never been an overly emotional guy… well, not until I became a dad.
From the moment I set my gaze on Lottie, a dam wall or something that had held back a side of me I’d never known existed all but burst free.
And with it was this ball of emotion, ready to roll on a dime.
“I’ll get this cleared up too.”
“You don’t have to. You’ve got an early start tomorrow.”
He shook his head. “I can handle getting this done. It’s not my bedtime just yet.” He quirked a brow at me as he gathered the plates.