Chapter 20
TWENTY
PEARCE
Pride. That’s exactly what encompassed me and made my heart swell and my chest puff. Getting to redefine my relationship with Eddie and Lottie and introduce them as my family was a heady emotion.
The way his palm settled in mine, the way our shoulders brushed, each touch sending delicious shockwaves of belonging through me, all of it guided me step-by-step into the large function room.
While tonight was a semiformal affair, there was nothing somber about the laughter and conversation we walked into. The loss had been a hit to all of us, but how far we’d reached, all the way to the conference finals, made me as proud as punch.
I expected come the finals and watching the Jetts play the Starlings there’d be a hit of melancholy, but I didn’t plan for that to be the last time we entered the playoffs. There was always next year.
And God willing, a few more seasons after that.
As we entered, I smiled and nodded at a few of the support staff, making a beeline to Coach.
I owed the man a big thanks in person. Thank Christ he was a family man, and once I’d told him about Lottie’s injury, and also mentioned my new relationship status, he’d taken it in stride, with a promise from me to meet with the team on Tuesday morning.
“Coach,” I greeted, releasing Eddie’s hand, and shaking the Coach’s.
Eddie did a follow-up shake, while I kissed Coach’s wife, Edna, on the cheek. “You’re looking pretty damn gorgeous tonight, Edna. It’s about time you traded up from this old man,” I teased, earning me a sigh from Coach.
“You know how we have a follow-up debrief before off-season on Tuesday?” Coach quirked his brow at me. “Carry on, Malcolm, and you’ll be responsible for a training session.”
I grinned. “Nah, that’s just mean. You wouldn’t do that to us.”
Both his brows shot high. “Wouldn’t I?”
“Uhm… hey, Lottie, come say hi to Coach.” The small group laughed as I shielded myself with Lottie.
With a shake of his head and roll of his eyes, Coach turned his attention to my almost stepdaughter. And damn if I didn’t get a bubble of delight at that label. “Hi, Lottie. If you need any help keeping this guy in line, you just reach out to me, okay?”
Lottie grinned in good humor. “You got it, Coach. I think I’ve got him handled, though.”
He snorted in amusement. “I have no doubt about it.” He indicated toward the side of the room and double doors. “We’ve set up a games room if you want to check it out. I’m sure that arm of yours won’t hold you back too much.”
Lottie looked at her dad. “Can I go?”
“Let me go with you to check it out, okay?” he responded. “I’ll be back in a second,” he said to me, hesitating for the briefest of moments before leaning in and placing a sweet kiss on my mouth.
Hot-cheeked and grinning, I watched them leave, a flood of happiness swelling in my chest knowing I was lucky enough to call Eddie mine.
“Jesus H. Christ, Malcolm.” Coach’s voice tugged my attention to him. “So it’s really true.”
“It really is.”
He huffed out a small laugh and retook my hand in a shake. “Congratulations. Eddie is a good man.”
“The best.”
When he released my hand, he studied me, a small frown appearing on his brow. “You’re not looking at leaving the Eagles, right? Shopping around? Looking for a place with the Jetts?”
I clamped my mouth shut, not sure how to respond.
“Keith, leave the poor man alone. It’s a night to celebrate and wind down, not talk shop.”
I could have kissed Edna but I sensibly didn’t.
Not with the way Coach narrowed his gaze at me.
The truth was, it was something I’d been thinking about…
or admittedly more than thinking. I’d flicked off a brief email to my agent, letting him know about my engagement to Eddie, and asking what the likelihood of jumping ship to move to a team closer to Eddie and Lottie was.
In typical, efficient fashion, my agent had responded: Congratulations. Leave it with me.
That was yesterday, and something I hadn’t shared with Eddie yet. I didn’t want to get his hopes up.
“Maybe we can sit down on Tuesday?”
Whatever he read in my tone didn’t make Coach any happier, but rather than question me more, he sighed. “Fine. Before the team meeting, though.”
“You’ve got it, Coach.”
“Now go and put your teammates out of their misery.”
My brow scrunched in confusion. Looking over my shoulder, I searched the busy room, gaze settling on the group of my closest friends. Literally every pair of eyes was on me. I grinned and gave them a finger wave, earning me a finger from Cassius.
I chuckled. “Thanks, Coach, I’ll make sure they behave.”
“God give me strength if you’re the one reining them in.”
My butter-wouldn’t-melt grin stretched wide. “I’m also responsible now. Didn’t you get the memo?” Before he could answer, I said goodbye to Edna and sauntered on over to my teammates. “What are you jerkoffs gossiping about?” I got pounding back slaps from the five guys I’d approached.
“Just figuring out where I’m going to be spending all my winnings.
” Cassius folded his arms, looking thoroughly impressed with himself.
“These dicks said game night wasn’t official, as you hadn’t confirmed you and Eddie being a thing, despite rushing off like your dick was on fire.
” He quirked his brow. “But you walking in holding hands, that’s me hands-down winning. ”
I rubbed my mouth with my middle finger, making sure my ring was front and center to his smug face.
“And what in the ever-loving fuck is that?” On cue, Cassius’s wide-eyed gaze snapped to my ring.
“Holy shit!” Ollie exclaimed. “You’re engaged?”
“Yep.” Every inch of happiness I felt lifted my smile.
“When?” Ollie asked, humor in his eyes I didn’t quite understand.
My brows drew together. “Why?”
As if frustrated, Ollie flapped his hand at me, indicating for me to hurry the hell up and answer. “Just… when?”
“Thursday,” I answered carefully, feeling almost like this was a weird sort of trap or something.
“Fuck” came from Cassius. At the same time, the rest of my teammates burst into loud laughter and hollers.
Joel clapped me on the shoulder. “Congrats, man. You’ve made me so damn happy.”
“I’m confused.” I glanced around, looking for some sort of explanation.
Jax tugged me into a hug. “Seriously, Pearce. Best news ever.”
“Uhm…” Okay, something funky was going on. “As much as I obviously agree that it’s fucking amazing news, what gives?”
Ollie, the good captain he was, clasped my hand and pumped it a couple of times, saying, “It’s a double celebration, as an engagement vetoes boyfriends, which means Cassius doesn’t win.”
I grinned at that news. “Sucks to be you, Cass.” I bounced my brows, earning me another middle finger. “But weren’t there multiple bets or something?”
“There were. We voted a few weeks back to pile up the pot. Just one winner now.”
“And who’s that?”
“Coach.”
My jaw dropped at Ollie’s answer. “You’re kidding?”
With a snort, Ollie shook his head. “Nope.”
“But Coach never gets involved in this bullshit.”
“Right,” Cassius responded, sounding seriously put out, complete with a pouty lip. “That’s what I said.”
“If you wanna tell Coach he can’t get in on a bet, have at it,” Ollie said pointedly.
Cassius’s eyes widened. “Uhm… that’ll be a hard pass.”
“Damn.” I turned and tracked down Coach. When our gazes caught, he held up his beer and winked at me. I laughed in response and saluted him. When I focused back on my friends, I asked, “How big was the pot?”
Cassius sighed. “Thirteen grand.”
“Holy shit.” Impressed, I nodded for good measure. “Never mind, Cass,” I said with sugary sweetness, “let me buy you a beer.”
“Fucker. It’s an open bar.”
I grinned, knowing that. “Well, I am going to get a beer. You want me to fetch you one?”
When they all piped up about “favoritism” and calling out their drink orders, I sighed. “Cass, come with me to get the drinks.”
With a lot of loud fuss, he followed me to the bar where we ordered everyone’s drinks.
As we waited, I looked back at the small group of my single teammates.
Over the years, we’d had a helluva lot of fun together.
Knowing that life had unequivocally changed, I waited for the pang to hit, but it never came.
“I really am happy for you and Ed,” Cassius said at my side.
“Thanks. I’m happy too.”
His focus followed my own, looking at our tight group. We did hang out as a whole team fairly often, but over the years, we’d sort of navigated to singles versus those with families.
“We’re going to have to take back your single card,” Cassius said.
“You reading my mind?” I asked, and Cassius laughed.
“You’re hardly the best at keeping your thoughts off your face. It’s a wonder that Ed didn’t know how you panted over him all these years.”
My lips twitched. “He knew,” I admitted, no longer feeling as crappy about that time when Eddie shot me down. How could I when he’d since said yes to being my husband? “Fuck, I’m getting married. Can you believe it?”
Cassius released an amused snort. “I wouldn’t have, but considering I saw you together all in love and shit, I suppose I can.”
“I can give up my card, but don’t think you’re dissing me now.” As soon as I said the words, a different pang in my chest had me pausing. If I did leave the Eagles, then it would change everything.
Movement to my left caught my attention.
Eddie.
The man knew how to make an entrance, looking all suave and sexy as hell. My heart leapt to my throat as he headed toward me, thoughts of leaving the Eagles no longer seeming so dire. How could it if it meant fewer days apart from this man?
“Urgh… your being outrageously loved up is going to get old fast.”
“Fuck off.” I shoved at Cassius and welcomed Eddie to my side, wrapping a possessive arm around him. “Lottie happy?”
“She is. There’s a heap of stuff she can do, and about ten other kids in there.” He turned his attention to Cassius. “Hey, Cass.” He reached out and shook my friend’s hand. “Good to see you.”