Chapter Twenty #2
Moments later, my phone rings, and I’m ecstatic when I see it’s a video call from Maddie. Liam must’ve forgotten to text me, but I completely understand. I can’t imagine how fucking excited he is that his baby boy is here.
I answer with a smile. The room is dark, and she looks exhausted but also full of energy.
“Hi,” she whispers. “There’s someone new here.”
I’m so fucking happy for them that I nearly combust.
“Really? Let me see!” She turns the camera around so I can see him sleeping peacefully on her chest. He’s so lucky because he’s gonna have the best parents in the world. “He’s beautiful, Mads.”
Maddie turns the camera on herself. “Thank you. I wish you were still here.” She pushes out her bottom lip and pouts.
I laugh and realize I was so caught up in the conversation I didn’t hear the door swing open.
“Hey, Ty–” Gemma says from behind me and stops. “Oh, sorry, didn’t realize you were on the phone.”
“It’s fine. I’ll be off in a minute.”
She nods and walks to the break room carrying our bags of food. Once she’s out of sight, I look back at the screen where Maddie’s eyebrows are lifted. She’s waiting for an explanation.
“Excuse me, who is that?”
I roll my eyes. “It’s not what you think. Her dad is my new boss.”
“Gemma?”
I nod once.
“Oh. Em. Gee!” I turn down the volume before she blows my ear drum. “The plot thickens.”
Brushing my fingers through my hair, I groan. “There’s no plot. We’re…friends.”
She snorts and nods because she doesn’t believe a word I’m saying. Hell, I’m not either, but I’m not going into that story right now. “Yeah, I remember when Liam said that for years too. Good luck with that.” She gives me her infamous smirk.
I tilt my head, hoping Gemma can’t hear this conversation. “For someone who just gave birth, you’re awfully energized.”
“Don’t change the subject,” she teases. “When are you gonna ask her out?”
“Jesus.” I blow out a breath, wishing she’d stop. “I gotta go, Mads.”
“You liar! You’re just trying to get rid of me.”
I throw her a boyish grin. “I’d never.”
“I want details, you hear me? Text me all the juiciness.” She points her finger at me.
Scrunching my nose, I shake my head. She’s just as bad as Everleigh. “I think you’ve confused me with one of your gossipy girlfriends again.”
With narrowed eyes, she tries to persuade me, but it’s not going to work. “Liam and I won’t be able to have sex for six weeks. I need your dating life to hold me over.”
“Maddie, I didn’t enjoy hearing you guys in the next room for three weeks, so I most definitely don’t enjoy hearing you talk about it.” It’s as bad as finding my sister’s clit massager.
“Geez, you’re so dramatic.”
In the break room, I can hear the plastic bags rustling and the fridge closing.
“If you want a girl to gossip with, I’ll give you my sister’s number,” I mock, but regret it the moment I say it.
“Really?” She perks up. “Good. She’ll tell me all the details of your love life.”
“Shit. I shot myself in the foot by saying that. Never mind. My sister doesn’t have a phone.”
“I gave birth today, but I wasn’t born today. So nice try,” she retorts
Seconds later, I hear Liam and nearly jump. “Quit hassling the man.”
“What’re you doing here? Where’s Tyler?” Maddie panics as Liam comes into view and presses a kiss to her forehead.
“Relax. My dad’s sleeping over. I didn’t want you two to be alone.”
The way they look at each other is something I desperately wish I had. “Aww,” I sing-song. “You two are disgustingly adorable.”
“Dude.” Liam moves closer. “How are things down in the South?”
We talk often, but he likes to ask these basic questions when Maddie’s around, so the conversation doesn’t move to Victoria.
“Fuckin’ hot. Especially in the garage.” I groan, still wearing my sweaty clothes from today. I can’t wait to go home and take a damn shower.
“Hey, no bad language around the baby!” The moment the words leave Maddie’s mouth, she chuckles.
“How are the new jobs going?” Liam asks. I told him last week about getting hired at the gym.
“Not bad. Keeps my mind occupied, which I like, and off other things.” I don’t mention what those other things are, but nothing gets past Maddie.
“Like Gemma…”
“No, like the mafia princess who put me in prison,” I say sternly, but she was right. Gemma’s always on my mind too. I just can’t admit that with her so close. But since I’m going to Vegas this weekend for my deposition on Monday, it’s hard not to think about Victoria.
“Tyler, you better not be thinking what I think you are,” Liam states firmly.
I shrug, fully aware my food is getting cold in the next room. “I really do have to go, though.”
“We love you!” Maddie tells me. “Please call me soon. You know I’ll be bored on maternity leave!”
“I will, Mads. Don’t worry.”
After hanging up, I take a deep breath, then enter the break room. Gemma really did pull the whiskey from her dad’s bottom drawer and opened it.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t wait,” she tells me around a mouthful. I move closer to her and brush my thumb across her cheek, wiping away the extra mayo on her face.
She swallows down her food and grabs a napkin. “I’m a hot mess.”
“What else is new?” I laugh, sitting across from her. “Thanks for dinner.”
“Welcome,” she says, then hands me the whiskey.
I take a huge swig, then hand it back to her, and she takes one too.
As I take my food out of my bag and cut my burger, she grabs two plastic cups, and we empty the bottle of whiskey between us.
While it takes the edge off, it’s not enough to get me drunk.
It’s dangerous for her to be around me when she drinks because when her inhibitions are down, we do stupid things.
But I promised myself that I’d try harder to keep her at arm’s length.
A part of me expects we’ll discuss what happened, but Gemma never brings it up and neither do I. We eat in silence, only the sounds of our breathing filling the space. When we’re almost done, she speaks up.
“Everleigh’s fall sale did great this week,” she tells me. “Sold out of all the Hans Solo costumes.”
I chuckle, thinking back to the beginning of the summer when I suggested she order all the leggings, vests, and boots. “I heard. She’s doing so well.”
“She is. I’m really proud of her for following her dreams.”
I meet her eyes. “What about your dreams?”
“I’m living my dreams right now.” She grins, but I wonder if it’s genuine.
“Yeah?”
With a nod, she gulps down the whiskey. “Yep. Working at the garage. Getting married to a good man. Living in an amazing town with amazing friends. I can’t really complain.”
“I’m happy for you,” I say, grabbing my cup and finishing mine.
By the smile on her face, she hopes she’s convinced me, but her facade is crystal clear.
I can see she’s playing a role, just as Robert wants her to.
A part of me wants to shake her awake and force her to stop fooling herself and everyone around her, but I don’t.
It’s obvious she wouldn’t leave him for me with everything he offers her.
Once we’re finished eating, I pick up our empty containers and take the trash to the dumpster out back.
When I get to the side of the garage, the delivery truck backs into place.
Gemma comes through the door and takes inventory as I check to make sure everything is correct.
After thirty minutes, the driver is paid, parts are stocked on the shelf, and it’s finally time to go.
Gemma grabs her purse and locks up. “I guess that’s it.”
“Yeah. Let me walk you to your car.”
She nods as we head outside. “Okay. I’m parked right up the street because the side lot was so full this morning.”
We move in silence toward her car that’s lit by a streetlight. I look around, checking for any vehicles I don’t recognize, but it looks normal. When we turn the corner, Ruby seems to magically appear with a huge smile.
“Tyler! I was hoping I’d find you,” she says, pulling me in for a hug and kisses my cheek.
Ruby pulls back, grinning.
“Wanna get a drink?”
I look down at the time on my phone and see it’s past nine, which means she just got off work.
“Yeah, I’d love that.”
Gemma scowls when Ruby latches onto my bicep.
“Wanna join us?” she asks Gemma.
“No, I can’t. Y’all have fun, though.” She glances at me, and I study her reaction.
Jealousy. Regret. Maybe both.
“Thanks again for helping. Good night, Tyler.”
“Good night.”
Ruby and I wait until Gemma drives off before heading to the pub. It cracks me the fuck up that she’s so damn jealous when the ball has always been in her court.
Once Ruby and I are inside, we order a beer at the bar and talk about our day.
“Are you absolutely positive she’s not into girls?”
I bark out a laugh because this isn’t the first time she’s brought up my sister. “Everleigh? I’m positive, which is a good thing because I’m sure you’d ruin her.”