Chapter 31
LIAM
Tuesday and Wednesday disappeared in a blur of getting things moving with the new team at the office.
There were meetings, and huddles, and lively debates in the break room about which strategies to employ for which client.
Our socials were blowing up thanks to Lulu, and as a result, Nina was having a hard time keeping up with the phones and our calendars.
I loved every second of it. Our office space had become every bit as lively and dynamic as we’d hoped and thankfully our people seemed to be gelling as a team so much faster than we’d anticipated. Everything was just working right now, but it was also crazy busy.
On Wednesday night, I was lying on my bed when I got a message on our group chat with the guys back home in Texas. Jerry was still staying with us, so he and Lorelei were right down the hall, but Bryce and Zach seemed to be missing us.
Bryce: Jump on Call of Duty with us?
Zach: We promise we won’t shoot you, Jones! Just don’t use your sniper rifle this time and remember, we’re a team.
I groaned but sat up and ran my hand through my hair.
I was garbage at video games. Absolute crap.
Honestly, I got why so many people found it such an off-putting habit in a partner, but I tried my best because my friends liked it and they always got some great laughs out of me.
I’d just never played it enough to actually get any good at it and I didn’t intend on changing that.
Rolling off the bed, I grabbed my laptop and settled at the modern, minimalist desk in my room. The best part of this game tonight would be my view overlooking the ocean glittering under the moon—and getting in some bro time with the guys.
As soon as I got online, I heard Zach and Bryce arguing about something, but they both cut themselves off mid-sentence when they realized I’d joined them. Zach noticed first. “Liam! I wasn’t sure you’d want to do this, but we thought we’d take a chance. How are you doing, man?”
“I’m good. You?” I stared at my screen and realized I was, most certainly, not good. Not only did I have no idea what was going on, but things were starting to explode around me and Bryce was muttering before he finally spoke to me.
“We’re great, man. Quick, turn around and—” He groaned. “Never mind. Are you ever going to learn how to play this game?”
“Uh, no?”
Zach let out a bark of dry laughter. “Where’s Jerry? Do you know if he’s joining us too?”
“No idea. I doubt it, though. He and Lori were in the kitchen when London and I got back from the office. They said something about fondue for dinner.”
“Fondue? Why?” I heard the frown in Bryce’s voice. “How long are they still going to be staying with you, anyhow? I thought it was just supposed to be for the weekend.”
“Yeah, the painting of their rental is taking longer than anticipated. There was some kind of hold-up, but they’re welcome for however long it takes.”
“How’s everything going with London?” Zach asked cautiously. “You’re still keeping your hands to yourself, right?”
Nope. No, I most certainly am not, but that’s my business. “She’s fine.”
“Yeah, we already knew that,” Bryce joked. “That’s exactly why we’re asking how things are going with her.”
I groaned, breathing past an irrational stab of possessiveness that didn’t belong in this conversation. “Everything is fine. Just like it always is. You guys need to stop worrying so much.”
“Stop worrying about the fact that you’re living with a blonde bombshell who gets to you like no one else but you cannot have a future with?
” Bryce snorted. “Yeah, right. We’ll stop worrying about that when you finally meet a woman who actually wants your ring on her finger.
Obviously, you also won’t be finding that woman while you’re living with said bombshell.
We have good reason to be worried, bro.”
“Living with London is—”
“A practical, temporary solution that makes sense until you both know what’s going on,” Zach finished for me.
“We know. You’ve only told us that twelve hundred times, but here’s the thing, Liam.
She’s a beautiful woman you’ve been staying in the same house with for weeks.
Tell me, how many dates have you been on since you’ve been there? ”
“One,” I admitted, though I wouldn’t really have called it a date, but having gone out for drinks with Mindy was sure counting in my favor right now. On my screen, all hell broke loose and someone started shooting at me. I was so surprised that I yelped. “What the…”
“Run, Liam!” Bryce yelled over the speaker. “Don’t just stand there. What’s wrong with you?”
For a brief second, panic infused my senses and my gaze dropped to my keyboard, but I suddenly had no clue how to make myself move. “Guys?”
“Yep?”
“What am I doing again?”
Zach groaned. “Dying, at this rate.”
I smirked. Yeah, I’m dying, alright. For another taste of my roommate.
My muscles relaxed and the panic receded. It was just a stupid game and I was online to talk to my friends, so I watched like a warlord from his castle without a care in the world as the battle raged around me.
“Anyway,” I continued calmly while my friends grunted and cursed, evidently trying to help me. I didn’t even know if it was working and I didn’t care. “I’m driving up to Orlando tomorrow to see a client. I should probably go check if dinner is ready yet. Gotta be up early.”
“Is London going with you?” Bryce asked before strangely, the action on my screen seemed to come to an end. “A thank you would be nice. I just saved your hide.”
“Uh, thank you?”
He scoffed. “That sounds like a question.”
“That’s because it is.” I chuckled and inhaled deeply. “Of course, London is coming with me. We work together.”
“Do not do any boyfriend things for her on this trip, Jones,” Zach warned on a snarl that told me on his screen, things were probably looking a little different than mine. “You’re not with her. Hit on other people. Maybe have a one-night stand. Just get yourself out of this rut.”
“I’m not in a rut.”
Bryce laughed. “If you really believe that, you’re already screwed. Or, more accurately, not screwed.”
“Look, bro. You know we like London.” All the action everywhere suddenly stopped and Zach’s breathing calmed. “We just want you to meet someone who’s all in on you.”
“I know. If you’ve said that once, you’ve said it a thousand times. Also, what just happened?”
“I paused the game.” Confusion made Bryce’s voice several octaves higher. “Dude, how are you so bad at this?”
I shrugged. “Because I have a life. A real one. Unlike you two, who like to lecture me about what I’m doing in my real life while you live in your screens.”
“You sound like my ex,” Zach complained laughingly. “We have real lives, man. This is just to blow off some steam and catch up.”
“You live together. Catch up by having a beer on the porch, and if you want to talk to me, use the phone like normal people.”
Bryce groaned. “I think we hit a nerve. Just remember, Liam. No matter what you find yourself feeling about London, she’s never going to feel the same way.”
“Yeah, yeah. I got it. You guys are good, then? Nothing else to say other than to repeat old warnings and make fun of me for my lack of video game skills.”
“Call of Duty is not a video game,” Zach objected. “It’s a way of life.”
“And that’s why your ex didn’t want to be part of yours anymore,” I said, totally deadpan.
He chuckled. “That’s pretty fair actually. To be honest though, she was never going to stick anyway.”
They caught me up a little about everything I’d missed in Houston so far. When I eventually went downstairs to help with dinner, London was chopping some veggies for a big salad and Lori and Jerry were setting up a metal pot on the counter, keeping her company while they worked.
“Okay, good,” Lori said as soon as she saw me, straightening up and grinning as wide as I’d seen from her in a long time. “Now that you’re both here, we can share the news.”
“What news?” London asked.
“You’re pregnant?” I blurted out.
Lorelei cracked up laughing and Jerry chuckled as he shook his head at me. “No. Where the hell did that come from?”
I grabbed a carrot from London’s chopping board and bit into it as I shrugged. “Like it was such a wild guess. Are you abstaining, huh? I think not.”
Lori’s cheeks flushed and Jerry’s lips curved into a smug grin, but neither of them confirmed or denied it.
She simply drew in a deep breath and turned to look at both London and me at the same time.
“We want to officially invite you to our bachelor and bachelorette parties. That’s the news.
We’ve decided to do a combo trip to Nashville. ”
“It’s only a few weeks out.” Jerry grimaced. “We’re a little behind with the planning for that, but at least you’ve known for a while that it’s coming up.”
“I wouldn’t miss it for the world,” I repeated what I’d told him the other day.
London crunched a strip of carrot between her teeth before pointing what remained of it at me. “As long as I’m not across the hall from Snoree McGee over there, I’m in too.”
She smiled and I rolled my eyes at her. “I think you’ve been hearing your own mouth breathing, Walker. I’m a delight to sleep with. Ask anyone.”
As I winked, the faintest rosy hue crept to her cheeks and she ducked her head, suddenly intensely focused on her chopping. I spun around and headed to the fridge, but as soon as my back was turned to our friends, I grinned.
She’ll never admit it out loud, but she definitely enjoys sleeping with me.
Noted. I’ll have to take it upon myself to make sure it starts happening a lot more often.
Least I can do for my old friend. She should just call me Generous McGee from now on, but I can’t say I’m mad about having to make the sacrifice.