Chapter 49
LIAM
Istepped up to the tee like a man on a mission—though the mission was mostly to avoid saying the words I’m in love out loud. The sun was out and already beating down on us, the sky was blue, and I already missed London despite the fact that it’d been barely two hours since we’d said goodbye.
As I looked out at the bright green driving range and inhaled a breath of fresh Texas air, I missed her with every dang part of me. This is absurd. What in the flying donkey hell is wrong with me? Why would anyone want to be in love if this is what it’s like?
Constantly thinking about her. Wondering what she was doing.
Contemplating texting her. It was crazy how much of my mental real estate was currently being taken up by thoughts of her hair tickling my nose on the plane this morning and what it’d felt like having her cheekbone digging into my shoulder all the way here.
They weren’t even pleasant experiences, and yet I had loved every painful, uncomfortable, tickling minute of it. Meanwhile, Bryce was watching me like a hawk, ready to pounce on any sign of emotional weakness.
“Alright,” he said, lining up his shot before glancing over at me. “Let’s talk about the walking heart attack you brought home with you.”
“You mean London?” I swung way too hard as I said her name, sending my ball sailing directly into the trees. I cursed under my breath. Fuck.
As much as I sucked at video games, I was alright at this. That was bound to be a sure sign to them that my feelings for her weren’t quite as nonchalant as my words had been.
Sure enough, Zach whistled low as he watched the ball go, bringing a hand up to his forehead and watching the tiny, round betrayer of internal emotion as it disappeared into the tree line. “Wow. That slice has denial written all over it. What the hell happened between you two?”
I shrugged, bending over to pick up my tee. “Nothing happened. She’s here for her sisters. I’m here for you guys. I didn’t bring her home to introduce her to my parents or whatever else you’re implying.”
“Yeah, but she already knows your parents.” Bryce took his shot, and unlike my ball, his behaved itself perfectly. He shot me a satisfied grin. “I’m beating your ass today for sure, and do you know why? It’s because I don’t have a blonde heartbreaker wreaking havoc on my swing.”
“Neither do I,” I lied, head shaking. I stepped away so Zach could have a turn. “I didn’t even bring her home. She organized a girls’ weekend with her sisters and I tagged along because it meant I’d get to see you idiots. I’m seriously questioning that particular life choice right now.”
Bryce leaned on his club, gaze studying my face like he was planning on writing a dissertation about it. “You shared a hoodie. On a plane. That’s legally binding in some states.”
I scoffed down laughter. “Bullshit. It’s not like that. London never brings her own damn jacket on a flight because then she has to carry it, but she’s always cold.”
“Bro, you flew her here,” Zach said, looking me over like a disappointed youth pastor.
“You woke her up with a country song and carried her bags. That’s not just friend behavior.
That’s I’d build her a porch energy. Didn’t we warn you against acting like her boyfriend when that’s never going to happen? ”
“Look, I get that you’re trying to save me from myself, but I don’t need it.
I’m fine.” I tried to play it cool, adjusting my cap like that would hide the flush I could feel spreading on my neck.
“London and I? It’s complicated. That’s all.
We work together. We live together. So what if I help her with stuff, like carrying her bags?
Tell me you don’t do that for women. Have you never offered to help your moms? Your friends?”
“Sure, but I’ve never woken my mom up with a country song.” Bryce’s features contorted before he sighed. “Okay, well, maybe she has woken up because of country songs playing in my bedroom, but I was a teenager and I might’ve been trying to hide other sounds.”
“I hope you mean farts after chili night.” I groaned, head shaking as if that would destroy the memory of what I’d just heard.
“Besides, I only woke her up that way because I was excited to come here. To see you. Lord only knows why. If I’d known I was flying into the Texas Inquisition, I might’ve just staying in Florida. ”
Zach chuckled. “You should’ve if you didn’t want us asking questions. We’ve barely heard from you since you’ve been there, and whenever we do speak to you, you’re either with her, about to be with her, or were just with her.”
“Yeah, but like I said, we work together and we live together. That makes it kind of hard not to be with her all the time.”
Bryce slid his club into his bag and looked at me. “What else have you been doing together? What happened to all those Miami women waiting for you to woo them? Have you done that?”
“I went on a date,” I said, simply neglecting to mention that I’d only gone because London had pushed me into it. Details. They’re so boring. “Her name was Mindy. She’s a waitress. Real pretty. It didn’t work out, but we had a good time together.”
“And then?” Zach asked. “It’s been ages. You’ve only gone on one date?”
I lifted my arms up to my sides. “What do you want from me, dude? I didn’t go there to be on a dating show where I’m shoved into a house with dozens of women who only want to jump my bones all day long. We moved to open a new branch of a very successful business. That takes time.”
“Sure, but you can’t expect us to believe that’s what you’ve been doing around the clock,” he said. “You’ve never been all work, no play. Somehow, you’ve always managed to find time, and yet, you don’t seem to have done that since you’ve been there.”
“I was at a barbecue just this week,” I volunteered. “We haven’t had much time to meet people yet, but Jerry invited us.” Suspicion suddenly trickled through me. “Wait, is that where this is coming from? Jerry?”
Bryce shrugged. “He might’ve mentioned that you and Walker have been looking very cozy since they got there. He refused to give us details, though.”
“Good man.” I raked a hand through my hair and flicked my eyes from one of my friends to the other. I sighed deeply when I realized they weren’t going to let it go. “Okay, look. It’s no secret that I’d take the leap with her in a heartbeat, right?”
Both shook their heads, but Zach grimaced as he pulled a club out of his bag. “Yeah, man. We know. That’s what has us so worried. It’s got to be a lot for you, being around her all the time, knowing nothing has changed.”
“But something has changed,” I found myself saying as I tipped my head back toward the sky. Looking up at the cloudless blue, it dawned on me that they genuinely were worried. They weren’t fishing for information to gossip or simply know about it.
The reality was that these boys were my best friends and they’d known me a long time. They also knew just how long it’d been since I’d realized that if London was an option, she would always be my number one.
At this point, Bryce, Zach, and Jerry were all desperately concerned that I’d self-sabotaged any other relationship because of her—which might not have been completely incorrect—and they were worried that I was going to wind up having regrets.
“This is nothing for you to lose any sleep over. I’ve got it under control, but things have happened and I think she might be coming around. She hasn’t said anything and I don’t want to talk about it, but if I screw this up…”
I didn’t finish the sentence. I didn’t need to. My friends knew about the deal I had with my dad and that he’d never back off. They also knew what being with her would risk and that I’d lose our friendship on top of my career if it blew up in my face.
Both of them went quiet, stunned expressions crossing their features. They stared back at me like I’d told them rhino horns were naturally encrusted with diamonds. The silence that fell between us was heavier than anything I could hit off a tee.
Because they knew. They knew what this could mean and none of us liked the thought of me having to go back to my family with my tail tucked between my legs. I sure as hell would never volunteer to do it. Yet by taking a chance on London, that was essentially what I was doing.
Finally, Bryce’s face broke out of its shocked mask and he clapped me on the back. “Well, if it makes you feel any better, you’re absolutely screwed.”
I exhaled a slow, painful laugh. “Yeah, I know.”
“May the force be with you, brother.” Zach looked at me like he was about to send me into the Hunger Games, mixing up his movies. Then he shook his head and lined up his next shot. “God knows, you’re really going to need it.”