Total pages in book: 65
Estimated words: 60933 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 305(@200wpm)___ 244(@250wpm)___ 203(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 60933 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 305(@200wpm)___ 244(@250wpm)___ 203(@300wpm)
Ryker let out a heavy sigh. “I can’t make you talk to her. No one can. That’s gotta be you, brother. She came for you. Not this field or anyone else. She came for you. Now the ball is in your field.”
I didn’t say anything. I stayed there with my forehead against the damn wall and my eyes closed. Ryker walked away, leaving me to my own demons. He had said what he’d come to say, and I knew he was right. I just didn’t know if I was strong enough to look at her.
Needing a distraction, I went to my truck and headed to the only bar in town, Lions Turf. It was owned by a former Lawton Lion running back who had played with my dad and uncle. I’d stay away from the tequila tonight and stick with whiskey. While stopped at a red light, I sent out a text to the guys, even Ryker, who I knew would be pissed this was where I’d ended up instead of Tallulah’s. By the time I pulled into the parking lot, West and Gunner were already stepping out of Gunner’s expensive wheels.
“I’m guessing you talked to Brady,” Gunner called out when I got out of my truck.
“Not here to talk about her. Just want to drink and play some pool,” I warned him. Gunner had no filter, nor did he fucking want one. He said whatever he was thinking.
We were almost at the door when Brady pulled up in the parking lot. He was still several feet away when Gunner yelled, “He don’t want to talk about Tallulah, so don’t bring that shit up.”
I turned and shoved open the door, wishing I’d just come here by myself.
“Jesus, Gunner,” West muttered.
“What? I was shutting it down,” Gunner replied.
I headed for the bar. It was past time I had a drink.
“Ryker coming?” Gunner asked then.
I shrugged. “Not sure.”
“What about Asa?” Gunner asked.
I didn’t reply.
“He’s probably banging it out with Ezmita. He waited five years for her. We might not see him for a while,” West replied.
I wasn’t in the mood to discuss anyone’s sex life, and I hoped those two would shut the hell up or at least let me get enough drinks in me first.
“I stand corrected!” West announced.
Glancing back over my shoulder, I saw Asa and Ryker walking in behind Brady. They all came. Every fucking one.
CHAPTER FOUR
TALLULAH
This was harder than I had anticipated. When Riley had called me this evening and asked me to come to her house for a girls’ night, I’d said yes because I didn’t feel like I could tell her no. Now that I was here surrounded by the females that had once been a big part of my life, I wasn’t sure my emotions could take this. I didn’t know what Riley had told them, but the moment I had walked in the door, Willa had run over and thrown her arms around me. Aurora had smiled at me and said she had missed me. Then Maggie had walked up to me and handed me a glass of bubbly pink wine with a grin on her face.
“Tallulah, you remember Ezmita,” Riley said as she brought a tray of cookies over to set on the coffee table.
“Yes, it’s good to see you. Are you and Asa…” I paused, unsure if that was why she was here. The last time she had been around the group had been the summer after graduation.
She blushed, then nodded.
“Finally,” Maggie said, picking up a cookie from the tray. “Asa admitted his feelings and did something about it.”
“Speaking of relationships and all,” Willa said, “I’m just going to grab the elephant in the room by the trunk and get that over with. Don’t be mad at Riley, but she told us what happened. I wasn’t surprised. I’d already figured it was something like that. You’re not a cheater. So that’s all clear, and you’re here just like old times.”
Riley looked at me nervously, and I smiled. I wasn’t upset she’d told them. It wasn’t a secret; it was just hard to talk about.
“Ryker is trying to get him to talk to you,” Aurora said softly.
I nodded my head but said nothing.
“All right, enough of that,” Riley said. “Let’s drink and”—she glanced at the bag in my right hand—“eat whatever Tallulah’s momma has sent in that bag.”
Laughing, I walked over and put the large white bag on the table beside the cookies. Mom had been so excited that I was going she’d packaged up all the brownies, then put them, along with the lemon bars she’d made this afternoon and all the fudge she had stored in the freezer, in a bag for me to bring. “She can’t help herself,” I said. “Baking and painting are her two passions in life.”
“Oh my God!” Maggie squealed when she pulled out the plastic container with the fudge in it. “I’m going to gain ten pounds tonight.”