by K. A. Linde
They both put in their orders for delicious, greasy food hamburgers with fries and onion rings and then resumed their conversation.
“And how are things with Easton?” Liz asked.
“Really good. After that fiasco last weekend, I’m glad that we’re even on speaking terms.”
“Fiasco?” Liz raised her eyebrows. “What did I miss?”
“My mom forced me to go to Lucas’s graduation.”
“Oh right.”
“Yeah, and I went with him to a party for the basketball team and got shit-faced.” Savannah shook her head. “Some girl at the party took all these pictures of us and posted them online. Easton woke up to them and flipped his shit.”
“Understandably.”
“Yeah. And I, um…screamed at Lucas and told him I hated him and never wanted to see him again. Then, I took the first flight home.”
Liz blew out her breath heavily. “Well, that couldn’t have gone worse.”
“I know. Easton and I are fine now. I apologized and everything because it was stupid. But is it bad to feel…guilty about what I said to Lucas?”
Savannah bit her lip. She hadn’t even let herself think that this last week. But she could say anything to Liz. She had been there through almost all of it with Lucas.
“I don’t know, Savi. He’s your best friend, and you two have history. I don’t blame you for getting upset with him though. But if you feel guilty, then maybe Easton isn’t the only one you should apologize to.”
“Ugh!” she groaned. “I’m just so mad at him. He drives me crazy.”
“Yeah. That’s because you love him.”
Savannah whipped her head to the side. “I do not love him!”
Liz’s laughter bubbled out of her, and she put her hand on Savannah’s shoulder. “You always have. Even if just as a friend.”
“He’s so infuriating.”
“It’s because he’s known you your entire life, so he can push all your buttons.”
“I wish he’d stop,” she mumbled under her breath. Savannah sighed and drained the rest of her beer. “Okay, let’s stop talking about me. I’m a freaking Greek tragedy right now. What did you want to tell me?”
“Well…” Liz said, straightening. A giant smile spread on her face, and she bit her lip. “I wanted to tell you in person, and I haven’t seen you yet, so…I’m pregnant.”
“Oh my God!” Savannah shrieked. She hopped off of her barstool and jumped up and down. “You’re pregnant. Oh my God! Liz!”
She squealed and threw her arms around her sister-in-law and closest friend. She couldn’t believe this. It was so magical.
“You’re going to be an aunt,” Liz told her.
“When did you find out? Tell me everything.”
“It’s only been a couple of weeks. We don’t know much yet, except that I’m due January 31st.”
“That’s incredible. Are you going to stay in school?”
Liz nodded. “Yep. I worked it out with the department so that I could finish next semester. I’ll take a semester off for the baby and then come back to finish my third year in the fall.”
“That’s…wow. I am so happy for you. Is Brady over the moon?”
“You have no idea. I think it’s the only time I’ve seen that man cry.”
Tears welled in Savannah’s eyes at that thought. “I’m so, so happy for you two. This could not be more perfect.” She stared at her in awe. “No wonder you didn’t want a beer.”
Liz giggled. “Well, yeah. Can’t drink for nine months. Not with a little Maxwell growing inside me.”
“I can’t. It’s too amazing.”
“Oh, and that party I mentioned for next weekend. It’s a baby announcement. So, don’t tell anyone else.”
She mimicked zipping her lips closed. “These lips are sealed. Though I’m glad I only have to wait a week because I’d die, keeping this from everyone longer than that.”
“I’ve been dying just these last couple of weeks.”
“Did you know at my graduation?”
Liz nodded. “But we weren’t sure if we should tell anyone yet.”
Savannah threw her arms around Liz again and squealed with joy. As they were both jumping up and down and celebrating the new little Maxwell, an uproar exploded from the rest of the room.
Savannah startled away from Liz, and they both had surprised looks on their faces. Then, they turned to the row of TVs as one.
And on-screen was none other than Lucas Atwood.
Savannah’s mouth dropped open. “Is today the draft?”
“Sure looks like it.”
“Where was he drafted?” she asked.
Then, the announcer answered her question and the reason for the loud cheers from the crowd. “Vanderbilt star Lucas Atwood drafted to the Washington Wizards!”
“He’s coming to DC,” Liz said in shock.
“You have got to be fucking kidding me.”
8
Meet the Fam
“Now, don’t be nervous,” Savannah said to Dylan.
“I’m not nervous.” Dylan rolled her eyes and stepped out of the backseat of the car.
“Meeting my family is kind of…a lot.”
“You’re scaring her off,” Easton said. “Your family is fine.”
“You almost fainted the first time you met them.”
“I did not. And anyway, I didn’t know you were a Maxwell when we started dating. You just sprang that on me by having me meet your father.”
“Do you know how many senators I’ve met in this town?” Dylan asked. “It’s no sweat.”
Savannah nodded as she shut her door and headed toward Brady’s place. She was only saying this stuff to Dylan because she was nervous about bringing someone to his place. She’d always been like that. And she’d only known Dylan such a short time. They’d gotten drinks earlier this week after work and then again for her to meet Easton. They’d all hit it off, and she felt like she was finally finding her rhythm in the city.
Easton knocked on the door twice before entering. Brady and Liz were standing in the entranceway. He looked ever the dapper congressman in a suit with his arm around his loving wife. Liz was dressed to kill in a blue number that revealed what she had so wanted to hide these last couple of weeks. It honestly wasn’t even fair how beautiful they were together. So fucking lucky to have found that.
Brady shook Easton’s hand and then smiled broadly when he saw his sister.
“Savi,” Brady said, pulling her in for a hug. “How are you settling in?”
“I like it so far. Work is…work.”
“So I’ve been told.” He glanced to Liz. “I hear your boss is a jerk.”
Savannah narrowed her eyes at Liz. “Snitch.”
Liz shrugged one shoulder. “You can’t expect me to keep things from my husband.”
“I didn’t tell Easton about you!”
Liz shrugged with a grin.
Brady laughed. “It’s not like I’m going to stomp down to the newspaper and tell them to treat my sister better. You’ll find your feet. They’re just doing their job.”
“That’s what I keep saying,” Dylan said.
Brady’s eyes swept to Dylan, who froze in place. Savannah would have laughed if she hadn’t seen that same expression on hundreds of other women. She hadn’t met anyone immune to her brother’s charms. No matter how many senators you’d met, there was only one Brady Maxwell.
“And who is this?” he asked with that debonair smile.
Liz just shook her head. “You’re worse than your brother.”
He shot her a look. “How insulting.”
“This is Dylan,” Savannah said. “She works with me at the paper.”
“Hi,” Dylan said. She’d lost some of her bravado in the wake of Brady’s inimitable presence.
“Nice to meet you.” He held his hand out, and she shook gratefully. “Any friend of Savi’s is a friend of mine.”
“That is how you met your wife,” Savan
nah muttered under her breath.
“Oh my God, you two,” Liz said. “Let the girl breathe. Thank you so much for coming, Dylan. Feel free to help yourself to food and drinks.”
“You look lovely,” Dylan finally said. “How far along are you?”
Liz laughed. “Can you already tell?”
Dylan shrugged. “My family is Dominican, and I have four older sisters. I know the look. You glow.”
“Why, thank you. That’s good to hear.” Liz protectively put her hand on her stomach.
“Liz, you’re pregnant?” Easton asked with a huge smile on his face. “That’s great. Congratulations.”
“See I keep my secrets,” Savannah muttered.
She laughed softly. “Cat’s out of the bag. Come inside. We’re about to tell the others.”
Savannah followed Liz and Brady into the living room and found it full of her family. Her mother and father were standing with another senator from their home state as well as his wife and kids. She found Clay teasing his wife, Andrea, in the corner. She looked like she might stab him or kiss him. It was hard to tell with those two. The Atwoods were here with their daughter, Alice, who just looked annoyed. Oh, teenage angst.
Following that line of vision, she found their eldest son and Lucas’s older brother, Chris, talking to Clay’s law partner, Gigi.
For a while, Savannah had had the biggest crush on Chris. It was a dumb childhood thing. He was ten years older than her, and it had ended when she realized what she wanted was right in front of her.
And there he was.
She held her breath at the sight of Lucas. She hadn’t known whether or not he would show up. Whether or not he was even in the city yet. If the team had sent him here for training or if he had to be somewhere else at a camp. If he was living it up in Nashville with his fancy new bonus check. She didn’t know because she hadn’t spoken to him. She hadn’t congratulated him or apologized or anything. And he hadn’t reached out to her either.
Her stomach clenched when his eyes found her in the room and then hastily darted away. As if those hateful words they’d screamed at each other were their new reality. Maybe they were.
“Thank you all for coming,” Brady said once everyone was assembled. “It’s a pleasure, having you all in my home tonight. We just have one announcement before the party continues.”
He looked at Liz with adoration in his eyes. It said everything Savannah had always known about them. They were perfect together.
Liz turned back to the crowd, put her hand on her stomach, and said, “I’m pregnant.”
A gasp went up through the crowd and then a ring of congratulations as everyone rushed forward, eager to give their well wishes to the happy couple. Savannah tugged Dylan around the crowd to the buffet table and reached out for some finger food.
“I’m starving. I hardly ate before this,” Savannah told her.
Dylan shook her head. “Your brother is so much hotter than his picture.”
“Uh…ew,” Savannah said as she nibbled on a sandwich and added carrots, dip, and a cookie to her plate.
“I was a total idiot.” She fluffed her curly hair and sighed. “I mean…have I ever been speechless in my life?”
“I really don’t think so.”
“Do you have another one of those lying around? I could be into joining the family.”
Savannah laughed and shook her head. “Nope. All out of Maxwell men.”
“Damn! What about that guy? Is he taken?”
Savannah knew who Dylan was talking about before she turned around. Because, of course, even though the room was full of people, including many other young men who worked with Brady, it was Lucas Atwood who had drawn Dylan’s eye.
“That…is Lucas.”
Dylan arched one of her perfectly maintained eyebrows. “By that response, I guess he’s taken?”
“No. Actually, he’s not. He’s very much single.”
“Excellent. Introduce me?”
Savannah opened her mouth to tell her friend there was no chance in hell, but how exactly could she even explain that? She’d only known Dylan for a couple of weeks. The nonsense with Lucas had been going on for years.
“Yeah, sure,” she finally said. She tossed her finished plate of food and grabbed a drink for the nerves.
After taking a large gulp, she navigated the room until she was standing before Lucas. He arched an eyebrow at her. She could practically read what he was thinking. What the hell are you doing over here? Don’t you have someone else to bother? Like your boyfriend?
Savannah pushed her shoulders back. “Lucas, this is my friend Dylan. Dylan, this is Lucas.”
“Hey.” Dylan thrust her hand out, and Lucas shook it.
“Nice to meet you,” Lucas said. His eyes flickered to Savannah’s and then back to Dylan where he gave her the most charming look. “How do you know Savi exactly?”
“We work at the Post together. I saved her butt her first day on the job, and she’s torturing me by insisting I come to family parties with her.” Dylan smiled coquettishly and leaned toward Lucas. “What about you? Is she also torturing you?”
Savannah nearly spat out her drink. Good job, Dylan. Straight As for awkwardness.
“Savi and I grew up together. Our parents are best friends,” Lucas added smoothly. “She has a way of torturing everyone around her, doesn’t she?”
Dylan nudged Savannah. “In the best way.”
“Mmm…”
“And what about you?” Lucas asked, shifting ever so slightly so that his attention was focused intently on Dylan. A purposeful move that made Savannah’s stomach clench. “Tell me about yourself.”
Dylan grinned. “I’m from DC, but my parents are Dominican. I graduated from…”
Savannah only listened with half an ear as Dylan went on about herself. What Savannah was more focused on was the body language. The way Dylan leaned into him, playfully swatted him, laughed whenever he opened his mouth. Savannah had promised Dylan the party wouldn’t be boring, but she hadn’t expected this.
How could she have though? She hadn’t thought Lucas would even be at this party. And she’d known that Dylan was looking—part of the draw was all of Brady’s cute employees—but not…Lucas.
Either she needed to leave them alone and walk away from this or she needed to end it. Because she couldn’t stand here any longer.
“Hey,” Savannah said, drawing Lucas’s attention back to her. “Can we talk?”
“We’re talking now.”
“Alone,” she said pointedly.
Lucas looked like he was going to say no and tell her to fuck off, but then he nodded once.
Savannah shot Dylan what she hoped was a reassuring smile. “Sorry to steal him. It’ll just be a minute.”
Dylan shrugged. “I’m kind of starving anyway. Don’t abandon me too long. I don’t know anyone!”
“As if it’s hard for you to make friends,” Savannah teased.
Dylan grinned slyly. “True.”
Dylan meandered back to the table lined with food, and Savannah nodded her head into the other room. Her eyes flit self-consciously to where Easton was standing with his colleagues. He laughed and joked and seemed to be the center of that tiny universe. His attention was so diverted that she was sure he didn’t even see her slip out.
Savannah pulled open the door to the guest bedroom. “Get in.”
“What do you want, Savannah?”
“I want to talk to you.”
He grasped her arm. “Last time we spoke, you said you hated me and then literally left the city to escape me. Why should I go in there?”
“Do you want to have this conversation where everyone can hear us?”
“What do I have to hide?” he asked mercilessly.
“Lucas,” she growled low.
He sighed and stepped into the bedroom. She carefully closed the door behind them and leaned back on it. This was stupid. She knew it was. Everything that had to do with Lucas was stupid.
But she’d hated standing there and watching him flirt with her friend. Of course, it was hypocritical of her, considering she had a boyfriend, but she couldn’t change how she felt. Especially not when they were still on rocky terms.
“I can’t believe you were just flirting with her.” She ground her teeth together. Why was that the first thing that had come out of her mouth? Why couldn’t she have just said what she actually wanted to say instead of letting the anger get to her?
“Is there something wrong with me flirting with her?”
“You did it on purpose,” she accused. “You’re unbelievable.”
He laughed and walked away from her. “This is why I’m here? Fuck, Savi. Is it wrong for me to want you to feel an ounce of what I feel when you walk in here with him?”
“Seriously? That’s what this is about?”
“I can’t with you. Move out of the way. I don’t need to stand here and hear more of your bullshit. You made yourself perfectly clear in Nashville.” He strode forward until he was nearly in her face.
“Ugh! I don’t even know why I bother with you!” She pushed him away. “I was going to apologize, you know!”
“Apologize?” He snorted. “Yeah. As if you’re even capable.”
“Why do you make me so crazy?”
“I have no idea. But you’re batshit!”
She glared at him and crossed her arms. “But why her?”
“You brought her over to me,” he spat. “And anyway, you’ve been dating Easton for three goddamn years. Do you really think you have room to talk?”
The words hit her in the face. She was being irrational. Utterly irrational. This wasn’t even why she had come back here. Yes, she didn’t like him flirting with Dylan in front of her, but that hardly mattered. Fuck, why was it so impossible to think around him?
“You’re right,” Savannah said softly.
“Excuse me?”
“You’re right, okay?”
“I am?” He sounded skeptical.
“I don’t have room to talk. Easton and I are together. So, you can flirt with whoever you want. That wasn’t even why I asked you back here.”
“Why did you?”
“Well, first, I wanted to congratulate you. You actually did it. You’re an NBA star.”