The Last Call (MMG Book 5)

by Hilliard, R. B.

  “I see that. How long was I out?” I asked.

  “Thirty minutes before the phone rang and another twenty after,” Dillon answered. “I was held captive in Milly’s room or I would have answered. Who called?” As I settled Leo on my breast, I told him about my phone call with Sally.

  Thankfully, Amelia had flitted to the living room, so she missed Dillon’s reply of, “Fuck Sally.”

  Dillon resented Sally. He wanted to fix anything that caused me pain and didn’t like that this was something he couldn’t fix. Sally had always been a handful, but she was my handful. While I didn’t expect him to understand, I did expect him to support me. I started to tell him as much when the phone rang, again. This time it was Kurt. By the time Dillon hung up with Kurt, he had forgotten about Sally, but apparently my day was planned. Dillon and Kurt were going to scout bar locations and the kids and I were going to hang with Joss. Who knew, maybe Joss would have some sage advice on what I should do about Sally.

  * * *

  “Was she drunk or drugged out?” Piper asked. For someone who didn’t want children, she sure was good with them. Leo hadn’t made a peep since he’d landed in her arms, and that was over an hour ago.

  “I don’t know.” I glanced over at Sarah. “I asked Cas to locate Sally before Leo was born, but Dillon threw a fit, so I assume he didn’t follow through with it.”

  A contemplative look appeared on Sarah’s face. “I may have an idea,” she said. All eyes turned to her as she reached into her back pocket, pulled out her phone, and started dialing. “Hey, Bobby, it’s Sarah. I need a favor,” she spoke into the phone. After a long pause, she said, “No, I don’t want to talk to Cas, and I’d really appreciate you not telling him I called.” She waited a second before continuing. “Sally called Isabella today drunk or possibly drugged out of her mind. Obviously she’s in trouble and we need you to find her.” After another long pause, she let out an exasperated sigh. “The last time I looked, Cas and I weren’t husband and wife, yet. This means that if I want to push the pause button for a moment, I can. Now, are you going to help us, or are you going to continue to lecture me, because if it’s the latter, I’m not interested.” After a short pause, she thanked him and hung up. “Bobby’s on it,” she told me as she slid her phone back into her pocket.

  “Is everything okay with Cas?” Ellie hesitantly asked.

  “No, and I don’t want to talk about it.” Her clipped tone brooked no argument from me.

  “Oh, no you don’t. If I’m stuck on this God forsaken sofa twenty-four-seven until this baby decides to appear, the least you could do is give me something to think about. Now, spill,” Joss commanded. Her tone reminded me of my high school gym teacher. The woman was German, and I’m pretty certain was a Nazi in hiding.

  After a stare-off with Joss, Sarah finally gave in and told us what happened at the coffee shop with Cas’s mother.

  “Did you seriously tell Cas you were going to drop to your knees, and do that” Ellie pointed to her crotch, “in front of his mother?” she squeaked.

  “I was mad,” Sarah defensively responded.

  “I bet Cas’s mom and Nexi would hit it off like gang busters,” Ellie commented.

  “He’s still seeing her?” Piper gasped.

  “Oh, he’s seeing her alright. In fact, I think she’s moved in with him. He claims she stays at his place because it’s ‘closer to her work,’” she said with air quotes, “but I know better. Dad brought her by yesterday, so she could give Mac the gift she’d purchased for him on her business trip.” Leaning forward in her chair, she said, “She bought him a Whac-A-Mole.” Then she leaned back and cackled with glee. “You should have seen Max’s face!”

  “Yep, Cas’s mom and Nexi would love each other,” Sarah agreed.

  “Please tell me Cas chewed his mom a new asshole.” Piper rudely commented.

  “That’s highly doubtful,” Sarah responded with a dismissive shrug of her shoulders. I could tell she was hurting and it made me want to string Cas’s mother up by her toes.

  “Why do you say that?” Joss asked.

  “I don’t know. Honestly, I have no clue what he did or didn’t say to his mother, because I didn’t go home last night.” Her eyes drifted to Piper. “I spent the night at MMG…and apparently I wasn’t the only one. Gage was in one of the other rooms.” All eyes shot to Piper. “Your turn,” Sarah said with an evil smile on her face.

  “Bitch,” Piper muttered.

  “And don’t you forget it,” Sarah replied with a laugh.

  “What the hell is happening around here? Why did Gage spend the night at MMG?” Joss’ exasperated tone reflected the mood of the room. “What in the world has gotten into you people?”

  Piper glared at Sarah, before answering, “It’s no biggie. Gage and I had a fight last night and he walked out.” Leo started to fuss, and she handed him to me.

  “Are you okay?” I asked.

  “Did Gage say anything to you about me?” Piper asked Sarah.

  “No. In fact, I didn’t even know he was there until I ran into him this morning. If it makes you feel any better, he looked like shit,” Sarah offered.

  Leo rooted for my breast. After settling him on it, I tried again. “Why are you and Gage fighting?”

  “Because, Gage told me he wanted to start a family, and I told him I’d taken the permanent management position at Dragonfly,” Piper finally confessed.

  “I thought you were going to work for Cas.” Sarah said.

  “I was, but the job was only temporary. The management position is full time,” she explained.

  Ellie shot Piper a disapproving look. “I thought you were only kidding when you said you didn’t want kids.”

  “No offense, but look at all of you.” She swept her hand across the room. “Ellie, you almost lost Mac because of some psycho nut case I brought into your life. And now, because of the trauma it caused, you can’t tell your husband you’re pregnant with baby number two.” Her eyes flicked to Joss. “And you can’t get off the sofa for fear of your baby falling out of your vagina.” She nodded her head at me. “You can’t make it more than fifty minutes before having to pull your tits out.” She threw up her hands. “Do you blame me for being scared shitless to procreate?”

  “So instead of discussing your fears with your husband, you took a full time job? Piper, that’s insane!” Ellie exclaimed.

  “No crazier than you barfing in every bathroom you come across and then blaming it on a nonexistent stomach bug,” Piper heatedly replied.

  I held up one of my hands and waited for both Ellie and Piper to calm down. Then I addressed the situation. “I don’t blame you for being scared. Hell, if I was on the outside looking in, I probably wouldn’t want to have kids either. And yes, you are correct, Leo is screaming for my tits every five seconds, and I’m exhausted…I’m so damn exhausted I can’t see straight.” My eyes welled with tears. “And I can’t seem to stop crying. I feel like I’m failing him because I can’t satisfy him, but does that mean I wish I didn’t have him?” I shook my head. “Like Amelia, Leo is the best parts of me and Dillon. It looks scary. Hell, it is scary, but it’s so worth it.” I dropped my face to Leo’s blanket and wiped my eyes.

  “Awww, hon. It’ll get better,” Ellie consoled.

  “I don’t want a church wedding, but I don’t want to disappoint Max and Cas,” Sarah blurted.

  “I’m fat and miserable and can’t stop farting,” Joss announced.

  “Max doesn’t want any more children. That’s why I haven’t told him I’m pregnant,” Ellie confessed.

  “I’m not producing enough milk, and it’s killing me,” I added to the mixture.

  “I’m afraid Gage won’t want me anymore once I have kids,” Piper finally admitted.

  “Get your head out of your ass, Piper. If anything, Gage will want you more,” Ellie scolded.

  “Max knows you’re pregnant, Ells. He’s just waiting for you to tell him,” Piper retorted. Ellie glared a
t her.

  “You’re having a baby, Joss. It’s the one time in your life where you’re allowed to be fat. Enjoy it,” I told her.

  “Call a lactation consultant, Isabella, and set up an appointment,” Ellie instructed. Then she turned to Sarah and said, “If you want me to talk to Max, I will, but you need to talk to Cas.” Before she could say anything else, Dillon and Kurt walked through the door, and confession time was officially over.

  On the way home I told Dillon I thought it was time to call a lactation consultant.

  * * *

  Dillon

  My wife was suffering and I felt completely helpless. I also felt like a dick for leaving her at Joss’s while I scouted locations for the new bar with Kurt.

  “You okay?” Kurt asked. Kurt was the last person I needed to confess my issues to. With Joss on the verge of giving birth, I didn’t want to scare the shit out of him.

  “Just tired,” I replied.

  “I bet. We’ll make this fast.”

  The first site was a little too close to Whisky’s for my liking. Not only that, but the place was way too small. The second site was in a much better location. However, it would require some major renovations. Still, it had definite possibilities. Kurt’s phone rang as we were pulling out of the parking lot.

  “Hello?” he answered.

  “Where are you?” Gage’s voice barreled through the speakers.

  “I’m scouting locations with Dillon. Why, what’s up?”

  “Can you stop by MMG?” Kurt gave me a questioning look and I nodded, yes.

  “Sure, we’ll be there in fifteen,” he told Gage.

  We found Gage in his office talking to Max, who seemed surprised to see us.

  “What brings you two out this way?” Max asked. Kurt and I both looked at Gage.

  “I asked them to stop by. Have a seat,” Gage said. I felt like I was back in grade school and about to get reprimanded by the principal. Once we were both sitting, he asked, “What the fuck were you thinking by offering my wife a full time position at Dragonfly without consulting me first?”

  “The last I checked, Piper is an adult who is perfectly capable of making her own decisions,” Kurt dryly replied.

  “Not when she’s making them for the two of us and the future of our family, she’s not,” Gage snapped.

  “Look, man, we obviously have no idea what this is about, so why don’t you fill us in,” I coaxed.

  “I told Piper I wanted to start a family last night. Do you know what her reply was? She said she’d taken on a full time position at Dragonfly.”

  “Fuck,” Kurt muttered.

  “Fuck is right,” Gage responded.

  “I’m sure she wasn’t picking one over the other–”

  He cut me off before I could finish. “I’m pretty damn sure she was.”

  “We’ll do whatever you think is best, but can I give a word of advice?” Kurt asked.

  “Shoot,” Gage said.

  “Compromise with her. You and I both know if you yank this out from under her, she will nut you, brother.”

  “I don’t disagree,” Max added. “Your woman is about as hard headed as they come.” Right as Gage opened his mouth to reply, Cas walked in.

  “Have you seen Sarah?”

  “Who do I look like, her keeper?” Max grumpily replied.

  “Uhhh, she was here around seven, when I woke up,” Gage told Cas.

  Max’s eyebrow shot to the ceiling. “When you woke up?” he repeated.

  “After Piper told me she was forgoing children to work at a bar full time, I needed to blow off steam, so I came here, worked on a bike, and crashed upstairs last night,” Gage explained.

  “With my sister?” Max growled.

  “No, not with your sister,” Gage huffed. “However, I did bump into her as I was coming out of the room this morning.” His eyes shot to Cas. “Apparently, she’d spent the night here, too,” he added.

  “Someone had better tell me what the hell is going on,” Max warned.

  “You just heard my story,” Gage said.

  “What a fucking mess,” Cas sighed.

  “What is?” Max asked.

  “This fucking wedding, that’s what,” Cas threw at him.

  “Are you saying you don’t want to marry my sister?” Max’s voice was dangerously low.

  A look of surprise crossed Cas’s face. “Hell no, I’m marrying your sister. I’m just not convinced I want to do it your way anymore.” Before Max could reply, Cas explained how his mother had shown up in Charlotte, invited Sarah to coffee on the pretense they were going to discuss the wedding, and then offered her money to walk away.

  “Wow, that’s all kinds of fucked up,” Kurt said.

  “Needless to say, my parent’s invitation has now been revoked,” Cas told Max.

  “So, why did Sarah sleep here last night?” Max asked.

  Cas ran his hands through his hair, and I could tell he was one step away from completely losing his mind. I knew exactly what he was feeling. When I almost lost Isabella, my whole world came crashing down around me. “After the thing with my mom she wouldn’t take my phone calls. In fact, I haven’t spoken to her since she left here yesterday afternoon. Right now I just want to run off to Vegas with her and get married. At this point, I’d be fine if Elvis officiated.”

  “So do it,” I told him. Max scowled at me, and I shook my head at him. “Who do you think your sister is going to blame when she doesn’t get her happy ending? You – that’s who. Let her have the wedding she wants and give her the party you want.”

  “Do you know how much money I’ve shelled out for this thing?” Max huffed.

  “What’s the cancellation policy on the church, two weeks?” Kurt asked. Max didn’t respond. “If so,” he continued, “cancel the church, and like Dillon said, turn the reception into one big party.”

  Max cut his eyes to Cas. I could see from his expression that he was caving. “You really want to elope?”

  “Fuck, yes,” Cas answered without hesitation.

  “I don’t like it,” Max said. “I should be the one to walk her down the aisle, but I can’t leave town right now.”

  “Look, if it means that much to you–” Cas cut in.

  “Go,” Max ordered.

  “What?” Cas asked.

  “Before I change my mind, just go. Find my sister, hop on a flight to Vegas, and marry her. Just don’t have Elvis do it.”

  “You’re sure?” Cas asked.

  “No,” Max grumbled, then added, “You’re still paying for Meltdown.”

  Cas’s face split into a shit eating grin. “Done.”

  “And the open bar.”

  “Fine,” Cas clipped.

  “And–” Max started to say, but Cas was already out the door.

  Once Cas was gone, I settled my stare on Gage. “You need to talk to your wife and then let us know what you both decide,” I told him.

  “What if we hire two managers?” Kurt suggested. Gage and I both shot him a questioning look. He held up his hands. “Just hear me out. Polly would be a great manager, except for the fact that she has zero confidence in her abilities. Piper can manage the bar with her eyes closed. What if we make Polly a part-time manager? That way, Piper can still have the job, and when the two of you decide to have kids, Polly will be up to speed and can move to full time.”

  After a contemplative moment, Gage said, “That could work.” Kurt and I both sighed in relief.

  On the way back to his house neither of us said a word.

  When did our lives get so damn complicated?

  Chapter Eleven

  Cas and Sarah

  ‡

  Cas

  Max said yes.

  All I could think about was getting to Sarah as I bolted from MMG and raced to my truck. I let her have her space last night, but no more. Once MMG was in my rearview mirror, I let out a sigh of relief. Needless to say, it was a shitty time to be running off to Vegas, but did I care? Hell
no. Nothing was going to stop me from marrying Sarah, especially now that I no longer had Max or my fucking mother to contend with.

  My mother.

  What the hell was she thinking? When Sarah called to tell me what my mother had done, I completely lost my cool. Enough was enough. My mother had always been slightly unstable, but this was a whole new level of psycho. When Sarah handed the phone to Mom, and my mother refused to take blame for her actions, I told her to meet me at my office. She vehemently protested, so I told her if she wasn’t there in half an hour I was coming for her. As usual, Mom walked through the door dressed to the nines and acting as if she owned the place. Once she realized I was the only one there, she dropped all pretenses and the shit got real. I knew her game. I’d lived and breathed it my whole life. Dad had squandered his money on bad business deal after bad business deal. I’d known all along this was happening, but apparently my mother did not. That is, until Dad cut her allowance in half. Her ploy to mend fences was simply that – a ploy. I should have known better than to believe her when she pretended to be excited about the wedding. What she really wanted was to get Sarah out of the picture and get her hands on my inheritance. My father was too proud to ask for handouts, but my mother was not. Stupid woman. Not only were my parents uninvited to the wedding, I considered them dead to me. I made that abundantly clear before escorting my mother from the building.

  I tried to call Sarah before and after the confrontation with Mom. Both times my calls went straight to her voicemail. I didn’t blame her for being upset. However, her decision to avoid me altogether worried me. Sarah was a straight shooter. It was one of the things I loved most about her. The fact that she didn’t take my mother’s word for gospel, and instead called me, only reinforced my trust in her. When I got home and she wasn’t there, the worry ratcheted up to mild panic. Where could she be? After calling and getting her voicemail one more time, I went looking, and discovered her car parked at MMG. Of course, she’d run back to her brother. Not in the mood for Max, I drove home and drowned my anger in a drink – or ten. I’d give her tonight, but tomorrow morning, Sarah and I were going to straighten out a few things.

  On the way to the house I called the travel agent and asked her to book two plane reservations for Vegas and to get us a suite at Bellagio. Then I called Garrett at the office. Garrett answered on the first ring. He tried to argue when I explained how I would be out of pocket for the next few days, but I shut him down.