by Jamie Summer
Game On The Verge
Game On Series #2
Jamie Summer
Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Epilogue
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Also by Jamie Summer
Game On The Verge
First published in 2018
Copyright © 2018 by Jamie Summer
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to any persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
All rights reserved. Any reproduction or other unauthorized use of the material or artwork herein is prohibited without the express written permission of the author.
Facebook: Jamie Summer
Cover: Tammy Clarke from The Graphic Shed
Editing: Kim’s Fiction Proofreading and Editing Services
Formatting: The Graphic Shed
Tyler
Sunday brunch at my parents’ place was usually something I looked forward to. We ate, drank and just had a good time. Unless I was on the field, I always made it, knowing my parents wouldn’t expect anything else.
As much as my family could be a pain in the ass, I loved them with all my heart. After I moved, I was lucky enough to still have family around. Since half of my family is British, my aunts and uncles all lived in the area and my parents, having no reason to stay in the United States, decided they would move to London with me. My first instinct had been to protest, but in hindsight, it was the best thing that could have happened.
It gave me somewhere to go when everything became too much. I also knew both Gavin and Devon liked having people around they’d known their whole lives. After all, they were like parents to them as well.
“Ty, can you grab the rolls?” my mom called from the kitchen. I got up from the couch and made my way into the kitchen, which was a wonderful combination of old wood and marble. I wasn’t one for interior décor, but my parents had managed to make this place just the way they wanted it. Homey, modern…them. I loved it.
“Over there.” My mom nodded to the basket on the counter.
“When is Trish gonna get here?” I asked, referring to my cousin. We were going to see her for the first time since the birth of her baby girl. It had been huge news in my family, and everyone was excited when she announced she was pregnant.
It also put me in a difficult position. I was the only one who didn’t have kids. Granted, I was merely twenty-four, but in my family, that was considered ancient when it came to having babies.
And I was a far cry from even thinking about wanting one.
“When are you going to bring by that girlfriend of yours? I don’t know why you keep her away from us. We’re not that bad,” my mom complained. It was the same thing I heard every time I was over.
“I know, Mom, but she’s busy. I told you that. She’s on the road most of the time. Even I barely see her.”
“That’s not a true relationship.”
I sighed. Here we go again.
“You know what Dad always says. If she isn’t around, she’s not worth it.”
I fought the urge to roll my eyes at the wisdom I’d heard a million times. Or at least ever since I told my parents about my girlfriend, who was on the road a lot and didn’t have time for family brunches.
The problem? My girlfriend didn’t exist.
When the questions about my love life became too much, I’d made her up. When you heard the same questions every week, you became desperate. I was a good-looking guy with plenty going for him, so why couldn’t I find a woman? My family thought I should be able to just talk to a random stranger and make her fall desperately in love with me. Yeah, not going to happen.
So one day, when my dad started with the questions once again, I had enough. I told them I met someone. Everything went downhill from there.
“I know what Dad says, but that’s not her. She’s great. Plus, I’m busy myself with the team,” I told her, justifying my non-existing relationship. Why I didn’t simply tell them I was single again was beyond me. In the end, I just think I didn’t want to disappoint them.
“Well, it would be nice if we could meet her at some point. You seem to be rather smitten with her.” My mom smiled at me, the hope and trust in her eyes making the guilt within me build even higher.
“I will talk to her and see when she can make it,” I promised, knowing it was as hollow as the rolls I currently held. What had Mom done? Cut a hole in them to make them more airy?
“Don’t look at them like that. The bakery said it was a new trend.” I couldn’t help the grin on my face.
“A new trend?” I replied, the doubt in my voice hard to ignore.
“Go.” My mom shooed me out of the room with the kitchen towel she held in her hand. I heard her laughter all the way to the dining room. Glancing up from setting the table, Dad frowned at the basket.
“What are those?”
“Rolls.”
He furrowed his brows. “With holes?”
“Mom said it’s supposed to be some new trend.”
“Trend, my ass,” he chuckled. “That woman always lets those ladies talk her into something. Next time she’ll make ones that are burnt because they are supposed to be healthy.”
I laughed and put them on the table. “Cut her some slack. She loves those ladies.” The women at the bakery were the first friends my mom made in town, and were still her best ones.
“I know. But, more often than not, they use her as their patsy.”
“Don’t be too hard on them, Peter. They are having a rough time with the business and I’m doing my part to help them out.” My mom’s words shut my dad up. He knew all about having to work hard to keep your business going. His own woodwork business had hit a rough patch when I was younger, and I knew my dad worked countless hours to make sure they didn’t go out of business.
The doorbell rang before we could continue our conversation, and Mom walked off to open it. Her excited squeal made it clear who arrived.
Trish and the baby.
“Oh my. Look at her squishy face. She’s adorable. It’s Ella, right?” I heard my mom ask. My cousin answered, but I wasn’t able to hear. “Well, come on in. I’m so happy you were able to make it.”
My dad and I exchanged a glance, then made our way to the hallway where a group of people had congregated.
“Peter, so good to see you again,” my aunt Cheryl said, greeting him with the obligatory kiss on the cheek. She then came over to me. “Tyler, always nice to see you.”
“Good to see you, Auntie.” I’d always liked Cheryl. She was one of the few people who hadn’t pressured me into getting a girlfriend. She had gotten married late in life, had her first child when she was in her mid-thirties, and was the black sheep of the family.
I said hello to another aunt and my two uncles before making my way over to Trish and little Ella.
“She’s beautiful,” I said over her shoulder as she got Ella out of her car seat.
“Thank you.” Her hands expertly took the baby out, then Trish stood up. “Ella, say hi to Tyler. He’s a pretty nice guy,” she whispered to her daughter, whose eyes darted back and forth between her mom and me. It was incredible to see someone so tiny be so attentive to her surroundings.
Her wailing started and I glanced at Trish apologetically.
She smiled at me. “Don’t worry about it. She just woke up, and you’re a stranger to her.”
Her words didn’t quite fill me with the kind of comfort I was looking for, but then again, what kind of experience did I have with children?
“Let’s just go to the dining room and get settled, shall we?” my mom said, clearly sensing my discomfort.
“I’m gonna change her first. That way, she’ll hopefully sleep some more while we have brunch,” Trish explained. We watched as she made her way to the bathroom, taking little Ella with her.
“Don’t worry. She started crying when I picked her up the first time, too,” Aunt Cheryl told me, clasping my shoulder. “Now, tell me about that football gig of yours. Still going good?”
I told her about the current happenings at West Ham United. Aunt Cheryl was always the one most interested in my career path. She loved the sport, so she was easy to talk to. I didn’t need to explain anything to her because she was an expert herself.
Everyone settled around the table, and brunch started without much fuss. Conversation was light and loud, the way it usually was when we all got together. My mom couldn’t stop gushing over Ella, who peacefully slept in the small swing Trish had brought along. She continued to ooh and aww at her, but I wasn’t sure Ella appreciated the attention. Not that she seemed to care one way or another.
“So, there is something I wanted to bring up,” Trish said after most of us were done eating.
“What is it, my dear?” my mom asked, putting her napkin down.
“Well, as you know, Ella will soon be a month old, and Steve and I want to have her christened around that time. We would love for all of you to be there. We’re currently looking at four weeks from today.” She looked at me, smiling. “It’s a football free day. I already checked.” I was surprised she thought about it. “Hopefully it doesn’t interfere with anyone’s schedule. And, Ty, I would love for you to bring your girlfriend. It would be a great opportunity for her to meet everyone.”
Oh hell.
“Oh, what a wonderful idea. I’m sure Tyler can make this work, right? Four weeks should give you enough time to plan.”
The hope in my mom’s voice almost killed me. How could I let them know there wasn’t a girlfriend? That there was no one I could bring along?
“I’m sure Tyler can work his magic. It would be a great opportunity, like Trish said,” Dad added, not helping the matter the slightest.
Everyone looked at me, waiting.
“Sure. Sounds like a great idea. I’ll talk to her and see what she says.”
“Oh no. You will talk to her and make sure she can make it. I’m dying to meet her, son. Please.”
I groaned inwardly. The moment my mom used the word please, I knew I was a goner.
There was no getting around it. I needed to bring my girlfriend to Ella’s christening.
The question was where to find that mysterious girlfriend?
Jo
The bar was more crowded than usual for a Sunday night. There wasn’t a game today, and most of our patrons usually spent Sundays with family. So seeing every seat filled was out of the ordinary. Not that I minded.
I loved the rush of moving from order to order, patron to patron, trying to keep everything together. It was only me and Ben, another bartender, so we were extremely busy. Just the way I liked it.
“Jo, can I get another one?” I heard Justin, one of the regulars, call.
I gave him a nod before pouring his Guinness and handing it to him. He threw a ten on the table and smiled my way before turning back to his friends. I took several more orders before I had a few minutes to clean some of the glasses.
It was eight p.m., the time the crowd thinned slightly and I had a few moments to do the stuff I needed to do. Take inventory, replace empty bottles, et cetera. It kept me busy in between taking orders.
“Hey, Jo,” I heard someone say, barely loud enough to be heard in the chatter around us.
I turned, surprised to see Tyler sitting there. He was one of the football players who liked to visit whenever they needed to wind down. It wasn’t often, since their job didn’t really support getting drunk on a weeknight, but the past few weeks, he had come in a bit more often. If he didn’t strike up a conversation with any of the regulars or have his two friends with him, he’d sit at the bar and sip his beer in silence.
We exchanged a couple words here and there, but that was it.
“Hey, Tyler. What brings you here on a Sunday?” I asked, leaning over the bar in order to hear him better. A loud discussion had started at the bar. If it got any worse, I would have to intervene, something I occasionally had to do if the situation called for it.
I wasn't afraid of the patrons in here. I grew up with three brothers. Not much scared me.
“Let’s just say I needed to get out. And I need a drink.”
“The usual?” I asked. Tyler nodded. He always ordered an ale we stocked from a local brewery. I liked that he supported the community in that way.
I tapped his beer, watching him out of the corner of my eye. He looked tired, the skin underneath his eyes darker than usual. His dark hair wasn’t in a bun as I’d grown accustomed to, but hung loosely around his shoulders. It was unkempt, yet I knew it was the look some guys spent hours perfecting. Messed up and sexy. He sighed, as if whatever he had done today had taken some of the life out of him.
“Rough training session?” I asked as I set his beer in front of him, curiosity winning out over any thought I had about him wanting a peaceful evening. Tyler glanced up at me, a sly grin on his face.
“Not quite. Rough family brunch.”
I nodded. “Sure you don't need a whiskey or something stronger then?” I raised my brows, a knowing smile on my face. If his family brunches were anything like mine, he would not only need one, but ten of those.
A sad chuckle left his lips. “Not yet. Thank you, though. It might be a possibility later.” He took a long sip from his beer. Before I even walked away, he had downed the whole thing.
“Another one, please.”
I merely nodded. If he kept that up, he wouldn’t need whiskey. He’d be fine with the beer. I tapped another one and put it in front of him, then heard someone call my name and focused my attention on them.
Half an hour passed before I took notice of Tyler again. Ben had taken a break, so I was swamped with people calling out orders. Once he got back, things got a bit better. My eyes unwillingly went over to where Tyler was nursing his fourth beer.
It wasn’t like him to drink that much in such a little time. It had to have been some brunch. I was tempted to ask, confused by this new side of Tyler. Where were his two friends who usually came with him?
I would be lying if I said I didn’t notice Tyler whenever he came in. Sure, he was good-looking, but it was more about the way he always had an easy smile for everyone, the way he wasn’t afraid to engage strangers in a conversation.
I liked him.
Seeing him like this…confused, off balance and definitely on his way to getting drunk… was something I wasn’t sure I liked.
“Hey, where are Gavin and Devon?”
Tyler glanced up, surprised expression on his face, almost as if he had forgotten where he was. He shrugged. “No idea.”
“Do you want me to call them?” I knew he was going to say no, but I had to try.
“Why would you? I’m perfectly fine. I just need a night out. Nothing else,” Tyler explained, the alcohol clearly getting to him. He wasn’t so much slurring his words as trying to swallow half of them while talking.
“You’re drunk.” I leaned over the bar to take away his beer when he grabbed my arm.
“Don’t. Please. Let me have this one, okay? I’m done after that. I just… I need to let loose.
I need to forget.”
There was something in the way he said it, the pleading sound in his voice, that made me back off. I nodded, pulling away. Keeping one eye on him, I walked to the sink to start cleaning glasses again.
“He’s fine, Jo. Far from being drunk. We have much worse patrons in the bar,” Ben whispered, looking toward the end of the bar. “Those two, for example. I give it five more minutes before they start shouting at each other.”
I followed his gaze and saw two other regulars arguing over which of their teams was going to win the next football match. It was a useless discussion since they weren’t even playing each other, but they were too far gone to even care.
It took four minutes until their voices rose above the level we were comfortable with. Ben walked off to deal with the matter, leaving me to clean the glasses. I snuck a glance at Tyler once more, seeing that he had finished his beer.
He caught me staring, throwing me one of those smiles I liked. Good thing about a bar late at night? It was so dark, no one could see you blush. I hated it, but I liked the guy.
Tyler got up and walked over, coming to a stop in front of me.
“How do you feel about babies?” His voice was calm, but the words took him a moment to get out. He’d clearly had enough to drink.
I blinked at him, not sure I had heard correctly. “Babies?”
“Yes, babies. Those tiny things who look like they will break the moment you pick them up.”
“I know what babies are. Why would you ask me that?”
Tyler didn’t answer right away, and I was pretty sure he needed to sort out his own thoughts. They seemed to be messed up at the moment.