Chapter 17
ERIC
Ethan flips on his heel and cocks his head. “The one with the goofy boyfriend?”
“I wanted to like him.”
“No you fuckin’ didn’t.”
Frowning at the sky I mutter, “Nah, I really didn’t. But I tried to despite hoping I wouldn’t.”
Ethan makes a face. “What?!”
“Didn’t make sense?”
“Barely! You got any water?”
“Yeah, some glass bottles in here.” Unlocking the door I dig around. “You can’t leave plastic in the heat. Chemicals melt into the water. Been known to cause cancer.” Straightening up I catch him staring at me like, dude, you forget my IQ?
Ethan is a genius, literally, a member of Mensa, and he patented an invention that made him a billionaire. Maybe a couple of them by now. I don’t keep up because he doesn’t brag. But he also doesn’t want to be taught anything by me. I hand him the bottle, “I know you’re smart, fucker, but that doesn’t mean you know everything.”
He uncorks it, “It kinda does.” Glugging as much as he can take without throwing up he wipes his lips and grins, “Damn, when you’re really thirsty, water tastes as good as whiskey. Back to the boyfriend—what was his name?”
“Said it was Pete for our benefit. He goes by Peter normally, I’m pretty sure.”
“Yeah I caught that, too. He’s not into her.”
Opening my own bottle I replay everything I watched down there in the park. “You don’t think so?”
“Nope.”
“How can you tell?”
Ethan shrugs, “You know how Dad looks at Mom?”
“Oh, right,” I mutter, picturing how in love our parents have always been.
“Same way I look at my Charlie, right?”
“Yeah.”
“You think that guy is into her? Think back and picture the scene. Now I know he was excited as hell to meet you in person, but still. He never looked at her. Held himself at a distance. When she touched his back he didn’t react! Barely even knows she’s there.”
“You picked all that up?”
Ethan taps his head. “I can read people spot-on when I want to. Practically know what they’re thinking. And I always find it interesting when a woman that hot is with a guy who doesn’t dig her. Dude isn’t into her but she doesn’t know it.”
“Yeah, I felt that too, but I thought I might be biased.”
“You like her? Who is she?”
“I thought she was a waitress—excuse me, they prefer to be called servers I guess. She works at O’Neal’s, but I never saw her after the first weekend we met. The team and I hang out there after home games. I found out she bartends sporadic weeknight shifts—schedule changes. Inconsistent, which is a bitch, you know? She’s there every Friday and Saturday night though. She’s good, real good, keeps her head on straight even when it’s four deep with drunks. She’s got these great laughing eyes, man. They weren’t that way down there when you met her in the park, probably because of him, but normally they’re all cute and crinkly at the edges. Problem is I can’t stay out late on the weekend nights so I’m always leaving early and I fuckin’ hate it. What? What’s with the face?”
Ethan laughs through his nose as he makes the water disappear, head thrown back. Gasping for air he smirks at me, “Where does she live and what window does she dress in front of?”
I push his chest, stepping back as I do it to put more distance between us. “Fuck you, I’m not stalking her.”
“Oh yeah? What do you call it?” he grins.
Exasperated I defend myself, “I can’t drink before a game, so when I found out her schedule I remembered it because it’s inconvenient.”
He laughs, “Inconvenient?!”
“Yeah! Inconvenient!”
“To your plans of getting her into your bed? Am I understanding you right?”
“Yes! That’s all. I think she’d be…fun.”
Shaking his head he starts for his car. “You have no fuckin’ clue. Talk to ya later!”
“Hey!” I run after him, matching his pace as we head toward one of the five Teslas he owns. “What am I missing?”
“I’m not going to tell you if you don’t already know.”
“That’s exactly why you should tell me!”
Throwing his keys up and catching them he chuckles, “Nope.”
He tosses ‘em one more time but I snatch them from the air and start running to the edge of the roof, dangling them. “You wanna search for these? All the way down in those dense-as-fuck bushes? Sound like fun?”
Ethan warns me, “Don’t you dare.”
I jingle them and smirk, “Test me. Take a step closer.”
“Oh you suck.” Raking his wet hair back he stares at the keys then at my face, wondering if he should rush me and see what happens.
“Test me. Come on.”
He paces, teeth grinding until he barks, “Alright! What you’re missing is that you want more than a fuck. You’re interested in her. Compelled even.”
Palming the keys I ball my fist. “You’re wrong. It’s not what you think.”
“Hey I’m not saying forever or anything. I have no idea who you’ll fall for long-term. But Eric, you definitely don’t just want to bang her and run. Something about her has your balls in a vice. She owns you already, yet somehow neither of you knows it.”
As he takes a step closer I dangle the keys again. “That’s bullshit!”
“You wouldn’t be asking about her boyfriend, checking with me to see if I think you have a shot. You’d take the shot, run, and not look back. What’s her name again?”
“Wren.”
Ethan’s forehead wrinkles up as he squints at the sky like he’s reading an encyclopedia up there. “Wren, small cinnamon-colored bird known as the House Wren because it likes to nest near where humans live, or in bird houses. Known for its beautiful song. Quite small though,” he smirks, locking onto my eyes. “Yet here she holds the power over a mighty Falcon. Fascinating.”
And just like that, I drop the keys. “Oh no, what happened?”
My brother loses his shit, half laughing, half pissed as hell. “I can’t believe you just did that!”
Wiping my hands on a grin, I head to my Jeep and mutter as I pass him, “Believe it.”
Chapter 18
WREN
Heading back to my car, alone, I see Ethan and Eric in the bushes, bent over and digging. I call out, “What are you looking for?”
The brothers straighten up and BAM, bonk their heads together.
My hand reflexively flies to my mouth, but they start laughing.
Rubbing his forehead Ethan explains, “My brother thought he’d be funny and throw my keys off the roof.”
Eric grins, rubbing his head and wincing, “I was going to leave him to search on his own but I had to drive back, park the car and come help. Damn conscience.” Remembering Peter his eyes flicker. “Where’s your boyfriend?”
“He had to work,” I remind him, self-consciously adjusting the neckline of my special dress. “I decided to take a walk on my own since it’s so beautiful out.”
The brothers exchange a look that makes me feel like a pitiful, abandoned puppy.
I point between them. “Don’t do that!”
“Do what?” they both ask.
“Look at each other like that! I can walk out here by myself and not have it mean anything. My boyfriend has to work. People work. It’s normal.” Feeling a disappointed lump in my throat I bite my lip and look away.
Eric tromps out of the bushes, his legs scratched up, though he doesn’t seem to notice or care. “Yeah but you guys were going to the Gardens, and now you’re just here by yourself?”
“I don’t need a play-by-play, Cocker.”
He wipes his hands, glancing to them.
Ethan offers, “I’ll find the keys on my own. Why don’t you take her to the Gardens, Eric?”
Surprised, we stare at each other, his hazel eyes
lighting up like it’s a great idea.
I quickly refuse, stuttering like a fool, “I can’t. Lot to do today. I’m really busy. Don’t want to trouble you with something like that.”
Eric smiles, “You have nothing to do.”
“I do so!”
“You did, but you don’t now.”
My mouth clamps shut like Beeker from the Muppets.
“I’m a sweaty mess but if you don’t mind, how ‘bout we go check it out? You’ve never been.” He leans in a little. “And that is a crime.”
It hurts to say no when I so wish I could say yes. “It is a crime but I can’t. Thank you anyway.”
“Why can’t you?”
“I have a boyfriend, who is stuck at work, and it wouldn’t be cool if I went in there with you.”
“It’s just a garden.”
“No, it’s a very romantic place if you’re a man and a woman alone. I’ve never been inside but I’ve seen pictures. I wouldn’t want Peter coming here with a girl.” Eric stubbornly crosses his arms. “Just imagine if you had a girlfriend, would you want her going there with a guy as attractive as you are?”
Fire ignites those hazel eyes, turning them almost emerald as he firmly says, “No fuckin’ way.”
“See? But thank you for the invitation. And I would love to help you guys find Ethan’s keys. Six eyes are better than four.” I pass him, and Eric watches my journey. I can feel his stare but I keep going.
“So you think I’m attractive.”
I eye him over my shoulder. “Everyone thinks you’re attractive. Especially you.”
Ethan whoops and points at his brother. “She’s got your number!”
Chuckling while climbing back into the bushes, Eric informs him, “Yeah, she did the same thing to me in front of Ben. He loved it, too.”
Ethan asks, “How is he? Haven’t seen him in person since that stupid elopement.”
“Seems okay. I should have called you, invited you to come to the bar, too, so you could look into his soul like you claim you can.”
“Found a quarter!” I hold it up. They give appreciative nods.
Ethan winks, “Nice, that’s good luck.”
“So Ben just got married?”
Hunched over and digging, they mutter at the same time, “Yeah,” with as much enthusiasm as you’d have for tax time.
“You’re not happy for him?”
Over the scraping sounds of branches Ethan explains, “Ben has been looking for his soulmate for years. Hopefully it won’t take me that long to find these keys. His parents fell in love when they were eight.”
“Aww! Eight years old?”
“Yeah,” they both mutter.
“That’s amazing.”
Over his bent shoulder-muscles Eric locks eyes with me. “That’s a lot of pressure is what it is.”
Ethan agrees, “I think Ben forced something too fast and too soon. He wants what they have. Can’t blame him. But pretty much all of us agree it just doesn’t feel right. We know one thing, in our family when we love someone we want everyone there to celebrate it with us.”
“True,” Eric mumbles. “That’s what’s fishy about it. Oh ho! Found ‘em!” He rises up like a flash, holding the keys above his head in celebration. “Who’s the winner?”
“Me,” Ethan smirks, snatching them from his brother’s grip. “Oh no, what happened?”
Eric laughs and it’s a great, honest sound.
“The way you guys are together makes me wish I had siblings,” I confess as we climb out of the shrubbery, my dress fighting me.
Eric helps, “Wait, I got it,” tugging the fabric free and lifting me up. My heart flutters, no time to object. He sets me down as if it wasn’t a big deal. But it felt like one. “You’re an only child?”
“Mmhmm.”
Up the stairs we go.
Truth is I don’t have anywhere I have to be. No work tonight. No boyfriend to spend the day with like I thought we would. And since the keys have been found, it’s time to get in my car and drive away from what has made me forget everything for a little while.
I’m in my head, wishing I could change my mind and say yes to that invitation. It doesn’t occur to me until we’re almost to the top that none of us are talking. Glancing back I see Eric staring into nothing as well. I meet Ethan’s eyes because he’s watching me.
“I’m on this level,” I tell them.
Eric stops with me and glances to the ground, and then to his brother, head bowed a little like, give us a minute.
“Nice to meet you, Wren,” Ethan smiles, heading up the last flight.
“Bye.” I’m picking my nails, wondering why we’re standing here alone like this.
The cocky quarterback is nowhere to be found as Eric says in a quiet volume, timber deep and intimate, “I’ve got nowhere to be. It’s right over there. Wanna go? I’ll buy the ticket, just say the word.”
Meeting his eyes I’m afraid I’ll say yes aloud, so I bite my tongue and we just stare at each other. My hands fall to my sides as the world disappears around us.
“Wren…”
Forcing my feet to walk I stammer a hasty, “See you around I guess.”
Suddenly cold I cross my arms and hurry away.
Don’t look back, Wren.
Keep walking.
You’re almost to your car.
Don’t break.
But I glance back.
Just in time to see his sneakers disappearing up the stairs.
Chapter 19
WREN
From behind sunglasses and a strawberry-banana smoothie I ask my best friend, “Eleanor, seriously, how do you do it all on your own?”
It’s a bright, cloudless Thursday morning and we’ve come to Cascade Springs park for some fresh air. Her children weren’t feeling well, so she let them stay out of school. But Eleanor doesn’t believe in bed for healing. She believes in nature. Surrounded by gold and amber leaves that will soon fall, low hills as their backdrops, we’re relaxing by a trickling stream so the kids can poke at turtles and laugh themselves back to health.
We’ve warned them to be kind to the slow-moving creatures. Innocent eyes said they would be, and El confirmed they wouldn’t hurt a fly. Just annoy it a little.
Also in shades, my friend pauses sucking on her blackberry and chocolate protein-powder shake to answer me, simply saying with a shrug, “I’m tired all the time.” The straw slides back into her mouth as if that’s the end of conversation. Clipped and to the point. The end.
Laughing I balance myself better on the boulder and say, “Oh come on, you’re in a good mood every time I see you. How come? I mean, you didn’t plan on raising Antoine and Tia on your own and that’s pretty much what you’re doing. He has them every other weekend but…”
“And he covers some of the cost. Enough to keep me from drowning and able to buy one of these delicious num nums once in a while as a treat.” She holds up her plastic cup before nursing it some more, eyes floating to her children as they edge near extremely shallow water like it’s an oceanic depth that might swallow them. “I’m happier without him.”
“Clearly.”
Eleanor glances to me and lowers her cup onto the boulder she’s sitting on. “I wasn’t happy when I was with him. I mean, I was happy to be in a relationship because I thought that’s what I was supposed to do.”
I mutter, “That’s what they teach us,” sucking down the last of my drink.
“I got out of high school and my thoughts were get married, have kids. So I did that. Met him in college, had these two adorable little brats who drive me insane, and then I would wake up and think, okay, there’s someone here. But I don’t like him very much. He was okay. Pretty sexy. Not mean to me. I wasn’t excited to hear him talk. I think it’s so important to like talking with someone. Like you and me, I love talking with you. I can tell you things like this and you’re listening. And when you talk I like to listen. I look forward to our conversations. You’re my tribe, you
know?”
“Aww, thanks. Should we go gay now?”
“I wish,” she grins. “Make it so much easier.”
A red dragonfly flits by us as I admit, “I don’t think being gay is easy.”
Thinking about it, Eleanor agrees, “No, it isn’t. I have some gay friends who get treated badly all the time. They fight back but it’s not easy.”
“Why don’t we all just let people be who they are?”
“You and I do.”
“True.”
“That’s a start.” Adjusting her sunglasses she continues, “Anyway, now that he’s gone, it’s just me, and that’s an improvement. Me and the kids living how we want to live. I work hard to pay bills—since they’re in school I can. And now that Carla hired a new girl to cover me every other weekend, I don’t miss out on any time with them. Work when they’re gone, home when they are. And if something comes up and I need to take on more shifts, I’ve got the other moms.”
“The ones you’ve teamed up with.”
“To split babysitting duties, yep.” Her gaze drifts to the kids and she smiles at their laughter, saying wistfully, “More hands, lighter load. The ex can do what he wants. I want to wait for someone I love talking with.” Glancing to me, she adds in a sly whisper, “And who I love fucking.” Losing the grin, Eleanor asks in a leading way, “What about you and Peter?”
“We go through waves.”
“I don’t like the crap he’s been pulling.”
I was asking how she’s always happy because I feel the opposite. A depression has formed around me over the last month. Too tired of it all I blankly say, “He was amazing last night.”
Lowering her voice, she leans in like I’ve got sexy details to share. “Tell me all the dirty stuff and I’ll tell you about Dion.”
I correct her, “No, he and his band were amazing. I went and saw them play. We all went out to eat after at this all-night diner in Flat Shoals, and it was fun. Reminded me of when I was with the girls.”
“Oh, you never told me how they were at the Unicorn, the show Ginny invited you to!”
Sucking my lips in I shake my head, and pick a yellow leaf off my boulder. “Couldn’t go, El.”
Cocky Quarterback: Eric Cocker (Cocker Brothers of Atlanta Book 12) Page 8