“Laney!” Luke ran to her and picked her up, spinning her around as he kissed her repeatedly. Never had I seen my brother display that much emotion. Delaney had definitely changed him. Maybe for the better.
“We did it!” they said in unison as they hugged.
“Lexi, come here.” Delaney waved for me to join them. “We graduated!” She threw her arms around my neck and my brother encased his arms around both of us. No doubt, it was a great day, but I just couldn’t seem to get as excited as they were. Something was wrong with me.
“Selfie, selfie.” Delaney held up her phone and snapped a pic of us. “Damn, I wish I had my camera.”
“Make sure you bring it tonight,” Luke told her.
“I will.” Delaney’s head darted to the side. “Look, there’s Jordan and Forbes.” She waved at them and they shuffled toward us.
“Oh my God, we’re graduates!” Jordan jumped up and down, screaming at the top of her lungs. Forbes looked equally excited as he yelled and hooted. Everyone had their special someone to celebrate with, except for me. Out of the corner of my eye, huddled with a few other baseball players, was Collin. I ducked my head in the crowd and hoped he hadn’t seen me. He was the last person I wanted to see. As I turned and headed in the opposite direction, I slammed right into someone.
“Lexi?”
I looked up, my eyes traveling along a large frame. “Shawn? Hey.”
“Congrats, girl!” He pulled me into a tight bear hug, nearly squeezing the air out of my lungs. “We’re PHU grads!”
A painful smile emerged as I begged for release. “Can’t… breathe.”
“Oh, shit.” His arms loosened and I took a deep breath. “Sorry. You alright?” He glanced at my stomach.
I nodded and straightened my graduation cap. “Yeah, I’m okay.” I gave him a smile and patted my belly. “They’re fine, too.”
“Good.” He grinned and shot me a wink. “I didn’t mean to hurt you, it’s just that,” he let out a roar, “it’s such a freakin’ awesome day.” He pumped a fist in the air and Josh jumped him from behind. I took several steps back, keeping a safe distance as I laughed outwardly. Inwardly, I wanted to cry. I was going to miss seeing these guys have fun. What hurt the most was not seeing Raven here to celebrate his friend’s accomplishments, but even more, mine.
“Lexi, we finished.” Shelby locked hands with mine and raised our arms high above our heads as she danced around. “We’re graduates!”
“Yes, we did.” I followed her lead, trying to keep up with her. The girl was a bundle of energy — energy I was dying to have.
“I can’t believe it.” Tears streamed down her face and I struggled to keep my emotions in check.
“Lex, come here, girl.” Josh hugged Shelby and me at the same time. “I’m so proud of you.”
Shawn slipped under our tight huddle. “I’m going to miss you guys.”
“We’ll still see each other,” I said, trying to keep the mood high, because I was quickly falling into the pits of sadness once again.
“You’re coming over to my parent’s house tonight, right?” Josh asked, while a few of the other football players high fived him.
“I wish I could, but my sister is having a barbecue at her house for us.”
“Oh, damn,” Josh said, his head bobbing between me and his other friends.
Shelby pouted. “You and Luke should come by later, if you can.”
“We’ll try.” I spotted Luke and Delaney with my parents. “I better go. I’ll message you.”
“Yes, don’t forget.” Shelby gave me a quick kiss on the cheek.
“See ya, Shawn, Josh,” I told them bye and they waved back.
I pushed my way through the crowd, darting bursts of silly string along the way.
“There you are, sweetie.” Mom placed an arm around my waist and gave me a gentle kiss. “Sorry.” She rubbed her lipstick off my cheek. “I’m so happy for you and Luke.” Her eyes watered and she quickly swiped them away. “Luke, baby.” She motioned for him to join us.
Luke threw his arm around my mom and let out a “Woo hoo!”
“I’m so proud of my twins.” Mom smiled as we both kissed her on the cheek. Delaney snapped a picture of us and we laughed. “Travis, get in the picture,” she said, motioning for my dad. Delaney took a few pictures of us with our parents and all of us together.
“There are my parents.” Delaney stood on the tips of her toes, flapping her arms in the air.
“Luke, we’re going to head to your sister’s. We’ll see you there shortly,” Dad said, holding my mom’s hand.
“Okay. See ya there,” Luke replied as Delaney dragged him with her.
“Do you want to come with us or go with Luke?” Mom continued to rub my lipstick stained cheek.
“I’ll wait. Delaney is coming with us.” I wasn’t sure if my parents knew about them, but I figured they knew something.
“Okay.” She smiled. “See you in a little while.”
I walked to where Delaney’s parents were standing. “Hi, Mr. and Mrs. Dukahkis.”
“Lexi, it’s so good to see you.” Delaney’s mom squeezed my hand. “Are you doing okay?”
Delaney told me she’d told her mom, asking for advice since she had suffered multiple miscarriages in her life, which brought them to adopt her. “Good.” I nodded as my lips started to quiver. Would the tears ever stop?
“Congratulations, Lexi. Thanks for keeping our daughter in check.” Mr. Dukahkis winked as he rubbed my arm.
“Sure.” I sniffed and swallowed a few times. “We’ve kept each other in check.” I winked as I cast a side glare to Delaney. I had met her parents over a year ago when I went to the farm with Delaney. They were really nice country folk, as most Texans would say. After a brief conversation, I stepped away, allowing Luke to talk to them — it was his first time meeting them.
I looked up and down the field. It brought back so many memories. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t stop thinking of Raven. When he snuck me into the stadium and took me to the Marshall’s suite to have my first beer — not to mention, tried to kiss me — and when I sat in the bleachers, wearing his jersey as he played one hell of a game. I cradled my body and closed my eyes, allowing the sweet memories to take over me. My life would never be the same without him.
Σ
Chapter 20
“Lexi, we’re here.” Delaney shook me and I blinked a few times.
“Damn, I fell asleep.” I yawned and tried to focus. Unmarked white vans and luxury cars parked along the large circular drive told me we were at my sister’s house.
“Girl, that’s all you do,” Luke teased as he helped me out of the car.
“I’m sorry. I can’t help it.” I straightened the maxi dress Mom had bought me, hoping it hid my baby bump. The last thing I needed was Aunt May or Uncle Fred rubbing on me. Mom promised that she wasn’t going to tell a soul — not until I told her it was okay to spread the word. Hopefully, she kept to her promise.
We entered my sister and brother-in-law’s stately house and I immediately felt out of place. Wait staff shuffled around, bringing in folded white chairs and round tables. The dining room, where we had most of our family Thanksgivings on the twenty-foot wood table, was set up with a buffet fit for a king. Flowers in purple and white decorated the table with tiny steel dragons embedded in the vases.
“What the hell?” Luke twisted his mouth to the side. “Looks like a freakin’ wedding. Not a backyard barbecue.”
I rolled my eyes. “That’s Ashley for you.”
“Speaking of the devil, here she comes.”
“Yes, and put that over there. No, I didn’t want cubed ice.” She shoved a glass in a guy’s hand. “I asked for soft ice pellets. You’ve got one hour to get thirty pounds here. Now get to it.”
“You’re shittin’ me.” Delaney looked at both us. “I don’t think I’m dressed right for this party.” She kicked out her leg from under her purple, off-the-shoulder dress, sh
owing her brown cowboy boots that had PHU on the side.
“Relax. You’re fine.” Luke showed us his square-toed boots under the pant leg of his jeans.
“Luke, Lexi. Everyone, the graduates are here!” Ashley held out her arms and motioned for everyone to clap.
A few of our distant cousins, aunts, uncles, and people I didn’t know, cheered for us.
“Your sister is a freak,” Delaney whispered and I laughed.
“Tell me about it.” I plastered a smile on my face as I nodded in thanks.
“Play nice.” Luke nudged me and then threw an arm around Ashley’s neck. “Great set up. Who’s getting married?”
Ashely shot him one of her big, fake smiles as she wrapped her claws around his hand, pulling his arm away from her. “Stop it, you ungrateful S.O.B.,” she gritted through her teeth.
“Thank you for the party.” I leaned over and hugged her.
“It was nothing.” She waved her hand in the air, showing off her sparkling diamonds.
“You really didn’t have to do all of this for us.” I did a quick sweep of the room and stopped at the dragon ice sculpture. “It’s really too much.”
“Nonsense.” My brother-in-law, Ryan, walked up. “You only graduate from undergrad once.” He shrugged. “Why not go all out?”
“Thanks, man.” Luke shook his hand. “We appreciate it.”
“Yes, thanks, Ryan,” I added before they turned and walked away.
“She didn’t do it for us. It’s all about them. Showing off everything they have,” Luke whispered in my ear as he shuffled us through the house and out toward the back. “Let’s get some air. It’s too stuffy in here.”
“Tell me about it,” Delaney sighed.
Outside was a huge white tent with tables lining a makeshift dance floor overlooking a lagoon-type swimming pool. Interspersed along the lawn were more round tables and long buffet style tables on each side, allowing guests an easy access to food, including me.
On the other side of the pool, there was a band setting up. “Shit. I hope she hired someone decent.” Luke lifted his chin, scoping out the scene.
“Knowing her, it’s probably someone famous.”
“That would be awesome.” Delaney took a few steps closer, as though trying to see who was in the band.
“You’re right. This does look like a wedding.” I opened a shiny stainless steel covered pan and stole a couple of appetizers.
“A little too pretentious for me, but shit, I’m going to party it up with buddies.” He spotted a bar and headed straight for it.
Delaney and I followed him, trekking through the thick, carpet-like grass. “What buddies?” I pulled Luke by the arm.
“My baseball buddies, who else? Besides, I’ve got some celebrating to do.”
I eyed him. Last night, Luke found out he got the job as a trainer for the PHU baseball team. He was sitting on cloud nine. I was happy for him, but he just made life a little more difficult for me. I didn’t need complicated. I needed easy — especially tonight.
“What did you want me to do? Not invite him? I’ve known him my entire life.”
“I know. It’s just that…” I stopped. Luke was right. He and Collin had been friends since middle school. Things were over between us. There was no reason for me to avoid him. “Nevermind. It’s fine.”
“Look, I’m sorry, Sis.” Luke placed a hand on my shoulder. “If you don’t want him here, I’ll tell him.”
I shook my head. “It’s okay, really.”
“Thanks.” Luke smiled. “I also invited several guys from the team.”
“Like who?” Delaney’s eyes widened.
“Don’t worry, I didn’t invite Winston or Riley,” he huffed and then turned toward the bartender. “What type of beer do you have?”
Delaney sighed in relief. After what happened that night at the bowling alley, they were still at odds with each other, and I was sure it had to do with Delaney.
“Here are your choices, sir.” The guy pointed to a neatly printed menu on the bar.
“Hell, what’s not on this list?” Luke scanned through the menu. “Um…give me a Blue Nun.”
“Right away.” The bartender popped the top off the bottle and handed it to Luke. “We also have Fireball shots this evening, if any of—”
“Oh, hell no.” Luke shuddered.
“No, thanks.” I took a step back.
The bartender laughed. “Too many bad memories with it?” He wiped the countertop with a neatly folded white cloth.
“No, too many good ones.” Luke lifted his beer and took a drink.
The bartender looked in my direction. “It was our twenty-first birthday.”
“Oh.” The bartender smiled. “Anything for you ladies?”
“A bottle of water, please.”
“And you?” His eyes darted to Delaney.
“Um, I’ll take…” she started and then paused, “I guess I better wait. Your parents are walking this way.”
“Oh, great.” I hid behind Luke. “Here’s comes Aunt May and Uncle Fred with them.”
“Nope,” he laughed. “You have to tell them hi.” He urged me toward them and I cringed. “If I have to play For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow one more time, I’m going to scream.”
“Ashley and Ryan’s piano will be waiting.” Luke held up his beer. “Uncle Fred, Aunt May. We were just talking about what a great time we had on New Year’s Eve and how—” I sucker punched Luke in the back. “Ow.”
Luke introduced Delaney to our aunt and uncle and we talked with them for a while. In turn, they introduced us to some of our cousins that Dad had mentioned over time. It was nice to meet our extended family, but I was glad when Luke saw Forbes and Jordan walk in with a few of his friends. It gave us a great excuse to part ways.
“Excuse me, but I see some of our friends,” I informed my cousins and they nodded. “Hey, Jordan.” I waved to her and a couple of people in the crowd turned to see who I was flagging.
“Lexi, Delaney.” Jordan flapped her hands in the air, indicating she had spotted us.
“Glad you could make it.” I gave her a hug.
Delaney placed her drink in Shelby’s hand. “Taste this.”
“Okay.” She took a quick sip. “Hey, that’s good.” She lifted the cup and continued drinking until Delaney motioned for her to hand it back. “Sorry, we’re late,” she licked her lips, “but we got some great news!” She bounced on the balls of her feet, elation pouring out of her body. “Forbes got picked up by a minor league team in Cincinnati!”
“Oh my God! That’s freakin’ awesome!” Delaney screamed and they embraced, jumping up and down.
Forbes walked up with Luke, wearing a huge smile. Luke had a smile, equally as big.
“Congratulations, Forbes. You must be very excited.” I gave him a pat on the back.
“Thanks, Lexi.” He squeezed me in a hug. “It’s a start. I’ll see how it goes.”
“I’m sure you’ll do well.” I looked up at him, realizing for the first time how tall he was, then again I was wearing flats so maybe I was just really short.
“What about you?” His look turned serious. “You doin’ alright?”
“Yeah, sorry to hear about… well, ya know.” Jordan lips turned into a lopsided smile.
“It’s okay.” I blinked the tears away, hating that every time someone mentioned what had happened between Raven and me sent me into a tailspin of overflowing emotions.
“I love this song! Let’s go dance.” Jordan grabbed my hand and Delaney’s, pulling us to the dance floor. I started to protest, but figured I’d try to make the best of the night.
I moved slowly; nothing like the way I had on Spring Break or at frat parties. I didn’t want to take the chance, but at the same time, I didn’t want to seem like something was wrong with me. Even though Ashely hadn’t hired a famous singer, the band played everything. After two songs, I sat down and watched everyone dance. And all it did was remind me of Raven. In fact,
every song practically reminded me of him. And it sucked. Especially since I loved music so much.
For the next few hours, I chatted with family and friends, trying to convince myself that I just needed to shake it off, like the song said, and move on. I could do this without him. I had a degree. I would be able to provide from my children and myself. As long as my parents were helping, I could handle it. I’d be just fine without him.
Delaney pulled me to the dance floor and after a short dance, I headed into the house for the tenth time to use the restroom. Another lovely inconvenience of pregnancy. Would it ever get better? After spotting a small line for the bathroom near the front entrance, I remembered there was one in the study. I entered the lightly dimmed room, surrounded by books from floor to ceiling, and ran right into the last person I wanted to see.
“Collin.” My palms pressed against his firm chest and I stumbled back. “I-I didn’t see you.”
“Lexi.” His expression seemed equally as surprised as mine. “H-how are you?” His warm hands wrapped around my arms, keeping me from losing my balance while holding me inches from his face. I froze, completely taken by surprise with the way his sparkling green eyes appraised me.
I took a step back and managed to speak. “Fine.” I hated when my voice sounded like a mouse.
He released his gentle grip and slid one hand into the pocket of his twill shorts. The muscles in his chest flexed underneath the smooth cotton of his polo-style shirt and I caught myself staring more than I should’ve been. “Sorry, I wasn’t watching where I was going.” His eyes darted around the room. “I was taking in this beautiful library.”
I waved off his comment and brought my eyes back under my control. “It’s okay. I wasn’t paying attention either.”
With a partial smile, he said, “Good to see you.” He stepped to the side and headed for the door.
Without much thought, I reached for his hand. “Collin?”
“Yes?” He turned around, keeping his fingers wrapped around mine. I wanted to pull away, but it felt too good, even though I didn’t want it to.
“Congratulations.” I released the air lodged in my lungs and took a steady breath. There was no reason for me to freak out or panic. I was an adult, I would handle this as such. “Luke told me you signed with St. Louis to be their pitcher.”
The Winning Side Page 25