by Becca Steele
“Good, because I want you inside me, now.”
“You have such a way with words,” I laughed.
“Shut up and kiss me.”
Standing at the pub bar waiting to be served, after a long week at work—during which my colleagues seemed to find it endlessly amusing to rib me about finally committing myself to a relationship—I turned to Alex. “We’ll be at the game tomorrow.”
He turned to me, grinning. “Cheers, mate. I appreciate the support. I’m assuming by ‘we’ you mean you and Liv, yeah?”
“Uh-huh. Speaking of support, don’t forget you promised to come down to the youth centre. Do you think you can rope any of the other players in? The boys are really excited about meeting professional rugby players. Although they probably won’t be so excited when they meet you in person.”
“Ha. You’re so fucking funny. Yeah, I can probably get some of the others to come.”
“Thanks. I appreciate it.”
He studied me. “You’ve changed, you know? Not just the Liv thing. Doing all this stuff with the teenagers—I’m proud of you.”
“I wish I’d had it when I was their age. Anything I can do to help someone that might be in the same situation as me.” I shrugged, glancing over at the wooden booth where Olivia sat with Ethan and Avery. She caught my eye and stuck her tongue out at me playfully. Smirking, I shook my head at her and blew her a kiss.
Alex followed my gaze. “I’m glad you finally got your act together. You’re a lucky man.” A strange expression flashed across his face, pensive and wistful.
“I am lucky,” I agreed, eyeing him closely. I’d never seen him look like that before, and I wasn’t sure whether to say anything.
“Don’t you forget it.” He waved at the bartender. “Two pints of IPA, a Coke, and two glasses of Sauvignon Blanc, please, mate.”
“Hey. You’re that rugby player, aren’t you? Alex Bryan?” The bartender scrutinised him, and Alex’s contemplative expression was instantly wiped away, replaced with a wide, pleased smile.
“Why, yes I am,” he preened.
“I knew it. Could I have your autograph, if you don’t mind?”
“Sure.” Alex waved his arm magnanimously. “Do you have a pen?”
As I reclined in the booth, Olivia tucked under my arm, I looked around the table at my friends, all engrossed in conversation. For the first time, I could say with complete honesty that I was truly happy. Opening myself up, letting myself become vulnerable, had been the scariest, hardest time of my life, but the payoff had been beyond anything I could have hoped for.
“I propose a toast,” Ethan announced to the table at large. “To us. I’m sure you all expect me to make a mushy speech, but I’m not going to. My toast is for us all—to friends.”
“To friends.” Avery lifted her glass in the air, smiling at everyone in turn.
“To friends,” everyone echoed, clinking glasses. It was the cheesiest moment I’d ever been part of in my life, but being there with my best mates and my girlfriend? I wouldn’t change it for anything, even if it made me sound like a soppy bastard.
Olivia leaned closer to me, her eyes sparkling with humour. “Remember the first time we sat here? You looked at me like you hated me.”
“I seem to remember you looking at me the same way,” I reminded her, grinning.
“It’s funny how things have turned out. We’ve been through the wringer, Luke. But somehow, we made it to the other side.”
Ethan, not even bothering to hide the fact he was eavesdropping, butted into our conversation. “Can I point out that if it wasn’t for me making you both agree to a truce, this may never have happened?”
I rolled my eyes but couldn’t help a small chuckle escaping.
“Excuse me.” Avery arched a brow at Ethan. “May I remind you that it was my idea to get them to work together in the first place?”
“Oh, I see. So you had this planned all along, did you?” Olivia looked sternly between them. Her stern expression cracked into a smile after about five seconds. “Damn it! I can’t even pretend to be angry with you.” She covered her face with her hands, laughing, and I pulled her closer, kissing her cheek.
“I’ll just add that the first time I met you, Liv, I told Luke he wanted you,” Alex interjected, a satisfied smile on his face. “As usual, I was right.” He stood, his gaze intent on a pretty redhead who sat at the table next to ours, batting her eyelashes at him and pouting.
“Have fun, Alex.” Olivia smirked, following his gaze.
“Oh, I will,” he said over his shoulder, as he headed for her table.
“He’s going to fall in love one day, and it’s going to hit him hard,” Olivia predicted, sipping her wine.
I laughed. “I can’t imagine that ever happening.”
“It happened to you, didn’t it?” Her voice was soft.
I stared at the woman I loved, a smile curving across my lips. “It did. So, I guess you could be right. Maybe it will happen to him; who knows?” I shrugged, then kissed the top of her head.
My phone buzzed on the table, and I glanced at the screen as it lit up with a message.
“Your appointment with Paul Reed is confirmed for Tuesday at 6:00. Please text the word CANCEL if you are unable to attend.”
Olivia followed my gaze, and then her eyes flew to mine. “Appointment?”
I moved my head so I could speak into her ear without being overheard. “Yeah. I decided to take Ethan’s advice and see a counsellor.”
“Really? Oh, Luke. I’m so proud of you. And you know, if there’s anything I can do to help, or if you want me to come with you anytime, I’ll do it. Whatever you need. I’ll always support you.”
“I know, baby. I appreciate it.” I smiled down at her. “Want to get out of here? I happen to know of a great place we can be alone.”
“Is it your flat?” she giggled.
“Maybe. I can neither confirm nor deny that.” I finished my pint and pulled her to her feet. “I can promise you, though, that it has the best paella this side of the Thames. And the comfiest bed.”
“Sounds good to me. Let’s go.”
We said our goodbyes to Ethan and Avery and walked out of the pub, hand in hand, into the sunshine.
Epilogue
OLIVIA
Six months later…
The engagement party was in full swing. Ethan and Avery were busy greeting friends and relatives, both beaming, Avery flashing the stunning ruby-and-diamond ring on her left hand.
“Aves, I’m so happy for you and Ethan.” I smiled, hugging her. She’d phoned me almost as soon as Ethan had proposed, after a theatre show they’d been to. Somehow, he’d managed to arrange it so he’d gone up on stage during the encore and had proposed in front of all the theatregoers. Avery had been shocked, but I knew deep down, she’d been expecting something to happen.
“You’re going to be my maid of honour, by the way. That’s if you want to?”
Surprised and pleased, I stared at her. “Really? It would be a privilege. I’d love to.”
“Really. I want my best friend there with me.” We hugged again, before she turned to greet another guest, squeezing my hand as she did so. I squeezed back, then slipped away.
I stepped out onto the balcony, needing cooler air after the heat of the crowded apartment. Taking a deep breath, I gazed at the view, London’s skyline glittering in the night as if it were lit by thousands of fireflies.
A pair of strong arms encircled me, and I felt a soft kiss on my neck.
“What are you doing out here, baby?” Luke’s husky voice sent shivers down my spine, and I turned, wrapping my arms around him.
“Just getting some air; it’s hot in there. Look at this amazing view,” I breathed, turning my head and gazing out at the vista.
We stood for a moment, soaking in the scenery. His arms tightened around me. “Olivia.”
The serious tone of his voice had me drawing back, unsure.
“What’s the matter?�
��
He sighed, lowering his gaze, his long lashes sweeping downward. “Nothing. I want to ask you something, if you’ve got a minute.”
“Ask me anything.” I stared at him, noting his furrowed brow. Worried, I leaned up, placing a kiss to his full lips. “Luke, whatever it is, just say it. I won’t judge.”
A half-smile played across his mouth, and he reached a hand into his pocket. “Close your eyes, baby.”
I complied, my nerves replaced with excitement. He took my hand, placing something flat and plasticky into my palm.
“Open your eyes,” he whispered in my ear.
Staring down at my hand, I looked at the bright blue toothbrush before my eyes flew to his.
“Will you move in with me?” He bit his lip, his expression pleading. Rummaging around in his pocket he produced a key, which he placed on my palm alongside the toothbrush. I gazed in shocked happiness at the small, insignificant-looking metallic object that held such a significant meaning.
“Luke.” I cleared my throat, choked up. “Are you sure this is what you want?”
Luke grasped my face in his hands and looked at me intently. “Olivia, I love waking up next to you every morning. I love having you in my home, and every time you have to leave me to go back to your flat, I miss you, so much.”
“I feel the same,” I assured him, tears of happiness forming in my eyes. Grasping the toothbrush and key tightly, I wound my arms around his neck. “Of course I will.”
“I love you.” His voice was raspy, full of emotion.
“I love you, too. More than anything. It would make me so happy to live with you—if you’re sure.”
“I’m sure. I want you with me. Always.”
His lips met mine in a searing kiss, full of promises of things to come. I kissed him back with everything I had.
We drew apart, holding each other. The stars shone brightly above us as he whispered against my lips.
“I don’t know how I got so lucky, but I’m never going to take you for granted.” He tilted his head back and stared down at me, conviction in his eyes, and I melted against him, the love I felt for him overwhelming me. We held each other’s gazes, our eyes saying everything we were unable to put into words.
He exhaled, breathing his vow into the still night air, his gaze never leaving mine.
“You’re it for me, Olivia Payne. Forever.”
“Forever.”
THE END
Want More?
Interested in learning how Ethan and Avery first got together? Add their novella, The Deal, to your Goodreads TBR!
Want to find out more about the other characters and my upcoming releases? Sign up to my newsletter to be the first to hear about them!
Acknowledgments
Firstly, I want to say thank you to my long-suffering husband. None of this would have been possible without you. Thanks for going along with my writing dream, despite looking at me like I was crazy when I told you I was going to write a book. And to my wonderful kids and my family—if I can do this, you can do anything you put your mind to.
The support from the indie author community has blown me away. I would still be stumbling around completely clueless if it hadn’t been for your help and patience in answering my million questions. I also want to mention the fantastic readers and bookstagrammers / bloggers who have supported and encouraged me from the very beginning before you’d even read anything from me. Your support means more to me than you’ll ever know. Some of you have become really good friends and I will be forever grateful to you for being in my corner.
Thanks to the Chaddettes; an incredible, supportive group of women. I feel so very lucky to have met you all and to call you my friends. A special mention has to go to Amanda, Claudia, and Stefanie, whose invaluable critique, advice, and encouragement helped to shape The Truce into the story it is now. Love you 3000.
Thank you to my amazing editor Sandra for taking this from a rough manuscript to something worth publishing.
To the people of NaNoWriMo—I started my novel writing journey with you all, and your encouragement kept me going during that first month, when 50k words seemed like an impossible task at times!
Thanks to my BC April 09ers for always being there. Love you guys. Love forever to Jo, miss you always. #TeamRezza
And finally, the biggest thanks of all has to go to you, the reader. You chose to pick up this book and take a chance on a new author, and I’m so very grateful. Please let me know what you think; you can contact me via my website, social media etc. I’d love to hear from you!
About the Author
Becca Steele is a contemporary romance author from the south of England, where she lives with her husband, two kids, and various animals.
When she's not writing, you can find her reading or watching Netflix, usually with a glass of wine in hand.
Join Becca’s Facebook reader group Becca’s Book Bar or find her via the following links: