“Get to work.” I laugh. How can I not? Life has a way of shaking things up until you feel like you can’t breathe, but then it settles into a calm where it feels like all that pain brought you to this point. Maybe it’s Melissa—hell, I don’t know if I even believe in all of that—but I know this is coming fast and hard, and for some reason, I don’t want to stop it. I want it, all of it . . . all of her. I want to see where this unexpected reality leads me this time. I’ve lived it the last month. It gave me my son, and I wouldn’t change that for anything. Maybe, just maybe, it will give me Kendall as well.
A man can only hope.
The guys are already working on the trim around the cabinets by the time I make it inside.
“No shit?” Mark asks.
Tyler must have filled him in. I shrug in response. What can I say? I want her. I can’t explain it, and honestly, I don’t want to.
“What’s the plan for this weekend?” Kent asks.
“There’s a fight on Saturday night,” Seth suggests.
“Sounds good to me. My place. I don’t want to have Knox out that late.”
They all nod their agreement. “I’ll call Reagan, we’ll need food,” Tyler says. It’s on the tip of my tongue to tell him to have her invite Kendall and Dawn, but I don’t. I keep my mouth shut. We’ll get there; with everything in me, I feel it.
“You all will have to keep it down, or I’m kicking your asses out. Can’t have you waking my boy,” I warn them. It’s still strange to me, but then again it’s not. We seem to be settling in okay. I guess like Mom always says, “God will not give you more than you can handle.” I think I’ve had my fill for a while, unless it’s Kendall. He can give me Kendall.
I push thoughts of Kendall and my son out of my mind and dive into work. It’s not until the guys start complaining that they’re starving that I realize how much time has passed. I suggest we go to the diner, hoping to run into her again. Overnight, I’ve become the guy who chooses a restaurant just for the chance to get a glimpse of the girl. I let that sink in, and surprise even myself when I realize I really am good with it.
“You just want to see your girl,” Seth teases.
“Yep.” No point in denying it. Not to them.
“Holy shit,” Kent says.
“You’re sunk, brother.” Tyler laughs.
I nod. “Yeah, I think you might be right.”
“Fucking crazy shit, Beckett,” Mark chimes in.
“It is,” I agree. This is not me—hell, any of us really. We’ve been good flying solo with the occasional hookup, settling down not on our radar.
Wait, settling down? Is that what I want?
“I bet—” Kent barely gets the words out before I cut him off.
“No,” I grit out. “No more bets. Stephanie was a huge mistake, and just . . . No. I won’t make any bets that have anything to do with Kendall. I want no part of that shit.”
He holds his hands up, palms out. “Got it.”
“Lunch,” Mark grumbles.
I couldn’t agree more. I can only hope we run into my girl.
We all arrive at the diner at the same time, and I quickly scan the room. They’re not here. I tamp down my disappointment then pull out my phone and text her.
Me: At the diner. Was hoping to see my girl.
Kendall: Your girl?
Me: Yeah. She’s gorgeous. Her name’s Kendall, you know her?
Kendall: You seem sure of yourself.
Me: I am.
“Dude, you gonna order?” Seth asks.
I get a burger and fries with a sweet tea and go back to Kendall.
Kendall: I packed today.
Me: How’s your day going?
Kendall: So far so good.
Me: Knox will be in to see you next week.
Kendall: I’ll have to check the schedule and make sure I stop in and say hello to him.
Me: Just to him?
Kendall: Well . . .
I’m smiling like a lovesick fool. I can feel it. I can also feel the stares of my friends, but I have zero fucks to give at the moment.
Me: I’ll call you later.
Kendall: Enjoy your lunch.
Me: You too, babe.
“They coming?” Mark asks.
“Nah, they’re eating at the office today.”
“Were you sexting?” Tyler smirks.
I turn to look at him where he sits beside me. “What?”
He points at my face. “That grin of yours—you sexting or what?”
“No.” I don’t elaborate.
“Pussy whipped,” Mark coughs into his hand, just as the waitress is dropping off our food.
I wait until she’s gone to reply. “I’d need to have had it to be whipped by it.”
“Burn!” Kent says.
“Nope. Just the thought of it has you tied in knots,” Mark defends his statement.
“It is what it is,” I say, not giving one single fuck that they’re going to razz me about this for eternity.
“Damn, he’s too far gone. We’ve lost him,” Kent says in all seriousness.
“Har har. Eat your damn food so we can get back to work.”
We spend the rest of the lunch hour talking about the fight this weekend and who we think is going to take the win. The afternoon flies by and I’m glad; I’m anxious to get home and see my boy. Mom said he’s been great today, not fussy at all.
Then, after some male bonding, I’m going to call Kendall, if for no other reason than to just hear her voice.
I get to Mom and Dad’s about five thirty. The saint that she is, Mom has dinner ready and insists I stay and eat. I don’t fight her on it, as it’ll give me more time at home tonight. Not to mention frozen pizza can only take a man so far.