My Happy Ending Part 1, page 35
Ohhhh hell...
I raised my eyebrow, thinking of all the ways I could take him, he just didn’t even know. I shot back a smirk of my own and said, “I know I can.”
“All right then,” he said, pushing himself off the counter, standing straight up and taking those shoes in his free hand. “You’re on.”
Am I really?
Turns out the answer to that was a profound... yes.
“You... can’t start dat one yet, we play together, ‘member?” Michael asked as we walked up to the lanes that us adults were going to play at.
“We’ll play together, easy there, okay?” Jase stepped in with ease, as if he hadn’t missed any time at all. “You all continue your game there, and we’ll start ours and...”
“You and Mommy will be all about winning and not play with us,” Elizabeth said, raising her eyebrow and I had to stifle a giggle.
“We’ll play with you, promise,” I said. “Michael, take those cheese fries back up to that table, Elizabeth, get the pout of your face, and...”
She began to giggle and I raised my eyebrow, still looking at Elizabeth.
“He’s making faces behind me isn’t he?” I asked. She collapsed in a fit of giggles and I quickly glanced over my shoulder at Jase, who was mouthing the word ‘no’ to our oldest daughter. “Classy.”
“Always.” He grinned, attempting to put Emily down, but she clung to him like glue.
“Good luck with your game there,” I said, turning to Jaden and winking before remembering that one, Jase and I weren’t a couple anymore and two, Jaden couldn’t play today. Hmmmm...
“So you think you and Pregzilla...”
“Oh, no. Jase, have you met Paul?”
He looked up, his eyes clouding over for a brief moment, turning to a smoldering gray as he reached his hand out. “It’s nice to meet you,” he said, his words clipped, but he quickly grinned as he shook Paul’s hand.
“It’s good to meet you too, Jase,” Paul said in return, shaking Jase’s hand briefly.
“Have I mentioned that Paul is on the top hospital bowling team?” I asked, batting my eyelashes.
“Ah, now Spunky, that’s not fair,” Pete piped up.
“No...no, it’s okay,” Jase said, patting his brother’s shoulder. “See, because Paul’s team isn’t here to back him up. He’s stuck with Talli.”
“Hey...fu...scr...”
His eyebrows shot up in amusement at my attempts to censor myself.
“Oh, shut up,” I finally said, turning and picking out my bowling ball.
“Careful there, Paul,” Jase spoke up as Paul stepped up beside me. “Her ball handling is suspect at best.”
“Oh, you think you’re so damn funny,” I muttered at the brothers, who were giggling like a couple school girl bitches on the bench. “Coming from someone who has trouble handling his balls whenever Em’s around. Say, who is that attached to you today?”
“Ohhhhh, oh, is that where you’re going?” he asked, still laughing as he tied his shoes. “That’s cute, Spunky. Cute. When I beat your... when I beat you, you’ll be singing a whole different tune.”
“Keep telling yourself that, Warner,” I singsong back, looking over at Paul who was laughing softly at us. “What?”
“Oh, nothing...nothing.” He winked, picking his bowling ball and placing it with the others.
“What’s da bet?” Michael asked, walking over and grinning up at us.
“Bet? What bet?” Paul asked, glancing up at me.
“Um... uh...”
“No, don’t sweat it,” Jase cut me off, then he turned to Paul. “I don’t want to put her on the spot like that, have her lose so badly, make you pay the price too...”
“Oh, give me a fu...”
“Mommy,” Elizabeth called over.
“A break,” I corrected myself. “A break. Puh-lease, Warner, we can smoke the two of you.” I turned to Paul, speaking quietly, “We can smoke them, right?”
“I... uh... I guess,” he replied, his voice barely above a whisper.
“Give you a break?!” Jase scoffed, shaking his head as he once again attempted to set Emily down, picking her back up when she began to whine. “Tell you what, sweetheart...”
“Sweetheart?”
“In honor of the fact that I know I’m going to win...” He stepped a little closer, raising an eyebrow as his eyes raked over me, sending a shiver down to my soul. “Then you can choose.”
“Me.” It was more a statement than a question as I looked at him. He bit his bottom lip, looking down and then back up at me. Great. Now I need a change of panties.
“Yeah,” he said softly. “You.”
“Do it, Mommy! Do it!” Michael said excitedly, jumping up and down.
“Do... what?” Jase asked.
But, see... I knew exactly what Michael was talking about.
I licked my lips slightly, my eyes raking over Jase, pausing for just a moment to make sure...yep. He was wearing them. Good thing, too.
“When we win,” I said, crossing my arms in front of me, “then you two boys...”
“Boys,” Pete scoffed quietly.
“...will strip down to your boxer briefs...”
Jase’s eyebrows raised, a smirk of his own on his face.
“...stand in the middle of this bowling alley...”
“And get arrested for indecent exposure?” Jaden quipped from behind me.
“...and sing The Itsy Bitsy Spider, hand movements and all.”
Michael jumped up and down cheering, laughing hysterically since he was the one who’d come up with the bet eons ago. Actually, laughter was erupting all around us, including from Pete even though he was saying it was “so wrong”. Jase and I, however, stood toe to toe, eyeing each other up and down, sizing each other up.
“Fair enough,” he said, which of course caused everyone around us to cheer, and Paul promise to do his absolute best to help.
“Think you can handle it, Warner?”
“Oh, we’re not through here,” he said, stepping in close, his face so near I could feel his breath on my cheek as he spoke low, evenly, his eyes showing every raw emotion pent up within him.
God help me...
“When I win,” he breathed, “I get five minutes... alone... with you.”
Fuck. Me.
I know, I know...he wants to talk. We need to talk. And in the meantime, he really needs to not look at me like...
Composure, Talli. Composure.
“You’re on,” I said, smirking as I turned from him, my body betraying me, willing me to lose on purpose.
But I’d never do that.
“Daddy’s gonna get naked!” Elizabeth giggled loud enough for couples a few lanes down to hear.
“Not in this bowling alley I’m not,” he called back.
“Keep telling yourself that, Warner,” I said, preparing as Paul picked up his ball and expertly threw it down the lane.
Steeee-rike one.
I grinned over at Jase as all of the children cheered beside us, their bumper lanes forgotten. He raised his eyebrow, returning my grin with a smirk before reciprocating with a strike of his own.
Oh yeah.
Game on.
JASE
“IT SHOULDN’T BE THIS hard.”
She did not just say that.
I stood up from my stance, absentmindedly pulling my shirt down in front of me, glancing over to my left where Talia stood. She was holding her bowling ball, smirking at me.
Sweetheart, you have no idea...
“I’m just saying,” she added with an innocent shrug.
Now, I’m not stupid; I know she was talking about the game and not about what I was going to great lengths to try and hide from her. No pun intended.
But this game was going to be the death of me.
We were pretty much neck and neck, and while I wouldn’t bat an eyelash to her dare, damn it I wanted that five minutes.
Alone.
It could accomplish so much.
But right now, I had to accomplish knocking down two pins, on opposite sides no less.
“It’s called a split...”
“I know what it’s called, Talia,” I interrupted her.
“Oh come on, Warner. Just accept defeat.”
I looked over at her once more, watching her expression change as she saw mine. “Not on your life,” I replied, my voice low. As a blush crept across her cheeks, I rolled my ball down the lane, holding my breath until both pins fell.
Ha.
One step closer.
I smirked at Talli, silently challenging her to beat that. She shook her head slightly, rolled her ball down the lane, and...
“It’s called a split,” I said to her after the eight pins in the middle fell.
“I know what it’s called, Jase,” she replied with a roll of her eyes. Hell, maybe I should just let her win and strip to my boxer briefs in front of her, let her see exactly what being this close to her was doing to me...
“Oh, Daddy, you must be ‘sausted,” Michael said as he plopped down beside me on the bench.
“Oh, yeah. It’s...” I tried to hide my smile as Talli only knocked down one of her pins in her second attempt. “It’s very tiring.”
“Come up here and get something to drink, Daddy,” Elizabeth called out to me.
“On my way, Baby Girl,” I said, picking up Emily as I headed up to get a drink, Michael right on my heels.
“It’s Dr. Pepper, like you like.” Elizabeth beamed with pride as she handed the cup to me.
“Get a move on, Jase. You’re up.”
“Already?” I asked, looking up at the score board. Pete had rolled a strike and followed up with nine more pins. I could have kissed him. I sat Emily in Jaden’s lap, where she attacked the last batch of cheese fries with pure gusto.
“This is it,” Pete muttered to me as I walked up to retrieve my bowling ball. “And if I have to drop my drawers because of you...”
“Don’t sweat it, Pete.” I grinned tightly as Paul picked up his bowling ball as well. “I’m gonna get those five minutes.”
“Five minutes?” Paul asked.
“Yeah, that’s what he’s playing for,” Pete said, gesturing towards me. “Five minutes with Talli, alone.”
“To talk, numbnuts,” I added, walking up to the lane.
Calm, cool, collected. You can do this, Warner.
“Did you suddenly forget how to...”
Talli’s comment dwindled down to nothing as I looked over my shoulder at her, my jaw set. Her eyes clouded over for a moment before she mouthed the words, “It’s just a game.”
I shook my head slightly, mouthing back, “Not to me.”
She sank back in her seat, her arms crossed in front of her, her eyes troubled for a brief moment before Emily climbed on her lap. Being the pro that she was, Talli changed her expression immediately, and I just didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.
It’s just a game?
Is that what she really thinks?
I turned back towards my lane, rolling a strike without batting another eyelash.
Who am I kidding? Of course she thinks it’s a game with her little Prince Charming doctor boy bowling his near-perfect game, flaunting his perfect life in front of my kids. Damn it, Talli, he could never love you like I do.
I rolled my ball down that lane once more, the clicks of shutters not even registering in my brain.
Another strike.
See that, Paul? Are you taking notes?
A collective gasp rippled through the small crowd that had gathered, and I glanced over to my left where a ball was traveling down the gutter. Dr. Paul Coffman stood next to me, a sheepish grin on his face, shrugging.
“Oops,” was all he said.
“You threw the game?” Talia asked incredulously. “You threw the game?”
“He just couldn’t handle seeing us Adonis boys in our boxer briefs,” Pete said with a laugh over Elizabeth and Michael, who were both cheering that we had won.
Regardless of how it was done, we had won.
Talia’s expression was unreadable as she looked at me, biting her bottom lip, almost looking as if she regretted accepting my end of the dare.
Congratulations, babe. You just broke my heart a little more.
“Don’t mean to burst your bubble,” Paul said, reaching down and pulling his bowling shoes off, “but we’ve got company. And it looks like a lot of it.”
Oh you have got to be kidding me... paparazzi at my son’s birthday party? I rolled my eyes, pulling my bowling shoes off at the table, reaching for my Converse. “Need some help?” I asked Talli, who was putting on her... her... Doc Martens.
Wow.
Talk about a blast from the past.
“Elizabeth can change her own... Em! Get back here!” Emily had taken off with my hat again, running towards a table that was full of people attempting to look innocent as they snapped pictures.
“Okay, that’s enough,” I said, running up behind Em and scooping her up into my arms. I wasn’t aiming my words towards her; they were all aimed at those assholes who just didn’t know when to quit.
“I got her,” Jaden said, taking Emily from me so that I could finish with my last shoe. One glance over at Talia showed that she was visibly shaken, and I suddenly realized why.
The both of us were about to get in a shitload of trouble.
“I... I can tell them that I just...”
“No,” she disagreed, shaking her head as she finished tying her last shoe. “No, I asked you to be here, I’m not going to let you take the fall.”
“Talli, I...”
She pulled her hand back when I reached for her, and I felt my heart sink to my feet. Gone was the playful girl who had challenged me just a short while ago, gone was the sassy girl who had teased me incessantly, leaving the girl who could care less in her place.
“Let’s just go,” she said, picking up her purse, reaching out her hand for one of the children to grab, which Michael quickly did.
“Just keep your eyes straight forward and don’t engage in any conversation with them,” Paul said softly.
“I think she knows the drill,” I reminded him, my words clipped.
“Jase, not now, please.”
My anger faded as I looked into her eyes, the sheer panic in there setting off alarms in my head. Without another thought, I took her hand in mine, pulling her up with me. Elizabeth grabbed Michael’s free hand, and I took Emily from Jaden without even breaking stride, the five of us quickly making our way out the door. There were even more photographers outside, shouting names, not giving a damn when Emily began to cry.
“Fuck,” I muttered under my breath.
There were two cars pulled in haphazardly, blocking Talia’s van.
I felt her hand began to tremble in mine, and I said as low as I could, “I still have the car seats in, just stick close to me.”
I heard her inhale sharply as we kept walking, Michael asking if we were there yet, and Elizabeth yelling at someone to get out of her way. What the hell was wrong with these people?
I briefly released Talia’s hand as I reached in my pocket for my keys, thankful that I’d stuck to my gut instinct and driven myself, otherwise we would have been screwed. Elizabeth climbed to the back, buckling her belts expertly without a problem. Talia’s hands were still shaking as she attempted to help Michael, and I reached over, gently placing my hand over hers.
“I’ve got this, Talli. Just get in.”
I saw the hesitation in her actions, in her face, I knew she was questioning whether or not she should. But I was the only one parked in this area, the rest of the party guests were over by the door, the paparazzi hounding them as they exited the bowling alley.
“Talli...”
She turned her face away, moving past to get into the front passenger seat, the nostalgia over seeing her sitting there nearly overwhelming me.
But there was no time for nostalgia.
Not with...
“Jase! Jase! Are the two of you reconciling?”
“Talia, have you forgiven him for his affair?”
“Jase, what does Bree think of you being here today with Talli?”
I rolled my eyes, scowling as I slid into the driver’s seat, slamming the door to the noise. The engine roared to life, and of all the damn songs to be on that stupid fucking radio, they just had to be playing Hard to Believe. I reached over, hitting the button to turn the radio off.
“Sorry ‘bout that,” I said with a grin, trying to break the tension before putting the car in drive, thankful once more that I’d parked where I did. We had a clear shot, right out of that lot, and I was able to turn right rather quickly, heading straight towards her building.
“My present!” Michael exclaimed from the back seat.
“Yeah, it’s down on the floorboard,” I said, glancing in the rearview mirror, his face barely visible. “I’ll get it to you when I get you...” I hesitated, not wanted to say the word ‘home’.
“We didn’t get to play, Daddy,” Elizabeth pouted.
“We will, Baby Girl,” I said to her as convincingly as I could. “I promise.”
“I have a bowling game, ‘member Daddy?” Michael said quickly, excitedly.
Little Man... I can’t push it... not today... no matter how much I wish...
“And Mommy owes you five minutes,” Elizabeth added, and I felt my heart skip a tiny beat. “She told Aunt Jaden. And I heard.”
I took a chance, glancing briefly over at Talli, who was staring at my... hands?
Whoa. Way to make me feel self-conscious there.
Oh...
Crap.
The ring. I’m still wearing it.
I can’t take it off... I just can’t...
Not yet.
I moved my left hand slightly, where it wouldn’t be seen so easily, chancing another look at Talli, not liking what I saw.
“Are you feeling okay?” I asked.
“Hmm?” She looked up at me, her skin noticeably paler. “Yeah, I’m fine... I’m fine.”
I scowled slightly, concentrating on the drive back to her building, knowing that she was lying.
“Are they following?”
