An adventure to be sure.
“Jude Owens!” Lachlan hurried to my side, but Jude’s presence distracted him. He grinned like he met one of his idols. “I’m Lachlan Reed. Dude, I watched you every Sunday. You’re amazing.”
Jude seemed to keep his thoughts, as well as his smiles, to himself. “Thank you.”
“I mean, after Cole Hawthorne drilled you—”
Piper tried to hush him. “Lachlan—”
“It was like...no one even knew if you’d walk again.”
She covered her face. “Which I’m sure Jude doesn’t want to talk about.”
“But you came back,” Lachlan said. “He nearly killed you. You spent what? Two weeks in the hospital?”
Jude stiffened. “I…uh, don’t really remember. The doctors said it was eighteen days.”
“Damn, dude. And you’re back on the field! No problem. That’s amazing.”
Jude curled a fist. I pretended like I didn’t see the tremor. Or how he avoided the bright lights. Or that peeking from his pant leg was one black sock…and one navy.
Fortunately, that could be photoshopped. I wasn’t so sure the rest of him could be so easily fixed.
“You gonna play this season?” Lachlan asked.
“I have a couple prospects I’m checking out. Gotta see what’s offered.”
“Did the doctors clear you to play?”
He cleared his throat. “They should. Soon.”
The photographer called for Jude. Lachlan extended his hand again.
“Great to meet you, Jude.”
Jude smiled, but it faded, crumbling into a pained expression. “Good to meet you too…uh…”
Piper and I exchanged a worried glance. My charmer took it in stride.
“Lachlan.”
“Right.” Jude nodded. “Of course. Lachlan.”
Lachlan didn’t seem to notice anything strange, but I cradled my belly on the drive home. The worry didn’t go away, even once we picked up Bast to help us plan out the nursery.
My boys picked a manly blue. Something fitting the next Reed man to enter the world. Little Nicholas would love it, no matter the color.
Bast darted between us, helping to fluff the football pillows and grinning just like Lachlan.
“I’m gonna be the best uncle.” He touched my belly, trying to feel for the baby. “Don’t worry, Elle. I know how the world works. I’ll take care of him.”
“That’s a relief, Sebastian.”
He made a face. “Call me Bast.”
Lachlan nearly did a dance around the nursery. “You mean it, little man?”
“Yep. I like Bast now.”
And that was the wrong thing to say to Lachlan.
“Well, then Sebastian, I should probably honor that.”
Bast groaned, and both boys tore up the nursery, tossing pillows and blankets and toys at each other. I chased Bast from the room with promises of popsicles in the freezer. I grabbed Lachlan before he followed, bellowing his preference for orange.
“Not so fast,” I said.
He never missed a chance to hold me. He dropped low, kissed my belly, and took my hand.
“Yes, Mrs. Reed?”
“Promise me something?”
“Anything.”
I still couldn’t shake the unease from meeting Jude. “Please…don’t get hurt? Like…ever?”
“You don’t have to worry. Cole’s on our team.”
“You know what I mean. Jude seemed perfectly fine, but I could just tell…”
He brushed my cheek. “Jude’s concussion prone. Everyone knows it. But he wants to win the big one before he retires.”
“Well, don’t you get concussion prone.” I poked his chest. “No game is worth your health.”
“The championship is. We lost in the playoffs this year. That was unacceptable.”
“Lachlan—”
“There’s an easy way to fix this, Red.” He gently kissed me, nibbling my lip. “You tell me you want me to win a championship, and I’ll be compelled to do it.”
“Compelled?”
“You put that magic spell on me the first day we met. Hasn’t broken yet.”
“So you’re only with me because of a spell?”
“Nah.” He laughed. “I love you cause you’re smokin’ hot.”
My hands fell to my hips. It only pushed my swelling tummy out further. Lachlan liked that.
“I also love that sass. The hundreds of knick-knacks that have filled every corner of my house. The way that eyebrow quirks when you think I’m being a jerk.”
I sighed. “Go on.”
“I love that you’re carrying my baby.”
“Obviously.”
“I love that you never gave up, even after all those pictures and interviews came out.” He took my hand. “I love that you came back to work because there was a job to do, and it was yours to do. I love that you helped to heal this team, that you kept us honest.”