Unfinished Ex (Calloway Brothers, #2)(63)

“Whatever. The resident who works with her doctor, and the one who saw her today, is Hudson McQuaid.”

My jaw drops, and I cup my mouth to stifle a laugh.

“You find this funny?” he asks.

I try not to smile. “Kinda, yeah.”

“You realize if he blabs before we get the chance to tell everyone, this will get blown way out of proportion. Plus, I’d really like people to know you and I are solidly back together before the rumor mill gets going.”

“Oh, yes, by all means let’s do what makes this easier on you two,” Calista bites.

The sweetheart class president of Calloway Creek High has left the building; bitchy momzilla seems to have taken her place. But I don’t say anything, because, yikes.

“I’ll take care of Hudson,” Jaxon says. “Do the three of us agree we’ll wait a month, and we’ll talk about it before we share the news?”

“My friend Megan knows,” Calista says.

“Damn, that’s right. Do you think she’s told anyone?”

“She’s a nurse, so probably not. I’ll call her and tell her not to. And I told my parents last night, but they don’t live in town, so you don’t have to worry.”

Jaxon looks ill and sits on the chair next to mine. “And now your father hates me more than he already did.”

“Why does your father hate him?”

“Because he ran out on dinner with my parents the second he saw you on TV.”

I shift in my chair and try to pretend I don’t feel like I just won. Then I’m knocked down a peg when I remember why we’re here in the first place.

“So we’re all in agreement?” Jaxon says. “We won’t tell anyone else, and we’ll make sure anybody who knows won’t blab until we’re ready to make an announcement.”

“Exactly how do we plan on doing that?” Calista asks.

Jaxon laughs. “In the most tactful way possible. But, hey, we have a month to figure it out.”

It’s now that I realize Heisman hasn’t once come over to me since we came inside the house.

He’s glued to Calista’s lap. Is this some kind of indication of how it’s going to be with Jaxon? Will she call him with every ache and question? Summon him late at night for her culinary cravings? Will she expect him to be at her beck and call?

Jaxon stands. “I guess we’re done here. Walk you out?” he asks. “Heisman, get off her lap, buddy.” Reluctantly, Heisman pulls away and lets Calista leave.

On her way out, she turns to me. “Nicky, I’m sorry if I came off like a raging bitch. Maybe it’s the pregnancy hormones. I want this to work out for everyone, I really do.”

I nod and offer a smile.

The front door shuts, and Jaxon comes back in the room. “Shit, that was…”

“Stranger than any conversation I thought I’d ever have.” I go to his bar. “I think I’ll take that double whiskey now.”

He grabs the bottle and pulls me toward the bedroom. “The glasses,” I say.

“Don’t need ’em. I plan on sucking it out of your belly button. You game?”

I giggle. It’s a drinking game we used to play in college. A game where everyone who plays is a winner.

I smile and run ahead.





Chapter Twenty-five



Jaxon




Avoiding Eric is impossible. He is, after all, my assistant coach and offensive coordinator.

Today at school, it was easy enough. I simply went straight to my classroom and avoided the teachers’

lounge at lunch. I guess I’m good at keeping secrets; I did keep mine for over two years. This is different. He’s one of my best friends. My co-worker. A fellow coach. And then there’s the possibility that he’ll hate me when it all comes out. Even if we kept it a secret longer than a month, Calista would start to show sooner or later. I scrub a hand across my face on the way to the field. This wouldn’t be Calloway Creek without some sort of scandal arising every so often. I just wish Nicky and I weren’t going to be the center of one— again.

Eric beats the other coaches to the field. He sees me and runs over. “Where have you been hiding all day?”

“Got backed up on grading. Worked through lunch.”

Our players trickle out and get started on their warms ups as we set up for practice. We push the blocking sled into place and then get out the cones for drills. Eric drapes his arm over the back of the sled, looking glum. “Calista broke it off with me.”

I know. “Ah, really? I’m sorry, man.”

“The thing is, everything was going so well. I was sure she was into me. I don’t mind telling you we fucked like bunnies. But something changed after the Bruins game. I had to go upstate for my cousin’s wedding, so we didn’t talk all weekend. Monday, she made excuses as to why she couldn’t see me, then Tuesday, she came over to my place after practice and ended things.”

I busy myself pushing cones around. “She say why?”

“Something about not being ready for another relationship. But I think she’s holding something back. I could tell that wasn’t it.” He glares at me. “You don’t think she’s still hung up on you, do you?”