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His grin is like being bathed by the sun, warm and comforting, and it makes my breath hitch in my chest.

“It’s nice to meet you, Laney. I’m Eddie.”

5.Eddie

Later that night,I can’t shake her from my mind. And then, as fate would have it, Lucas brings her up.

“So, I heard you met Laney,” he says, setting his beer down on the table between us.

His tone is casual, but there is something weighty underneath it. I raise an eyebrow. “Word travels fast.”

Lucas nods. “Rusty told me what happened at the shop. You stepping in with Randy.” He exhales, rubbing a hand over his jaw. “I appreciate that, but I gotta be real with you, man.”

I frown. “What do you mean?”

Lucas sighs, leaning forward. “Laney’s been through a lot. She’s strong, but she doesn’t need another man coming into her life only to leave her with more scars.”

I lean back, considering his words. “I don’t play games, Lucas.”

“Good. Then steer clear.”

The warning was clear, and I respect him enough to listen. Even if I don’t like it, the thought of not seeing her again is sitting like lead in my belly.

But that doesn’t mean she isn’t still in my head.

The conversation turns to the Kidney Pool, and I fill him in on my plan to have a local concert with a sign-up for the drive on the door. My agent was ecstatic about the idea, not seeing it for what it was, the chance to help a friend, but as a source of publicity to help my image. I don’t care as long as it gets what we need, which is a kidney for the sweet boy we all love so much.

“Anything we can do? Sam and I don’t want to leave this all to you.”

I shake my head as I down the last of my beer. “Nah, I got this. Just turn up at the concert and promise not to sing.”

Lucas snorts a laugh as I’d intended. “Asshole, I have an exceptional singing voice.”

I cup my ears as he begins to croon. “God, please no.”

“Seriously though, if you want to be there for the meeting, I’ll send you the details.”

Lucas nods. “We do, we want to know that we’re doing all we can too.”

“You got it.”

We end the night with him laughing and me feeling a little better knowing I’m doing something to help Joey. Yet I can’t get the image of my little spitfire out of my head or my dreams.

I throw myself into work, focusing on setting up the pooled kidney donation pledge for Lucas’s son, Joey. The initial meeting with the transplant coordinator had gone well and using my platform to raise awareness feels like the least I can do. We have a solid plan of what we need to do next. A lot of behind-the-scenes stuff will happen between my team and the transplant coordinator. I’d been shocked at how many people lose their lives every year because of a lack of donors. Joey deserves a shot, and if my name can help find him a match, I’ll do whatever it takes.

I step outside after the meeting and turn to find Lucas’s wife, Sam, walking towards me. I glance back to see Lucas still talkingto the transplant coordinator. Sam smiles as she reaches me and wraps her arms around my waist. I automatically embrace her back, my gaze sliding to Lucas who is shaking his head with a smirk but remains listening to whatever the other woman is saying.

“Not that I don’t love having a beautiful woman in my arms, but what did I do to deserve this?”

Sam looks up at me through watery eyes, a tremulous smile on her lips. “You’re giving me something that I’ll never be able to repay, Eddie.”

I chuff a laugh, not wanting the emotions she’s displaying to get to me. I’m a sucker for a woman’s tears, they get me every time.

“It’s only a hug, Sam. You need me to beat some sense into Lucas for you? ’Cos if a hug elicits this reaction, then my boy’s been falling down on the job.”

Sam shakes her head and slaps me in the gut before stepping away, the tears drying but the smile beaming. “Asshole. Lucas is perfect as he is.”

I like hearing her say that about my friend. I love these two together, they are the epitome of what love should look like, and no matter what shit they are enduring right now, they always seem to love one another through it.