Page 43 of Goal Line (Boston Rebels #4)

Chapter Thirty-Two

EVA

Eva

What are you doing right now?

Luke

Why? Miss me already?

O ut of habit, I almost type out, “You flatter yourself.” But then I remember what he said about being in love with me his whole life.

Have I been pushing him away this whole time, and he’s gone along with it because he thought it was what I wanted?

My stomach turns over at the thought that maybe in protecting myself, I’ve been hurting him.

I glance around this corner of the bar where Morgan and I are chatting with Jules, Audrey, Lauren, and AJ.

But there’s no mistaking the way Drew, Colt, Jameson, and McCabe are hovering around the table like they can’t bear to be away from their significant others.

The drag of McCabe’s hand across AJ’s hip, the way Colt never lets Jules out of his sight, the way Drew can’t stop playing with the ends of Audrey’s long brown hair.

All of it has me wishing Luke was here, too.

“Is there anything else you want me to do this week to get ready for the wedding?” Morgan asks, and my head snaps up to see who she’s talking to.

“No, I think we’re good,” Lauren says.

“Wait, you’re getting married next weekend ?” I ask. I knew she and Jameson were getting married this summer, but didn’t realize it was so soon.

“Yeah! You and Luke should come!” Lauren sounds genuinely excited about that possibility, rather than it sounding like a pity invite since I’m clearly the only one at this table not attending.

“Oh, thank you so much,” I say. “But Luke and I will be back home for the weekend. There’s this big Polo match every July, and then his parents host an event that night at their house.”

I’ve been trying not to think about what it will be like to see our parents for the first time since that dinner. Luke’s talked to his mom and dad a few times, and I’ve exchanged a few texts with my dad, but it’s been radio silence from my mom.

“I was there for the team Christmas party this year, and their house is so amazing,” Audrey says with a dreamy sigh.

“Especially at Christmas. They go all out on decorating.” I don’t mention that it’s just as spectacular in the summer when the expansive lawn and gardens give way to the Greek-bath inspired pool. The outdoor space is just as impressive as the indoors, honestly.

“That I’d like to see,” Lauren says. “I love Christmas. ”

“We’ll have to make that happen,” I say, then drop my voice lower and add, hopefully, “And we still need to skate together sometime.”

“Maybe after the wedding. I haven’t skated in so long, I’d probably fall and break my arm and ruin my wedding photos.” Lauren laughs it off, but it makes me wonder how long it’s actually been.

“I hear it’s like riding a bike,” I offer. “You never forget how to skate.”

Lauren’s shoulders lift as she snorts out a small laugh. “Trust me, I’ve forgotten.”

Morgan says something to Lauren then, so I glance down at my phone as it buzzes in my hand with another message from Luke.

Luke

Or not?

Eva

Maybe I miss you a little bit.

Luke

Only a little bit? I guess I need to step up my husband game.

Eva

Is that what this is? A game?

Luke

You know that’s not what I meant.

Eva

Do I?

Luke

You SHOULD know that. But I can tell from that cute little furrowed brow and your frown that you don’t.

My head snaps up, my gaze sliding across the crowded space until I find Luke near the door. I know my whole face must light up, because next to me, Morgan’s head turns until she finds the object of my attention, and her low rumble of laughter shakes me out of my stupor.

“He can’t bear to be away from you,” Morgan says as we watch Luke carve his way through the crowd, his broad shoulders easily nudging people aside. Luke’s hat is low over his forehead, like he’s trying to hide under the shadow of the bill, but his gaze never leaves mine. “That’s so cute.”

However, there’s nothing cute about the way Luke is looking at me—his gaze is full of determination and...hunger? My stomach does the flippy thing it seems to do a lot lately, and I don’t know where these nerves have come from. I don’t get nervous around Luke.

He walks right up to me, ignoring everyone around us, and uses both hands to flip his hat backward.

Then, he’s taking my face in both his hands, leaning in and kissing me.

I wasn’t expecting this greeting, the way he’s practically claiming me in front of his teammates.

I could tell myself the kiss is just for show, but I’m having a hard time convincing myself that’s true.

On my other side, Jules says to Colt, “Have I mentioned how much I’m going to enjoy driving your Porsche?”

My chest shakes with silent laughter before one of Luke’s hands snakes around the back of my neck and the other turns my barstool so he can step between my legs.

I don’t miss the way my breasts are pressed against his rock-hard chest, or the way the curve of my belly presses into his abdomen.

I’m practically melting into him, but then he gives me one last chaste kiss, pulls away enough to say, “Missed you,” and then kisses my forehead once more.

“You got here quick,” I say breathily, wondering where he was and how long he’s known I’ve been here.

“I was just finishing up dinner with Preston right near the Common when Colt texted to tell me everyone was meeting up.” His thumb sweeps along my cheekbone.

I don’t know what I hear in his voice, but it has me worrying that he thinks I should have been the one to tell him. “I thought Morgan and I were just meeting up with Jules and Audrey. I didn’t know it was going to be a whole thing with your teammates.”

Luke says, “I think it was meant to be a girls’ night and we’ve crashed it on purpose. Hope you all can forgive us.” He presses another kiss to my forehead and, as impractical as it would be, I wish he’d just keep his hands and his lips on me at all times.

“That’s why you came? Because you knew I was here?”

“Yes, Wife. You’re why I came.” He drops his voice on that last sentence, making it sound distinctly sexual and flooding me with memories of the way he came that night on the air mattress.

Now, my skin is tingling with the awareness of his proximity and my whole body is leaning in, needing to be closer to his.

Over my head, he nods at his friends, who are calling out greetings.

And as he turns me on the barstool, so his thick forearms are wrapped around my belly, I realize that everyone already knows we’re married.

I know Morgan said he’d told Colt, but I’m super curious about whether they also know I’m pregnant.

But that question is answered almost immediately when the wedding congratulations start flowing and Colt calls the waitress over and orders a round of shots to celebrate, and then says, “Eva, what do you want instead of a shot?”

I order a Shirley Temple, and Luke says he’ll have what I’m having.

“You don’t even like grenadine,” I say.

“Yeah, but not drinking while his wife is pregnant seems like the least a guy could do,” Luke says with a smirk, and it’s then that I realize he’s repeating my words from the restaurant that first night he came up to Newbury Falls.

I shake my head at him, but can’t wipe the smile off my face. He’s always paying attention. Almost like he’s saving up all these details about me for...I don’t even know. But I’m starting to see what Morgan means.

“Are you finally going to tell us?” Jules asks, and Audrey elbows her.

Clearly, they knew I was pregnant and were waiting for me to say something. “Seems like you already know.”

Then they start peppering me with questions and squealing with excitement when I confirm that, yes, Luke and I are expecting a baby this fall. But I don’t miss the way AJ’s sitting back and observing the situation rather than participating, before she looks over at Morgan and gives her a nod.

I try to recall exactly what AJ’s voicemail said last weekend.

.. I’m sending Morgan out to LA to meet with you.

And that small nod makes me realize that while Morgan did the job she was sent to do, helping us craft a story that we’ve decided to release in Society magazine next week, she didn’t tell AJ any of the details.

And AJ seems...impressed by that, as though she’s realized that Morgan is someone she can trust. Or, maybe I’m just reading into the situation based on my own feelings about Morgan.

I’ve definitely never felt such an instant connection with another woman, like I’m just certain that we’re going to be close friends.

By the time everyone is a few drinks into their night, I’m already yawning.

“Sorry,” I say to Morgan, because she’s in the middle of a story about her mom’s wedding in Bermuda next month that she doesn’t want to attend.

“I’m back to skating in the mornings, and it’s exhausting. I’m so out of shape right now.”

“You’re not out of shape,” Luke says, his voice low. “You’re growing a human being, and that’s exhausting.”

It’s funny how my mind immediately goes from I’m exhausted to that must mean I’m doing something wrong . Maybe in the past that would have been true, but I’m determined to learn to be nicer to myself about what my body can and can’t do while I’m pregnant.

“I think maybe this baby is telling me that I need to go home and go to sleep,” I say, and Morgan gives me a smile.

“You go take care of yourself and that baby. You’re not going to miss anything here,” she says, right as a few more guys from the team who I don’t really know show up.

The funny thing about my dad coaching the team is that I’ve heard bits and pieces about everyone, but have met very few of them over the years since I lived across the country.

The bar is getting packed, and the entire place feels downright rowdy. All I want to do is get out of here .

We say our goodbyes, and then, as we walk through the crowd with Luke pushing ahead of me to clear a path, some frat boy with a too-big smile and slicked-back hair grabs my arm and leans in to say, “Hey, baby, you’re not leaving are you?”

His beer breath washes over me, making me feel nauseous. Before I can even blink, Luke has the guy’s collar in his hand. “If you value your life, I suggest you get your fucking hand off my wife. Otherwise, you’ll be drinking through a straw for the rest of your days.”

My throat is thick with emotion as I watch Luke defend me. Why is it so hot when he gets all territorial like this?

Frat boy’s eyes widen, and he lifts both hands in the air as he steps back. “My bad,” he says. “I didn’t see the ring.”

“You didn’t fucking look for a ring,” Luke nearly growls, his tone deadly in a way I’ve never heard before and like a little too much. “Maybe next time you want to talk to a beautiful girl, you just use your words and not your hands, yeah?”