Page 46 of Reckless Storm (San Francisco End Game #3)

Hayley

T he tightness in my chest doesn’t subside until Reed begs me not to worry about him.

And even then, it only fades to a dull ache.

He’d hinted at a bad relationship with his brother and the effects it had on his mom, but I never could have predicted the hell they’ve all been through.

The hell his brother put them through. I almost wish I’d known that before I came face-to-face with him earlier today, but then again, like Reed and his dad, I don’t want to do anything that could come back to bite his mom.

I’ve never met her, but I have never wanted to protect someone more in my life. Including Reed.

“Hayls, you’re doing it again.” Reed shakes his head but smiles softly. “We have to change the subject. There’s nothing we can do, so there’s no point stressing about it.”

“I’m never going to not stress about it, Reed. Not now. I need you to know that.”

“Me either, Hayls. Me either.” He presses a kiss to my temple and I snuggle into him. “Tell me about your parents. Do you talk often?”

“Often enough.” I shrug as sadness runs through me. I really should talk to them more. But that’s on me. “My parents have always been great. They’re supportive enough and they care.”

“But…”

“What makes you think there’s a but?”

“Call it intuition.” He hits me with a cocky grin.

“They have their own life,” I rush out, returning his smile, only mine’s softer.

“They were pretty excited when I moved to Sydney, and I don’t think all that excitement was for me.

They were decent parents, but never wanted to be parents.

We’re probably more like friends these days than parents and child.

Don’t get me wrong. I love them and they love me, but it’s not a traditional relationship. ”

“Fuck, I’m sorry, Hayls.”

“Don’t be. It made it easier for me to move across the world.”

“Maybe so, but I can hear the sadness in your voice. You miss them.” His thoughtful, caring eyes bore into mine and my stomach knots. I don’t think anyone’s ever looked at me like that. With that much concern. For me.

“I do miss them. But at the same time…I don’t regret my decision to move. Just like I don’t regret my decision to stay with my cheating boyfriend. How could I? It got me here. Which in turn launched my career and brought me to Amelia. And you.”

“That last one is especially important.” He jokingly bounces his eyebrows but it’s true.

“I agree. And I’m here for you, Reed. Here for whatever you need. Just like I know you’re here for me.”

A fter our big talk about our pasts, and truly opening up to each other, Reed and I fall into an easy, comfortable rhythm, and before we know it, we’ve been faking a relationship for nearly two months.

But while we’ve been doing enough to get me the audition for Reckless Desire , and my agent is all smiles about me turning my reputation around, I’m worried about Reed.

He’s got so much going on with his family, and he barely speaks to Bria anymore.

He’s constantly brushing off my concern, but I’m not convinced he’s as happy as he says he is. Especially when he seems to be overly invested in my life, as though I don’t know that’s one of his traits.

“Did you call Bria today?” I ask when we’re curled up on his couch watching a movie. He promised he’d call her this week, and I’m not letting him off the hook. They need to talk it out or they’ll both be stuck in limbo while I carry around the guilt of messing it up for them.

Reed groans and I have my answer. “We’re supposed to be celebrating your audition, Hayls. Let’s talk about this tomorrow.”

“But—”

“No buts. I promise I’m good. Bria and I will work out our shit eventually. For now, I want to focus on you. How long does it usually take before you hear anything?”

“Reed.”

“Nope. Not today.”

“Okay. Fine. In answer to your question, it depends. It took weeks for me to hear back about Jaded Beginnings because the director got sick or something. I can’t remember. But with others, mostly rejections, I heard back the next day.”

“So the longer the better.” Reed bites back a smirk.

“Maybe.”

“And in the meantime, we need to show them that you’re the right woman for the job.”

“We’re already doing that. Just look at me.” I stand up and spin around, waving my hands down my body. “I’m a new woman. I don’t drink. I don’t party. I have the sweetest, most attractive football-star boyfriend. I am living the dream.”

“Fuck, Hayls. Tell me how you really feel?” He frowns and I laugh, diving on top of him.

“It’s all the truth. I feel amazing since I stopped drinking and partying, and I really do have the sweetest, most attractive football-star boyfriend. Where’s the lie?”

Reed opens his mouth to speak, but I cover it with both hands and shake my head. “Do not ruin this moment by saying ‘our relationship.’”

Reed licks my palm before shaking his head, laughing when I squeal, pulling my hands away. “I wouldn’t dream of it, Hayls. The only lie is the title. I’ve always been real with you.”

My chest tightens but I ignore the tension threatening to make me feel things I shouldn’t. Reed is real with everyone. And at the end of the day, this relationship, fake or otherwise, has an expiry. One that’s creeping up on us.

I glance away, but Reed grabs my chin, dragging me back in. “What happened?” His soulful eyes bore into mine.

I hesitate, but like always, I tell him what I’m thinking. “I’m going to miss this.”

“I’ll always be here.”

His words hit me harder than they should, but before I can respond, my phone buzzes with a text seconds before Reed’s goes off.

“Group chat?” I question as I reach for my phone, welcoming the distraction, checking my screen to find three new messages.

Amelia: Does anyone else have a moping husband/boyfriend since missing out on the Super Bowl? It’s been a few weeks and Luke’s still sulking

Keeley: Oh yeah, my husband’s devastated. He won’t get out of bed

I laugh out loud at Keeley’s sarcasm, turning away when Reed tries to see my screen.

Paige: Keeley, we need to find you a man. Are you sure you’re against dating players?

Keeley: Never been surer of anything in my life

Hayley: What about actors? I know a few decent ones

Paige: Ooh yes. Great idea, Hayls

Keeley: This isn’t supposed to be about my love life. Moving on… I may not have a boyfriend but my brother’s all moody over the loss

Hayley: Isn’t Easton always moody?

Keeley: Yes

Paige: Yes

I laugh again and Reed groans beside me, but when I poke my tongue out, he smiles.

Paige: Easton’s actually okay about the game, though. It’s surprising me

Amelia: So it’s just Luke then?

Lainey: Nope. Thomas is pretty upset about it

Amelia: Oh good

Amelia: Wait. No. I didn’t mean that. I just…I don’t know

Hayley: (Laughing emoji) Oh Ames

Paige: I have an idea. Who’s up for a beach day? If I tell Easton it’s for the charity event, I might get him there. What do you think, Keeley? I’ll have Isaac convince him

Keeley: Yes! I can arrange that

Hayley: I’m in

Amelia: Us too. Which beach? Do I need to bring a beach tent? Or is there shade?

Lainey: We’re in too. What about the beach near your house Amelia?

Paige: I love that beach. It’s not too far from us either

Amelia: Or Reed or Dylan. Sounds good

I look up as the organisation messages come through and find Reed staring at me, his eyes wide in surprise. “That was intense. I feel left out.”

“What was?”

“Your messages. They’re coming through faster than I can type. It’s like how I imagine a conversation would go with all of you out drinking.”

“We had plans to coordinate.”

“The beach?”

“Yes. How did you—”

He spins his phone around, cutting me off, and I glance at his screen. In all that time there are only five messages.

Luke: Anyone else still pissed that we lost?

Reed: Of course. But it just means we’ll come back fighting next season

Easton: Get over it

Luke: Okay. Done. Moving on.

Luke: Beach tomorrow?

I watch the next couple of messages come through in real time.

Thomas: Sounds good

Dylan: I’m in

Easton: Nope

It’s that easy. No questions on where or when or how. It’s just done.

“Okay, well, it seems your method of organisation is much faster. But where are you going?”

“I assume that’s what you're organizing?” He shrugs and a laugh bursts out of me.

This is Reed and me to a T, easily shifting between the heavy and the light.

Always comfortable. It’s going to be hard to move on in the end.

But now is not the time to think about it.

Right now, I’ve got a beach hang to organise and it’s exactly what I need.

More messages come through and I smile as I show Reed my screen. “I’ll let you know when it’s finalised. It could be a while.”

***

It’s not at all beach weather but the sun is shining, so we’re embracing it. And when Keeley pulls an Aussie Rules football out of her bag, I squeal.

“You didn’t!” I race forward, snatching the ball from her hands, handballing it to myself.

“I did. But you’re going to need to teach us how to play.”

“I know how to play.” Luke punches the ball out of my grasp and grabs it off the sand, kicking it to Reed who catches it easily. “I may have watched a few games when I heard Keeley was planning this.”

My jaw drops. “Wow. I’m impressed. And I have to admit, you don’t suck.”

“Of course I don’t,” Luke scoffs. “I’m good at everything.”

Easton rolls his eyes as he grabs Isaac’s hand. “I’m going to take Isaac for a walk. We’ll—”

“Can we stay, Dad?” Issac tugs on Easton’s hand, pulling him back toward Paige, a pleading smile on his cute little face. “I want to play.”

Paige bites back a grin as her eyes flash to Easton’s, and she gives him a shrug. Easton forces a smile and Keeley bursts out laughing. “Easton’s in. Who else wants to play?”

It turns out that Luke isn’t the only one who watched an Aussie Rules game. Or two. Dylan, Thomas, and Reed all admitted they’ve seen it before, but when it comes to playing, I wish I had a video camera.

Despite his clear annoyance at having to play, Easton’s actually the best by far.

His handballing is on point and that man can mark.

Reed’s probably the second best, and a spark of pride runs through me every time he kicks the ball.

But it’s when he grabs Isaac and lifts him over his shoulders—helping him secure a mark over Easton—that I really pay attention. And I hate to admit, my ovaries tingle.

That man is dad material and it suits him.

I’m beginning to wonder if there’s anything he’s not good at. He’s definitely proven himself in the boyfriend department. And now this.

Amelia nudges me in the stomach when she notices me staring, and it brings me back to a time I was doing the same to her about Luke—teasing her when I caught her watching him. But this is different. She was having Luke’s baby; I think Reed’s hot. I can’t help it if everything he does reels me in.

As the game goes on, the guys draw a crowd, and soon enough, we have a cheer squad.

A solid mix between teenage boys braving the cold to surf and girls out for a walk, clad in their skimpy exercise gear, laughing and flirting whenever they can.

Not that the guys notice. They’re all obsessed with their own women. Even Reed doesn’t pay them any mind.

When Luke’s cockiness gets too much, knocking Dylan over when he attempts what we call a specky—marking the ball with his knees on Dylan’s back—Keeley calls time, confiscating the ball to avoid any injuries.

“I think we’re going to need a few more practices before the preseason event.

But I’ve got to admit, it’s a good start,” she says as we all grab a drink, no longer worried about the cold weather, well and truly warmed up.

“My award for the best player goes to Isaac for his amazing screamer …” She trails off as she says the word hesitantly.

“Screamer is correct. And I agree, Isaac, you were amazing.”

Isaac beams up at us, his shoulders bouncing in giddiness, and when I glance up at Easton, I’m surprised to see him smiling.

“That’s my man.” He lowers his hand in a fist bump and Isaac matches his energy, making it look like his hand explodes after their fists touch.

A strange tension runs through me and when I glance over at Paige, seeing her loving smile back at her boys, my heart jolts.

Do I want that? Jesus. I think I do. A hand wraps around my shoulder, pulling me out of my head and I laugh, having no idea what I’m laughing about. “How’d I do, Hayley Baby?” Reed says, drawing my attention as he winks. “Do you think I’ve got what it takes?”

“You’re a natural.” I spin to face him. “I’d be proud to take you home.”

“Really?” He raises an eyebrow and smirks. “I’m going to hold you to that. I’d love to visit Australia. Maybe I’ll retire there. Get away from the drama over here.”

He winks like he’s joking, and I smile despite the nagging feeling starting low in my belly. Reed shouldn’t have drama in his life, and I’m contributing to some of it. I can’t help with his family stuff, but I can help with Bria. He needs to talk to her, and he needs to do it soon.