20. Bennett

TWENTY

BENNETT

I ring the doorbell by the front door of Luke's home with my breath coming in pants—as if I'd run here from my house—and try to fix my hair, which I'm sure is all over the place.

"Hey," Luke says with a huge smile when he opens the door.

"I'm so sorry I'm late, but Lizzie?—"

"You're not late, cutie, don't worry," he interrupts, then looks behind me. "Where is my smart girl?"

"Well, my mother decided she just had to stay with them tonight, and then Lizzie got it into her head too. I tried to bring her with me but she just wouldn't have it." I let my forehead drop on the center of Luke's chest as my shoulders drop in defeat. "Maybe we can go pick her up tomorrow morning? I'm sorry. This weekend was supposed to be just the four of us?—"

Luke interrupts me again, and I'd be annoyed if it weren't for how he does it. With two fingers under my chin, he raises my face and kisses me like his life depends on it. My body deflates even further, but this time with relief .

"Thanks, pretty boy," I whisper against his lips after a minute. "I needed that."

"My pleasure, cutie. Now, I see your parents didn't tell you, but they've schemed with Gordon to give us from Friday night to Sunday morning completely kid free. And I have a surprise planned for you. So come inside, let me pour you a glass of wine, and you can relax on the patio and eat some cheese."

If it wouldn't be the first time ever, I'd tell him I love him right then and there.

"Cheese and wine ready for me? You know I'm yours already, right? You don't need to keep up with all these lavish gifts." My teasing works to get me through the mental hiccup—telling him I love him when he's just offered me cheese is not happening—and I get to make him laugh as a bonus.

"I like that you're mine, cutie," he says, as he leads me through the house with a hand on the small of my back. The self-satisfied smile he's sporting is strangely very attractive. "But I'm going to keep spoiling you 'till the end of time if you let me, so just enjoy it, okay?"

"Okay, pretty boy. As long as you don't mind me fumbling my way through trying to do the same for you."

"I'm pretty sure I'll love that." He shifts me around until I'm sitting right in front of the charcuterie board and the glasses of wine. "Now, relax, take a breath, and let go of all your worries. I'll be out as soon as I'm done making sure everything's ready."

"Wait, you said something about a surprise."

He raises an eyebrow at me. "You'll find out when it's time to find out." With that he turns and walks back inside.

I do as he says and lean back with my wine glass in hand and close my eyes as I take a long sip. Tonight I'm gonna have adult conversations with other adults who are important to Luke. It's not the time to be frazzled and dazed by my daughter putting her foot down with me for the first time ever.

I don't know if the way I handled it was the best—giving her what she wanted after an hour of trying to get her calm and ready to come over with me—but it's what happened and my mom was all in on it too.

Man, I need to get out of this funk. Tonight's supposed to be just fun and...

"Hey," I hear a deep voice say, from what seems like right next to me. My eyes spring open in surprise but thankfully my grip on the wine glass stays true.

"Hey, Sterling." I greet him after making sure my voice sounds steady. I've met him two other times, and still I need to constantly remind myself that he's just a man.

Even though he kind of isn't.

I stand and give him a greeting hug he thankfully returns. I should've just gone for the handshake like a normal human, but no, I have to make it awkward. Dammit.

Trying to escape my embarrassment, I immediately sit back down and drink another big sip of wine.

"Where's Jules?" I ask, and I realize how rude that was. "Sorry, how are you, you want some wine?"

Sterling snorts as he sits down next to me. "You're fine. I'm also more than fine, and I'll pour my own thanks."

"Sorry," I say with a wince.

"It's fine, hopefully you'll get used to my godlike good looks soon."

My mouth drops open at his words. I mean, he's not wrong but saying it... and I see his teasing smirk.

"That's funny," I deadpan. "Maybe you can be a comedian when they put you out to pasture." I don't know where I get the balls to say something like that to him, but I'm thankful that I did when he throws back his head and cackles.

"I'm an old horse. I need my down time already, but they still have me on contract for two more years."

"Do you like doing a residency more than touring?"

"I mean, it's very different." He finally gets his glass and takes a sip. "If I'd had kids back when I was touring, I'm sure I wouldn't have enjoyed it as much as I did, just like if I was doing a residency before having a family, I'm not sure I'd have liked it either. I'm having lots of fun, that's all I can say. It's always been fun."

"That's all you can ask for I guess."

"Yeah, I have a couple of friends, they raised their kid on the road," he says with a shake of his head. "I don't know how any of them came out of that sane."

"You're not gonna tell me which friends even though I'm pretty sure who you're talking about?"

"Well, if I start name dropping you might give me shit again."

And with that I laugh and fully relax.

"How are Ava and Adam?" I ask about his kids just as Luke and Jules come out to the patio. I greet Jules, way more chill than whatever it is I did with Sterling, and we all sit around the coffee table. The doorbell rings right then and Luke stands again, but a shout from inside has him sitting back down.

"I got it." Gordon's voice comes through the open patio door.

"They're great. Adam's about to turn one, and our third one's about to make their great entrance."

"You don't know if it's a boy or a girl?" Luke asks.

"Nah. Jamie doesn't want to find out this time around and Jake's fine with that, as are we." Jules shrugs.

"You've got another name starting with A lined up?" I ask them .

"Aurora if it's a girl and Aaron if it's a boy." Sterling pumps a fist as he says the last one.

I wonder why he's so pumped up about it, but Jules answers with a tender but exasperated look aimed at his husband before I can ask.

"It's going to be Aurora Jamie or Aaron Jacob, so our third kid's gonna be AJ, regardless. 'Cause despite present company and any affiliation with our Lady and Savior Gab, my husband's still a huge Warrior's fan and obsessed with AJ Quick," he says, referring to Derek's good friend, the quarterback of the LA football team.

"Man, that's cute," Luke says, and I agree. Then all the other guests arrive, and I go straight to Gordon since I didn't get to say hi when I arrived.

We spend another hour in greetings and kid talk, as well as sports talk—because of course we do . Luke's friends don't come with any dates though, so there are two places left unused. My guess is they organized it that way for some reason, but Luke doesn't ask, so I don't either. If it's something important, I'm sure I'll find out eventually.

I can't really tell them that I'm working with Gab or what I'm working on with her because unlike with my friends, she hasn't talked about it with these men, so I talk about my books and about starting my PhD in August.

"It's right after Mike and Theo's wedding," I say, looking at Luke. "Which you're my plus one for, just FYI."

"Noted, cutie. I'm guessing it's right at the start of August?"

"Yeah, they're going to Thailand and Singapore for a week then coming back just in time for pre-season games."

"Perfect, then of course I'll go." The butterflies are back with a vengance at the easy agreement to plans so far out in the year. It's only three months, I know. But we're both sure, both assuming we'll still be together by then. It's a new feeling for me, this certainty, but it's such a fucking good feeling that I get lost in my head just enjoying it until someone saying my name makes me concentrate back on Luke's friends.

"So Bennett, is Harrison Crawford as cool as Gab?" Rashan asks me about Theo's father who owns the team Mike plays for.

"I mean, they're different. He's pretty badass on his own, don't get me wrong, but he's also way more chill than Gab is on a day-to-day basis. Unless someone does something to piss him off, then he's even more vicious than her."

"Really?" Kevin asks, looking dubiously at me.

"Let me give you an example. Last year my best friends played the Super Bowl against each other, right?"

Rashan, Cameron, Kevin, and Luke all wince.

"Sorry," I mutter and wince.

"Not your fault, cutie," Luke tells me and kisses my temple, and the way all his friends look at us with nothing but happy smiles at the gesture actually chokes me up a bit. Enough that I need to take a moment before I can keep going.

"So, I was in the suite with Harrison, his family, Tristan"—I nod at Sterling and Jules who know Harrison's boyfriend very well—"The Storm, and Adam's grandfather, Clive. Clive was having a shitty day. His grandson was playing against the team that owns his heart, basically, so he was gonna win and lose no matter what, right?

"Gab, her brother, daughters, nephews, and the rest of our friends were in the suite next to ours, and a few people in the stands right below us started heckling Clive, calling him a traitor and whatnot. They were LA fans. Harrison was sitting next to Clive when this happened and first, the way his face changed when he looked at those assholes who were insulting poor Clive to hell and back, man that's the chilliest face you've ever seen in your life. But then he takes out his phone and calls the owner of the Atlanta team, and five minutes later security comes over to the guys and just takes them out of the stadium."

There's only silence around the table as everyone processes what I just said.

"Yeah, the guys had paid for their ticket, and yeah, they were fans of Clive, otherwise they wouldn't have felt so strongly about the situation, but that's what I mean by vicious. Harrison doesn't give a single shit . If you hurt his people, he's gonna hurt you back. And his mom..." I continue with a shake of my head. "The woman looks like the kindest, most gentle grandmother in the world, and she is just that most of the time, but she had a look on her face that said, yeah, I taught him how to do that, not his tycoon father."

"Damn." Gordon sounds a little scared.

"I know," I say and can't help but chuckle. "That's Irish blood for you." I smirk over at Luke who laughs.

"Did your dad teach you to be vicious too, cutie?"

"Nah, Dad's a romantic." I smile just thinking about it.

"I mean, I guess the same thing happens to Eagle's father, but everyone's afraid of pissing off Hulk." Jules' remark has us all cracking up.

"By the way, I'm hereby extending an invitation to Gab's suite tomorrow if you want to watch game five," Sterling tells us. "You can bring the kids." He looks at Luke and me, but also at Kevin, Rashan, and Cameron.

"Thanks man, but how about Monday's game? We've got plans tomorrow." Luke throws an arm around me, and though my mind wants to wander into thinking about what surprise he has for me, I force myself to stay in the moment. Like he said, I'll find out soon enough.

"Hell," Rashan says. "Can we go to both?"

Sterling smiles happily. "Of course. The more the merrier. The cameras know not to show the kids, and I bet the fans would love for you guys to be there supporting the Pirates."

"And we appreciate any support we can get, since St. Louis is making things way too difficult for us. Speaking of, this was great, but I really need to get home and get a good night's sleep." Jules stands and Sterling does too with a wry smile.

"That's the rockstar life for you guys. I have kid duty for breakfast, so I definitely need my beauty sleep too."

One hour later, we say good night to Gordon, who very kindly stayed a while longer to help us pick up the mess on the patio and in the kitchen. He's carrying Robbie into his brand-new SUV and driving off to have a sleepover with my parents—I still haven't decided if that's awesome or a little weird.

"What now?" I ask Luke, excitement filling me up.

"Did you bring a bag for the weekend?"

"Uh-huh," I say, bouncing on my toes. I can't help it. "You gonna tell me the surprise now?"

Luke smiles indulgently at me. "No, cutie." He bends down and kisses me quickly. "Grab your stuff. I'm gonna get my own bag and meet you down here."

So we're not staying here tonight? Okay, then. I think of where he could be taking me while I do what he asks and I'm still clueless when he comes back down, shuts all the lights off, and closes and locks the front door .

He pushes me gently with a hand on my lower back and leads me to his car, takes my bag from my hands, and gets the door for me—which I'm still getting used to him doing.

Then I just... sit and wait while he puts the bags in the back and gets in.

It's going on eleven at night, and I know the city, especially the strip, is probably full of life, but we don't drive that way. Instead, Luke takes us even further out into the desert. I've explored very little around Vegas because I've been so busy since getting here, so I seriously have no clue where we're going.

Luke starts driving up a mountain and it's so dark I start getting scared we're gonna crash or drive down the side. I clutch the oh-shit handle like my life depends on it as Luke drives slowly up the curving road.

Just as I start getting really worried about where Luke is taking me, he makes the last turn and a beautiful, huge, chalet-style structure comes into view. The Retreat on Charleston Peak, the sign says, and damn, how did I not figure out this is Charleston Peak?

Luke parks his SUV in the lot right by the entrance where there are a handful of other cars just as sleek looking as his own, then urges me to get out as I continue staring at the hotel.

"It's beautiful," I whisper.

"I think so too. Now come on, cutie. We gotta check in."

No one pays us any type of special attention as we walk to the counter, and the man on the night shift smiles placidly at us when he gives us the keys to the presidential suite . Damn but my man went all out for our second date.

"I'm going to have to get really inventive when I plan a date for us," I muse out loud on the elevator ride to the third floor.

"I will happily plan all of our dates," Luke tells me, and I see him frowning in the mirror reflection of the doors .

"I meant that as a good thing, Luke." I realize this isn't a moment for jokes. "You don't have to stop planning things for us, believe me, I'll enjoy it, but I do want to do things for you too. I don't think I've done any really."

"Just agreeing to date me and put up with me is more than enough, cutie."

"No, it isn't." I speak clearly and evenly. I don't want him to think I'm mad at him because this is the complete opposite. "You deserve to be spoiled just as much as you spoil me."

"Uh," he says, like my words make absolutely no sense.

And then it clicks. Oh, Luke .

"You've never had that, have you, pretty boy?" I ask in a whisper. The doors open just then, directly into the suite. I would be left speechless by the amazing beauty of the room if I didn't recognize that what we're talking about is way more important than a literally perfect, cozy, cabin-like décor, an inviting fire, and champagne chilling in a bucket by the open doors to the wide terrace that I see has a hot tub.

No, I need to make this clear to him right now.

I grab both our bags and put them on the couch, then pull Luke into the bathroom with me wordlessly. I undress him, and then myself, and get us into the shower without waiting for the shower to heat up because I need to hold him now .

Right now.

I wrap my arms tightly around him and just hold him. Like he's maybe never been held before. Like everyone in his life failed to do. God, he deserves so much better than what he's gotten.

I'm gonna give him everything, I vow to myself. I'm going to make sure he knows he's appreciated and he's valued and loved every single day for the rest of his life.

"You don't need to do anything to keep me here with you, Luke. You're amazing without the gifts, without the job, without the house. All you need to do is keep being yourself. You like to give gifts and make all these amazing plans to woo me, then go right ahead. Like I said, I'll enjoy every single second of it. But you don't have to do any of it to make me love you. I already love you because you're patient, you're kind. Because by some miracle, considering your upbringing, you're so fucking mature and great at communication, because you didn't hesitate to adopt your baby brother, because you asked Gordon to come live with you."

I lean back because I have to look into his eyes when I say it one more time. His arms hang from his sides like he can't bear to do anything with them. His mouth is parted in a silent gasp and his eyes look confused but hopeful.

"I already love you, Luke. Because of who you are, not what you have or what you do for work. Not even for your looks, though, wowzah." I waggle my brows at the end and Luke manages to snort despite keeping his astonished expression.

"You love me?" he asks in a whisper, and finally wraps his arms around my lower back.

I nod, and through a giant knot in my throat manage to croak out, "I love you, pretty boy."

His perfect smile takes over his face, bigger than I've ever seen it

"I love you too, my cutie. My beautiful Bennett."

He seals it with a kiss and I wonder, how the hell have I found and gotten the man of my dreams? I feel like only a month ago I was a different person.

But then I met Luke— again —and now I'm forever changed.