Rafe (7 page)

Chapter 7

Lucy

As soon as Rafe leaves, I text Trinity and Kenzie, telling them to get their asses over to my apartment ASAP. I need girl time. It would usually include Maisey too, but since she is out with Gunner it’s just us three. I clean up the beer bottles from the kitchen table while waiting for my girls to arrive. I place my iPhone on the docking station and play some ‘Paramore’, one of my al
l time favorite bands. ‘Misery Business’ is playing when I hear a knock at the door. Well, when I say knocking I mean pounding, which tells me that, it’s Kenzie. God, that girl is the most impatient woman I know. I skip over to the door and swing it wide open to see my two best friends standing there with huge ass smiles on their pretty little faces. Kenzie rushes past me and heads straight to the bathroom.

“Gotta pee.
Gotta pee. What took you so damn long to answer the door, Coop? Fuck, I nearly pissed myself,” she says, running down the hall. Trinity and I just laugh at her and head for the kitchen.

Trin eyes me up and narrows her eyes at me. “What, Trin?” I ask, pulling the wine out of the fridge for the girls. I’m not a wine drinker but my girls are.

“You’ve been crying? Why Luce?” I turn back to her and my semi fake smile appears on my face.

“I’m fine, Trin. Honestly just had a crap day at work and I’m super tired.” I turn my back to her and reach for the wine glasses for their drinks.

“Who the fuck made you cry, Coop? I will kick their ass for them you know that. Now tell us who?” This comes from Kenzie as she comes into the kitchen. Do I tell them about Rafe and the baby? I never told them about the pregnancy. I hurt enough and I didn’t want them to pity me. They are very protective of me and I knew how they would handle it. Maybe if I just told them about Rafe.

I chicken out yet again. “Girlies I’m fine, truly. Just tired, that’s all. Hey, I had an email from Leah today. She is doing well. That douche of a boyfriend is still in the picture but if she is happy, right...” I don’t finish my sentence, they know I hate Leah’s boyfriend Marc. I met him when I stayed with Leah and her family in Wales. We both took an instant disliking to each other, the dude just creeped me out. It’s so easy to change the subject with these two it’s so funny at times. “I told her in my reply email that she should come and visit sometime, you will love her. She is so sweet and funny but you piss her off enough and she is a little firecracker.” We all laugh. We all take our drinks and make our way into the living room where ‘Paramore’ is still playing. I sit on the loveseat and Trin and Kenz take the couch. We sit catching up on our lives. I haven’t seen the girls in three days as Kenzie has been training more as the new season is starting.

Trinity has started a part time job now, in a coffee shop, which is awesome. I am the only one in our little crew that doesn’t drink coffee, just never got the taste for it. My dad told me that it should be an ‘American Law’ that everyone drinks coffee. He is a nut but I love him. My little ‘Speed Demon’ I call him.

“I have met someone,” Kenzie says into her wine glass. I look at her with a smile on my face. Kenzie doesn’t normally date, so this must mean the guy is pretty special.

“And? Don’t leave us hanging, bitch. We want details... like yesterday.” I say, scooting forward in my seat.

“I met him when the team went out after a fitness session two weeks ago. And before you start bitching, I wanted to know where it was going before I told you, okay. He doesn’t go to school here, he works full time at a local garage as a bike mechanic. His name is Zach, he is twenty-two. I really like him girls. I can’t wait for you all to meet him.” She looks shyly at Trin and me. I can tell that she doe
s in fact feel for this Zach guy. He had better treat her well or he will get his ass kicked.

Trinity speaks up finally, after opening and closing her mouth like a fish. “Ohmygod. I can’t believe you didn’t tell us. You bitch,” She smirks. “Sooooo, you had sex with him yet?” I choke on my mouthful of mint chocolate chip ice cream. Kenzie jumps up and sits next to me and starts rubbing my back. I cough and splutter so Kenz hands me my drink. I take a few sips and look at Trin, who us smirking at me.

“Wow, Trin, just choke our bff why don’t you? No, we haven’t slept together yet. Christ, we are not all like you dude. Well, Lucy isn’t.” We all burst out laughing again.

We talk and apply facemasks to each other. We turn up the music and dance around the room. Trinity tells us that there is a guy she works with that is pretty hot. She said he is full of tattoos and studs with long black hair that falls past his shoulders. I don’t like men with longer hair than me, but hey, each to their own, right?

Trinity is putting yellow nail polish on my toes when my front door swings open and hits the wall with such force that the photos shake on the wall. Maisey and Gunner come stumbling into the living room. Maisey is tipsy and Gunner is grinning from ear to ear.

“Well, well, well what do we have here, ladies? You all having a girly night without me?” He winks at me; good god I love
it when he winks.

Maise
y sits next to Kenzie and Gunner comes and sits on my lap, crushing me. “Oh god, Gun you’re killing me babe. Get your sexy ass off me or I just might cop a feel.” I wink at him this time. Gunner stands, I think he is going to walk over to the couch with the girls but instead he bends and lifts me up into his arms, sits back down and places me on his lap. The three girls don’t say anything because this is the way that Gunner, Monty and me are.

“So what have you girls been talking about?” He asks, smiling at us all.

“Boys,” we all say in unison. Gunner jumps up with me in his arms and drops me back onto the loveseat.

“That’s me out, ladies. Catch you all later.” He gives me a quick kiss on the lips, gives Trin and Kenz a kiss on their
cheeks and full on devours Maisey in front of us before leaving the apartment. We all laugh. I think the alcohol is taking effect. My cheeks hurt from all the smiling and laughing we have done tonight. It’s taken my mind of my confession to Monty and Gunner. Also off of Rafe.

I look at Maisey, “You two have a good night?”

Maisey smiles while nodding her head. “Yeah, Snowflake, we had a blast. How long did Rafe stay after we left?” I wince at his name, as I haven’t told Trinity and Kenzie that I have seen him. I look at my two hometown best friends, who are now scowling at me. Oh shit.

“What
. The. Fuck, Coop?” This coming from Kenzie. “You saw Rafe Phoenix and didn’t think to tell us? We have been here hours Lucy. Why didn’t you say anything?” I just shrugged. Trinity is just staring at me. They know that Rafe had something to do with me leaving last summer, but they also know it’s connected with Dallas. I have never told them about losing the baby, it was too hard to keep explaining it to people.

“You have been so busy with school and training and Trin has a new job, I just wanted to have a girly night. Not drag history up. I know how you feel about Rafe but he didn’t do anything wrong that summer girls, I swear. Listen, I think it’s time I told you what happened to make me leave that summer.”

And that’s exactly what I do. I tell them about the baby and Rafe’s involvement and Dallas not knowing about the baby. After I explain my reasons, everyone is in tears. Trinity won’t look at me. I know she is hurt that I kept this from her, from them both. Kenzie is hugging me, restricting my breathing. I love my girls but I have a feeling that Trinity is going to take this hard. I screwed up big time.

“Trin, I’m so so sorry I kept this from you. It hurt to talk about him, okay? It still hurts. I need to you to talk to me, please?” I’m begging her. I move to kneel in front of her and take her hands in mine. I can see tears streaming down her face. I wipe them away and she lifts her head to look at me.

“I hate that you didn’t tell us, Luce, really hate it. We saw Rafe a few times and gave him an ear full of bitching but he just took it he never talked back to us. Now I can see why he was protecting you, Lucy.” I didn’t know that they had seen Rafe that summer.

I frown “You saw Rafe after I left? I thought he left with Ryder and Reeve? Tru told me that they vanished soon after I did.” Ok, I’m confused now. Kenzie and Trinity both look at each other and I can tell that they are keeping something from me.

“What are you two hiding? Girls, you forget we grew up together. I know when you are lying and keeping things from me. Now speak.” I stand and head over to the window. I watch the people walk by down on the sidewalk with not a care in the world, just enjoying life in sunny California.

Trinity speaks up first. “We saw the boys at a club one night and...”

I turn to look at my friends. “You saw Inside Noise at the club? You knew that the boys were here and didn’t tell me? We have been here for over a year now girls, how long have you known they were here, let alone know that they were Inside Noise? You have sat here and listened to Maisey and Gunner talk about them, and all along you knew who they were. Great, just fucking great!” I’m yelling now and I don’t know why I’m so upset with them. I turn back to face out the window again and take deep breaths, it helps some. “I’m sorry I snapped, I have had a long day and night and I think I should just go to bed.” I turn to face my friends and see that they are crying again. Fuck, I am such a shit friend.

I walk over to the couch and sit on the coffee table facing them. Kenzie grabs my hand. “We didn’t know what happened with you and Rafe, so we kept it from you. We thought that he hurt you and that’s the reason you left us. We are sorry, Coop. Please believe us?” I nod and smile at them. We all stand and hug. “I love you girls,” Kenz says while pulling back to look at us.

“I love you two chica’s. You are my sisters always. Just to add to everything that has happened tonight girls, you need to know that Rafe kissed me this morning.” The girls gasp but burst out laughing. “God girls, by fuck that guy can kiss. He tasted so damn good.” I put on a seductive voice and again we laugh. We all fall onto the couch and talk about school life back home, what I did while I was away. We talk about boys and school and work.

Before we know it it’s two-thirty in the morning. Trinity is passed out on the loveseat, so I put a throw blanket over her and head towards my room. Kenzie is already sleeping face down in Monty’s bed, which means that Maisey is sleeping in my bed with me. I strip out of my clothes and get into my bed shorts and cami and I climb in next to her. Sleep takes me as soon as my head hits the pillow; I blame the beer.

The sun streams through my bedroom blinds, which I forgot to close last night before climbing into bed. Great. I know I have work today but I’m sure I have a few more hours of sleep left. I notice the heavy arm draped over my waist and a very hot and hard body at my back. I’m sure Maisey’s arms aren’t hairy either. I look down at the arm and notice the solid black band tattoo wrapping around the wrist. Gunner. I guess the alcohol put me into a deep enough sleep that I didn’t feel him climb into bed with us. I slowly turn my body to face Gunner’s handsome face. I know you think it’s strange that he is in bed with us but again it’s an ‘us’ thing, it’s not sexual at all. I brush his hair off his forehead and smile at him. He is such an amazing guy. Maisey comes before anything and anyone. He worships her even on her moody Monty days. Okay, it’s official. I need myself a Gunner.

I run my finger down his nose and he twitches but doesn’t wake so I poke his nose but again, nothing. I run my fingers across his bottom lip and he stirs, so I do it again. His arm that's sitting over my hip tightens and I smile at the sleeping sex god in front of me. I lean forward to kiss his nose but as I closing the gap he speaks. “You gonna kiss me, honey bear?” I shriek and try to pull back but Gunner wraps his arm around my waist, holding me to him while he laughs. Dick!

“You scared the shit out of me, Gun. What the hell, dude?” I smile at him. “When did you climb into bed with us? You could have caught us in a compromising position,” I say, still laughing. Maisey pops her head up from behind Gunner.

“He came here a few hours ago. Had the fright of his life when he saw Kenzie in my bed so he knew I would be in here with you.” She kisses his ear and he lay
’s on his back to face us both. “Lucy has a point, babe. We could have been in a rather sexy embrace. What would you have done then? Huh?” She winks at me.

He groans and lifts the sheet up so we can see. “Fuck! Girls, I’m hard as fuck now.” He nods in the direction of his crotch.
“But, baby I would have asked to join in.” He winks at me and I smack his shoulder lightly. He pulls Maisey in for a kiss and I groan. PDA in the morning can be too much, even though I love them both. “You want some as well, babe?” Gunner asks me and I give him a pout. Without a reply from me Gunner grabs the back of my head and pulls me towards him. He kisses me and his tongue invades my mouth. Shit, he tastes good, but nothing. No sparks, nada, zilch. I pull away and look at Gunner and then Maisey, who are just smiling at me.

“Anything?” Gunner asks.

“Nope nothing, babe. Sorry, Gun.” We all laugh.