Page 64 of The Way We Score

When we arrive, it’s a small sausage party. A lot of the guys are still sleeping off last night, but we bump into Maddy and Charlie and their baby boy Paxton in the entrance hall.

“Hey, guys!” I greet them as we enter.

“Garrett!” Maddy skips forward, her arms full of wiggling six-month-old. “Who is this in your jersey? Have you been hiding a girlfriend from us?”

“Now I understand why you didn’t want to go out last night,” Charlie teases.

“No… I…” I turn to where Liv is looking down, cheeks pink. “This is Liv—Olivia Bankston. She’s a lawyer. From Birmingham. We’ve known each other since we were kids.”

“Birmingham?” Maddy smiles brightly. “I’m from Atlanta! We’re practically neighbors. It’s so good to meet you.”

Maddy sticks out a hand, and Liv shakes it. “Nice to meet you.”

“Here, hold Baby Pax a second.” She hands the baby to Liv and pulls up her bag, propping it on her stomach. “I’ll put your number in my phone.”

“Sure.” Liv shifts the toddler around onto her hip, and she seems pretty natural at holding him. She’s even doing that little bouncy thing women do.

He shoves a fat fist into her long hair, and she tilts her head, doing her best to hold his wrist and untangle his fingers.

“Paxy, no!” Maddy drops her phone into the bag again, helping dislodge his fist. “I don’t know what I’m going to do when I start showing. My lower back is already killing me.”

“You’re pregnant?” Liv’s eyes widen.

“Can you believe it?” Maddy catches Paxton around the waist and hauls him onto her hip again. “I thought I was just never going to get back to my pre-baby weight. Then I found out I’m pregnant. So what brings you to New York?”

Charlie slaps me on the shoulder. “Let’s get started.”

He heads to the weight room, but I hesitate, touching Liv’s arm. “You okay out here?”

“Of course, she is!” Maddy gives me a shove. “I’ll take care of her.”

“That’s what I’m worried about,” I tease.

Still, it’s really cute watching Liv rub her hand on Paxton’s back and shake his fist, which is now wrapped around her finger. She blinks up at me, and my chest clenches. I remember a time when we were both a lot younger, and I imagined Liv having my babies.

It’s funny, because being out here, being frustrated by Ricky’s irresponsible attitude really got to me last night. It had me legit angry, and heading to my apartment alone, I was planning to have a few beers and brood about how off-track everything had become. Then she appeared, and it all faded away.

None of that shit matters with Liv here. It’s all different. I realize we’ve fallen quiet, and I look around at everyone waiting on me.

“You can go now,” Maddy scolds like a sassy tween, but I’m still looking at Liv.

“That looks good on you, Cherry.”

Her cheeks flame, and she blinks away fast.Shit. My stomach drops, and I can’t believe I said something so thoughtless.

I want to apologize, but Maddy is watching us like a hawk. I’m sure Liv wouldn’t want a stranger knowing about her infertility issues. Or if she did, it would be her story to share.

Fuck. My jaw clenches, and I guess my only option is to kick my own ass and apologize later, when we’re alone. So much for showing how mature and sensitive to her needs I am now.

Scrubbing my hand over the back of my neck, I clear my throat. “Well, I’ll be in the weight room if you need anything.”

“We know.” Maddy’s tone is impatient, and she waves her hand like she’s shooing me away. “Now go, so we can gossip about you.”

“Right.” I nod, forcing a laugh, still feeling like shit, before I turn and follow the way Charlie went.

Ten minutes later, he’s spotting me while I hold a bar with 250-pound weights on each side over my chest.

“So that’s what you’ve been thinking about, a tall redhead.” Charlie stands at my head while I do my reps. “I thought you didn’t want to go out because you were pissed at Ricky. Instead, you’ve been hiding a very sexy lady from us.”

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