Page 25 of Beautiful Storm

God, I love that dog.

“Anyway, we’re almost back to your place. I’ll be there in a minute. You’re alone, right?”

I roll my eyes even though she can’t see me. “Yes, Alice in delusionland. Would I be calling you if I wasn’t?” She’s under the impression that I’m never alone, that I have a girl with me twenty-four seven. And I guess she’d usually be right… if she hadn’t stolen my dog.

Shadow’s always with me when I’m home. As for the other girls… They come and go.

“Alice in delusionland. Really?” Lainey scoffs, her love for my ever-changing nicknames wearing thin. “You must be running out of ideas.”

“Don’t worry, I’ve got plenty more where that came from.” Finding new nicknames for Lainey should be considered a full-time job, but I can’t call it work because it’s too much fun.

“You’re lucky I know you do it out of love.”

“Love? Yeah, right. I reserve nicknames for the people who annoy me the most.”

“I’m here,” she announces, ignoring me. “I’m hanging up.” She hangs up before I can respond, and seconds later, Shadow comes racing toward me just like I expected her to do outside.

“Come here, gorgeous girl. How was your walk?” I drop to the floor and roll around with her, razzing her up as she licks me. “Did your aunt look after you?”

I sense Lainey watching us and when I look up she has an amused grin on her face. “If your women could see you now.”

“They’d love it. Why do you think I got her in the first place?” It’s true that I’m guilty of wanting Shadow because I thought she’d help me with the ladies, but I quickly discovered she was better than that. She’s not just a show pony; she’s my life.

“If only you could find a woman to love like you love that dog.”

“That dog is the only constant love I need in my life. When are you going to listen to the fact that I’m happy?”

Honestly, I expected more from Lainey. She knows me better than anyone else. I’m not going to change.

“I know you’re happy, Luke. And you know I’m usually the one to defend you when others try to set you up, but I’d love a sister.”

“You’ve got Summer,” I state the obvious. Summer is Thomas’s sister and our teammate Dylan’s wife.

God, our team is way too close for comfort.

“I do have Summer,” Lainey admits. “But I want someone that will be forced to come to our family functions. With our parents. Someone to share in my misery.”

Ahh. It all makes sense now. Mom and Dad just celebrated their fortieth wedding anniversary and Lainey struggled with it. While she’s in a relatively good place with our family now, there were times it got a bit tense and the big events usually hit her hard.

“Well, aren’t you the sweetest?” I joke to lighten the mood, knowing she won’t want to talk about it. “Work on Ryan. You’vegot two brothers, remember? You’ve got a better chance with him.”

Lainey blows out a breath as her phone rings, but when she looks at the screen, her expression instantly lifts and she smiles.

“It’s Thomas.”Of course it is.I’ve never seen anyone else elicit that expression. I love Lainey, and I love Thomas like a brother, but no one should place that much of their happiness in one person. It can’t be healthy. “I’m going to go,” she adds, walking to the door. “See you soon?”

“If not before, then I’ll see you the next time you steal my girl.”

“Looking forward to it.”

“Oh, and Pink Barbie, if you’re nice to me, I’ll try and find someone to bring over for Thanksgiving.” The next big family event. “Maybe I can find a fake date or something.”

Lainey spins to face me as she bursts out laughing. “Thanks, bro. Love you.”

“Yeah, yeah.”Now I just have to find someone that won’t get too clingy.

Aweek later, there’s a strange energy in the air when I arrive at the stadium. It’s not all doom and gloom, but it’s definitely not the excitement I thought would be hovering after our first preseason win over the weekend. Not that everyone played, but still…

“What’s going on?” I ask Reed, one of our running backs. “There’s a weird tension in the room.”

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