“You mean like the one of you walking into Andi Anderson’s house a couple days ago?”
Laurie gasps from across the room. I lift my eyes to hers and her mouth is hanging open in surprise. I’m in shock myself and surprised that I said anything, let alone what I just did.
“Where’d you see that?”
“Online. I saw the article too, or Laurie did, she just read it to me. I don’t know, Beaumont, maybe all of this is too much,” I ramble.
He snorts. “Come home to your place when you’re done with your last appointment.”
His voice is gentle, too soft, and it makes me think that he’s got some kind of ulterior motive. Before I can ask, he ends the call. Glancing at my cell, I frown when I see that it’s almost time for Lindie to arrive.
“What’d he say?”
My frown stays firmly in place, my thoughts spinning with no real direction. “He told me that he knew about the article, but didn’t know who leaked it. He said they would post pictures soon of me and they would be terrible, but that he just wanted to make sure that I was okay.”
“And when you mentioned Andi?” she asks.
I shrug. “He told me to just come back to my place after my appointment.”
“Well, then that’s what you’ll do.” She smiles.
I nod. It’s what I’ll do because it’s my house. Also, I want this, but I don’t know if I’m at all prepared for what this means. I want him. I want more of the way that he makes me feel. I want more orgasms. I want more of everything, but I’m not sure I can handle the cost. I need to talk to him more, not have sex, but talk.
Tonight.
Chapter Fifteen
BEAUMONT
Fuck.
I lift my hand and run my fingers through my hair. Andi. I don’t know who caught me slipping inside of her place, but apparently, it’s all over the internet. The fucking internet, the bane of my goddamn existence.
Hutton is already skittish as shit, and now this? How do I explain to her that a little over a week ago I was balls deep inside of Andi? Would she buy the fact that I was on edge and needed release? I highly doubt it, because I know that I wouldn’t.
Climbing into my truck, I decide to check in on Louis. I know that he’s still here, hiding out in his place and trying to take a mental break before his next fight. It only takes me a few minutes to drive out to his place.
I need to watch the time so that I can make it to the grocery store, then to Hutton’s before she’s off work. I thought about getting dinner somewhere nice, but then I remembered that my girl loves the handmade pizzas from the grocery store in town, so that’s what we’re going to have.
Louis’ house comes into view and I rev my engine as I pull up his circle drive. I watch as his door opens and he flips me off from right inside before he turns and walks away. Chuckling, I climb down from the pickup and make my way toward his kitchen where I know he’s probably mixing some protein powder bullshit up.
“What’re doin’ here?” he asks with his back to me.
I watch him for a moment, then grin as soon as he turns around with a shaker cup in his hand.
“There was a gossip site that featured a picture of me walking into Andi Anderson’s. Hutton saw it,” I say.
Louis will get it, he’ll understand more than anyone, because he’s in the media as well. He isn’t followed as much as I am, but paparazzi still keep tabs on him.
“What’d you tell her?” he asks.
I shrug. “I’m taking dinner over to her place in a couple of hours, told her we’d talk about it then.”
“You still fuckin’ Andi? I thought that shit was done. No wonder you were drowning yourself in booze, that bitch would make me drink, too.”
Shaking my head, I snort before I lift my eyes to meet his. “She’s not so bad if you keep her occupied and leave before she starts to talk.”
“You’re cold,” Louis laughs.
Turning my head, I look out his kitchen window, then move my gaze back to his. “It’s mean of me, but neither of us was in a good place. Hell, we’re probably still not. I’m just trying to swim to the top so that I’m not stuck in the mud any longer.”
“Hutton’s your top?” he asks.
Shrugging a shoulder, I lift my hand and run my fingers through my hair, tugging on the ends. “I don’t know, maybe. I just know that I’ve regretted the way that I left things with her for almost ten years.”
“So this is your opportunity to make it right, or are you going to make shit worse by hurting her even more?”
“Where is all this shit coming from?” I ask him.
His light green eyes darken to an almost emerald color for just a moment before it disappears and they’re back to their original coloring. He tips his head back, ignoring my question as he finishes his protein drink.
“You ignoring my question for a reason?” I ask.
Louis inhales a deep breath before he releases it, then his eyes meet mine again. “My shit is not your shit. I’m just putting it out there as a possibility. Be careful, not only for your sobriety but also because I think she still loves you, that’s all.”
Frowning, I nod once, then take a step back.
“Beau?” he calls out before I can turn around and leave. Lifting my chin toward him, I wait for him to say something. “She ain’t like the others. Knew it within minutes of meeting her. If what you want is a hometown girl at your side, I think you picked the right one. Just don’t destroy her.”
“Not planning on it,” I say.
He dips his chin and we watch one another for a moment. I let out a sigh, taking a step to the side. “You know, you’d do good to use your own advice,” I point out.
“Like?”
Shaking my head, I tilt it to the side. “Take an opportunity and make shit right, Louis. Don’t let yourself swim in a big fuckin’ pool of hurt.”
“Different situations, brother. Never pushed mine away, they seem to do the pushing while I’m standing around waiting to be fucking battered and bruised.”
“Tulip?” I ask.
“How’d you hear about her?”
Smirking, I level him with my gaze. “Small town, big talk, Louis. Gotta learn that shit real fast when you live here. Gallup’s gossip chain does not discriminate.”
“Yeah, unlike some people,” he mutters.
“What the fuck?”
He shakes his head. “Nothin’. Don’t matter,” he grunts.
Taking a step toward him, I narrow my eyes on him. “Does fuckin’ matter if someone was treating my best friend like shit for something like the color of his skin.”
Louis lets out a sigh. “Wouldn’t be the first time, won’t be the last. Doesn’t matter, Beaumont.”
I growl, unable to hold back my irritation, my anger at the situation. Not only am I outraged that this is an issue, I’m also pissed as fuck that Louis won’t tell me what the hell is going on and who is treating him like shit. I won’t fucking stand for it, not in my goddamn lifetime.
“Don’t need you or anyone else to fight my battles, brother. Don’t you gotta get to your girl?” he asks, evading all of my demands and questions.