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Chapter Three
Hannah shook her head. “Abbey? No, you’re dating Brenna Sinclair, aren’t you?”
Luke frowned. He didn’t want to get into any of this. He needed to keep the focus on Jake and Cassie, for shit’s sake. The timing of the clusterfuck that had just become his life couldn’t have been worse. “Well, let’s just say not anymore, but that’s not public knowledge at the moment.”
Jake laughed and pointed to Heath. “I knew it! Pay up, Heath.”
What? Jake and Heath were betting on his breakup with Brenna? Did that mean they knew? No, he and Brenna had been careful. They’d played the part of a doting couple well. He knew they did. If you believed the tabloids, they had been secretly married weeks ago and were waiting until her newest film premiered in three weeks to announce it and Brenna’s pregnancy. Luke shuddered at the thought of what the tabloids would do to them both once the truth, more specifically their version of the truth, actually came out.
Heath took out his wallet and handed Jake some bills. He shook his head and frowned at Luke. “Thanks a lot, man.”
Jake happily took the bills from Heath with a huge smile on his face. “I should have bet Heath more than a hundred bucks. I knew your relationship with Brenna was bullshit. You both put on a great act, but I knew it wasn’t real. Oscar-worthy performance, though.”
Hannah and Heath both shook their heads, not seeming to believe Jake’s suspicions. Jake was right of course, but now wasn’t the time to get into it.
“I have no comment on the matter, other than to say—don’t say anything. I’ll give you your hundred back, Heath, don’t worry about it.”
Heath shook his head. “You don’t need to do that. I lost fair and square. Damn, Jake, how did you know?”
Jake smiled like an idiot. “Because I’ve known Luke since he was two years old.”
Heath rolled his eyes. “I’ve known Luke since he was two years old, too, ass. We were all next-door neighbors, remember?”
That was true. Luke and his folks, God rest their souls, had moved to Elmhurst when he was two years old, buying the house in between Jake’s and Heath’s families. Jake had been four and Heath had been seven. Despite Luke being just a toddler, he, Jake, and Heath formed a fast and deep friendship that lasted to this day. Heath probably felt in charge as the oldest of the three. Jake and Heath were not just his closest friends, they were his brothers. There was nothing he wouldn’t do for them. He only wished they would let him do more. He was now a wealthy man, and who better to share his money with than Jake and Heath? Unfortunately, they were not receptive to what they perceived as “grand gestures” or “handouts”.
When Luke’s parents had been taken from him when he was ten years old due to a drunk driver, his Uncle Darren, a confirmed bachelor, real estate mogul, and owner of the Chicago Cobras MLB and Windy City Rattlers MILB teams, immediately moved him from his family home in Elmhurst to Chicago’s Gold Coast to be closer to Stryker Stadium and their corporate offices.
Darren had become his father, mother, and everything else overnight. Luke was grateful for his uncle’s love, support, and understanding. To his credit, Darren had made sure that Luke maintained his close friendship with Jake and Heath. Thanks to Darren’s efforts, the three of them remained close, surviving the pressures of Luke’s baseball career, Heath’s military service, and Jake attending Stanford to study law.
This time, Jake rolled his eyes. “Yes, of course I remember, but I spent more time with him than you did. Especially after you joined the Marines.”
“That doesn’t mean I don’t know him as well as you. After I was discharged, we spent a lot more time together, especially when we were trying to figure out the best thing to do about my hearing loss after those fucking IEDs practically exploded in my face.”
Hannah gasped. “Oh my God, Heath, I’m so sorry. Saying thank you for your service seems so trite.” Hannah gave a Heath a strong hug. “Thank you anyway for your service and sacrifice. No matter what you think, we all appreciate everyone who serves.”
“Thank you, Hannah. It was an honor.”
Hannah turned to Jake, curious. “Real quick, because we have to get you three dressed for pictures before the ladies get here. How did you know Luke and Brenna’s relationship was bullshit as you said?”
“Abbey,” Jake replied.
Hannah lightly punched Jake in the arm and Luke winced. Damn, but his shoulder was aching.
Jake chuckled and explained. “Abbey was, or should I say is, Luke’s soulmate. Luke did and said all the right things publicly with Brenna Sinclair to make it seem like they were this happy couple. But he never looked at her like he did Abbey. Sure, he smiled for the cameras and did the whole PDA shtick with Brenna, but only someone who had known Luke and Abbey together would have been able to tell he and Brenna weren’t the real deal.”
Hannah nodded. “I agree with you there. It all looked very real to me.”
Heath appeared to be deep in thought, perhaps contemplating Jake’s assessment. “Jake’s right. I should have paid closer attention to the media on you two. I would have seen what Jake did. And you’re not telling your two best friends in the world, guys who are more like brothers than friends, what the hell was really going on with Brenna?”
Luke laughed at Heath. Heath was laying it on thick. It wouldn’t work. “Nope. Can’t. Sorry.” Jake and Heath would have to wait like everyone else as the events of the weekend unfolded. He prayed the tabloids didn’t skewer him when it was all over.
In his rush to get everything ready to bring to the church, Luke had forgotten to bring something for pain. He needed a little something to take the edge off. “Do any of you have any kind of pain reliever with you?”
“Didn’t the hospital prescribe you something?” Hannah asked.
“Anything stronger than extra strength Tylenol and Darren would shit,” Jake replied. Darren kept a close eye on him. He didn’t mind, not really. Some might have found his Uncle Darren to be overbearing when it came with Luke, but he saw his uncle’s behavior as concern and love, and he didn’t want to ever let him down by doing something as reckless as tempting his fate with drugs.
Hannah dug through her travel bag and produced a pill bottle. “This will help. It’s over-the-counter all-day pain reliever.” She shook a couple of pills into her palm and offered them to him.
