“So what’s your name?” Lucas asked.

The kid looked over and smiled. He made Lucas feel like a dinosaur with his bright blue eyes and bleach blonde hair. He had such a young face and a little gap in his teeth. He was a good-looking kid, but he made Lucas feel really old.

“Tate Odder.”

And he had an accent. A thick one.

“Can you speak English?’

Tate shook his head, “Not well. I learning.”

Oh God.

“Well good job tonight,” Lucas said, smacking him on his shoulder. Lucas didn’t think he hit him that hard, but Tate jerked forward some before looking back at Lucas with a nervous smile.

“Thank you,” he said enunciating each word.

Lucas shook his head before meeting Shea’s gaze. “Leave him alone.”

“Where’s he from?”

“Sweden. He is a good guy.”

“He’s a baby, and he can’t speak a lick of English,” Lucas whispered.

Shea shook his head. “He’s fine and he’s learning, plus he just saved our asses, so be nice.”

“Whatever.”

Shea laughed as he stood up undressing. Lucas stood up too, pulling off his shorts just as Shea poked him in the shoulder. Lucas cringed in pain before he looked over at the little heel mark that Fallon had left on him.

“What the hell is that? Oh, there’s two,” Shea said seeing the other side.

“Yeah, it’s nothing,” Lucas said, sitting down. He didn’t want to think about them. They hadn’t hurt when he was pounding into Fallon, but they stung now.

Just like his heart.

“I know what they are. Those are high heel marks,” Phillip said from across the locker room. “Brooks got lucky last night.”

The team all laughed, razzing him and making catcalls as Lucas just rolled his eyes. Before he could say anything, Shea beat him to it, glaring over at Phillip.

“Yeah, something that never happens for you, huh, Anderson?” Shea shot him a dirty look before saying, “Shut the hell up.” He then wrapped a towel around his waist and went to the shower as they locker room went eerily quiet. Lucas scoffed as he looked over at Phillip. He was glaring at Shea’s back and Lucas knew he wouldn’t say anything. Not to big Captain Adler. No one did, well except Lucas. He wasn’t scared one bit of Shea but then again, he wasn’t an ass to Lucas the way he was to Anderson. Lucas shook his head as he chuckled.

Shea really hated that guy.

“So why is your beautiful wife driving you crazy?” Lucas said as he dropped down in the seat beside Shea. Shea shut his laptop as he chuckled.

“She is pregnant.”

Lucas smiled. “Can’t be that bad. Elli is a sweetheart.”

“She can be, and she can be crazy. Ever since we found out the baby was a girl, she’s been driving me insane with all things girl. How hard could another girl be? We already have one!”

“Another girl? That’s awesome Shea. What are you guys going to name her, Sheanana?” Lucas laughed.

Lucas thought he was hilarious but Shea didn’t think so as Lucas continued to let out a gut-busting laugh. When he finally calmed down, he cleared his throat. “Bad joke, sorry.”

“Really bad joke,” Shea said with a shake of his head. “Why is it when I am really starting to like you, you piss me off?”

Lucas shrugged his shoulders. “It’s my charm.”

“Charm my ass.” Lucas laughed and Shea’s face broke into a grin. Shea stretched his arms out in front of him before saying, “So what has Fallon done?”

Lucas grin fell and he took in a sharp breath. “I really don’t want to talk about it.”

“Okay, is it fixable?”

“Yeah, when she gets her head out of her ass and sees that she can trust me and that I won’t hurt her again.”

Shea nodded. “I don’t know if she’s anything like Elli was, but I had to basically scream I loved her in her face, from the rooftop, and from the middle of the arena for that girl to believe me. Women are nuts,” he said with a shrug of his shoulders. “Fallon is a good woman, and a damn good mom.”

“I know, and I want her so badly, I could scream. I want my family together. I want to make more little babies. I want to be happy, with her and Aiden.”

Shea shrugged his shoulders before saying, “Then get it.”

“I wish it was that easy.”

“Just don’t give up,” Shea said sincerely. “You guys look good together.”

Lucas smiled as he nodded. “We are good together, when Fallon’s head isn’t up her fine ass.”

The next morning, after a long sleepless night, Lucas dialed Audrey’s number since he knew Fallon wouldn’t answer.

“Hello, Lucas dear,” Audrey gushed.

“Hey, how are you?”

“You know, livin’. How about you?”

Lucas shrugged even though she couldn’t see him. “Shitty. Your sister is driving me insane.”

“I know, she does it to us all. I haven’t heard the latest saga of Lucas and Fallon but I’m pretty sure she’ll tell me soon. She’s pretty much locked herself up in the room.”

“Yeah that’s what Aiden said. She won’t answer my calls either.”

“She’s special, but we both know that,” she joked. “So, what’s up?” she asked brightly. Lucas smiled despite himself; Audrey was so bright and bubbly. It was hard not to smile when you talked to her.