Whatever It Takes Read online

  Oh, and not just him. He and the rest of his super famous, rich and successful friends.

  I glance down the bar at Lainey, who is super busy on her end of the bar. There’s no way that I can ask her to also wait on this table.

  No freaking way. Plus, Linda is about done with me and my piss poor attitude today...so there’s that.

  Since I need this job, I have no other options.

  I’m going to have to be around Eric tonight, even if it kills me.

  Chapter 2

  Eric

  “I don’t understand why we’re here, but we can’t actually drink what we want,” Brock grumbles to me under his breath, before narrowing his eyes across the table at Laci, who is firmly tucked underneath Jakes arm.

  “She’s not even our mom anymore.”

  “No, she’s not, but, she is right. We can’t be getting smashed tonight and then expect to play our best tomorrow. We gotta be on our game. We barely won tonight. You know damn well that Chicago’s gonna be coming on strong tomorrow. We gotta be ready.”

  “I always feel ready after a night of letting loose,” Brock grumbles again, making me howl.

  “Really? Last time you let loose before a game, you were greener than the turf. I think out of all of us, you need your own personal mommy. To keep you in check.”

  Eddie Cruz laughs and high fives me, as Brock leans back in his chair and crosses his arms.

  “Lies.” He mutters, before signaling up to the bar.

  Avery steps back over to us, trying her best to ignore me, before leaning down and getting Brocks drink order.

  She nods, not making any eye contact with me whatsoever, before turning back around and heading to the bar.

  Out of the corner of my eye, I watch her go, my eyes firmly focused on her behind.

  Good fucking god...

  That ass.

  I always used to comment on it to her, joking that watching her leave was one of my favorite things.

  It’s still just as perfect as I remember it, except now?

  I don’t so much like to see her go.

  “I ordered a Vodka and Cranberry,” Brock says, leveling his gaze with Laci. “How much you wanna bet I don’t get it?”

  She giggles, before leaning further into her husband.

  “You’ll thank me tomorrow, Brock.”

  Avery returns with a bottle of Miller Lite, making Brocks frown deepen. “Sonofabitch.” He mutters, before taking the beer and shaking his head.

  “This is ridiculous.”

  “Not as ridiculous as you would be tomorrow hung over.” Laci croons, making his scowl deepen.

  “Whatever.”

  I’m trying my best to partake in the back and forth that has come to be our normal ever since Jake, our shortstop, went ahead and fell for our team mom, married her, and then as if he needed to make it any clearer how madly in love with each other they are, he hurried up and got her pregnant.

  Laci isn’t so bad though. At first, I didn’t like her and her rules so much, but now, she is just one of us. The bossiest one of us for sure, but, either way, she means well.

  I want to engage with my crew, but I’m finding it damn hard to focus on anything except the fact that Avery is here, inside of this bar, with me.

  Well, obviously, not with me.

  Hell. She barely pays any attention to me at all.

  But me?

  I can’t keep my fucking eyes off of her.

  That woman has haunted me for the last six years of my life. She’s never more than a thought away, all the damn time. I can’t even tell you how many times I’ve fallen into a fitful night’s sleep, not even able to get any relief from my thoughts of her because the second that I think I’ve gotten rid of her memory?

  She haunts my fucking dreams.

  I’ve done my fair share of trying to get over her since our split. I’ve focused my attention on many other woman, fully living up to the playboy image that the media loves to give me...but none of that has allowed me to ever shake Avery Cooper.

  Not by a long shot.

  And if any part of me ever thought that I was over her?

  Seeing her tonight only reinforces the fact that she still owns my heart. It also reinforces the fact that Avery still hates me.

  With a passion.

  Of course, I deserve it. Every damn ounce of that hatred in fact.

  When I had her, when I was able to call her mine, I was just a young and dumb kid. Fame was just starting for me, even though it was only in the form of being a college star. I made some stupid ass choices and it cost me everything. And while my career soared?

  I lost the only person that ever really mattered to me.

  I’m older now, and a hell of a lot smarter. I’ve been around, and I know damn well that she is always going to own my heart.

  And if this isn’t a sign from God that I need that woman in my life, then for real.

  I don’t know what is.

  “At least our waitress is hot.” Brock shrugs, before glancing around the bar. “Because otherwise, this would be a total bust. There’s like, only dudes in here, and since I can’t even get a decent drink...” he cuts his eyes at Laci again, “At least I can check her out.”

  I flex and unflex my hands under the table, but I don’t say a single word about it.

  Deep down I know that no freaking way is Brock going to be making any kind of move on Avery, but I’m not about to announce that.

  These guys would ride me endlessly, and probably make a total ass out of me about it.

  This here is a delicate situation. And I have to figure out a way to handle it, without involving any of these clowns.

  That is unless Brock tries to make a move. Because in that case?

  Shit’s gonna hit the fan.

  We may be ancient history, but no way. Some women are strictly off limits, and Avery is definitely one of them.

  “She’s not super friendly. I don’t even think she likes us very much.” Eddie says with a shrug. “I think you have about no shot with that one.”

  “The hell I don’t.” Brock rolls his eyes. “I could if I wanted to try. I’m just not feeling it tonight. I actually think that I’m going to go and turn in. I’ve had about enough fun for one night.”

  “Thank god,” Laci mutters as Brock pushes his chair back. “I’m ready for bed too.”

  “Oh, I see how it is. You just have to stick around to make sure Brocky boy doesn’t go crazy, right? The rest of the guys can manage themselves, but I’m that guy? The one who needs all of the help?”

  Brock cuts his eyes at her, making Jake groan.

  “Really Brock? You’re just now figuring that out?”

  Everyone groans, as Brock narrows his eyes at Laci again, before a smile takes the place of his frown and he reaches out, rubbing his hand along her very large belly.

  “Alright, alright. I guess I am that guy. Thanks Momma for looking out. But your work here can be done. Big Brocky is going back to the hotel, and you, Jake, and little Brock can rest easy now, ok?”

  “Don’t ever call my child such a vile name again.” Jake jokes, smacking Brocks hands away from Laci. “Jake Jr. does not want to be called Brock. It hurts his feelings.”

  “Seriously?” Laci shakes her head, before glaring at them both.

  “It could be a girl, you guys realize that, right?”

  “Brockella is a great name.” Brock grins wide making everyone groan.

  “And just like that, our night is a wrap.” Laci giggles, before waving goodbye to all of us.

  Jake reaches down and scoops her up, as she tries to smack him, yelling for him to put her down.

  In typical Jake fashion, he completely ignores her, carrying her towards the exit.

  “He’s such a caveman.” Brock rolls his eyes, before saying his own goodbyes and following behind them.

  “Nah. He’s just in love.” Eddie chirps in, before directing his attention to me.

  “You gonna head back too? I�
�m think I’m gonna call it a night as well.”

  “I will in a minute.” My eyes flick back over to Avery, who is busy cleaning off the now nearly empty bar.

  “Ah. Ok.” Eddie grins at me, before glancing between Avery and me.

  “Well, you have fun. But not too much fun. We gotta be up bright and early.”

  He pushes back his chair, before heading up towards the bar, saying something quietly to Avery before handing her a stack of bills. She glances between the money and him, before nodding and smiling, saying something to him that I can’t understand.

  Me? I sit at the table for only a moment, waiting for Eddie to exit, before grabbing the remnants of my beer and heading towards the bar.

  “This seat taken?” I ask her, making her sigh before shaking her head.

  “Nope. All yours.”

  “Cool.” I sit down, across from her, before twisting my beer bottle in my hands.

  “Listen, Avery...” I start, and she shakes her head hard.

  “No. Eric, you listen. If you need a beer, then let me know. Otherwise, I’d rather not do this whole small talk thing with you.”

  “Why? Damn, Ave’s. It’s been a long time. I never thought I’d see you again, yet here you are, bartending at the same bar I’m at. What’s so wrong with catching up?”

  “Well,” she starts, leveling her gaze with mine. “In order to catch up with someone, both parties have to want to.”

  “And you don’t want to.” I finish, making her nod.

  “Exactly. I mean, I’m glad to see that you made it, and all. But that’s about all that I need to know. So, congratulations on being the big shot that you always knew that you would be. I’m really happy for you.”

  “Thanks.” Her condescending tone isn’t missed by me, but I don’t call her on it.

  “So, Chicago, huh?”

  She doesn’t want to catch up, fine. But that doesn’t mean that I can’t try to make small talk with my bartender.

  “Yep.” She continues wiping down the bar, before moving on to the liquor bottles beneath her.

  “Have you lived here long?”

  “Nope.”

  “I live in South Carolina now.” I drain the last sip of my beer before motioning towards it. “And I’ll take another beer too, please.”

  She sighs hard, before turning around and grabbing a beer out of the cooler, slamming it down in front of me.

  “Thanks.” I flash her a smile before taking a long drink, my eyes never leaving her.

  I wasn’t bullshitting her when I told her that she looked amazing. She was always perfection, wrapped in the perfect little body like she was made with only my taste in mind.

  Her hair is still the same honey brown color that I remember, still hanging in soft waves down her back. Her eyes are the same fierce green, and if she ever smiled? I know that those plush pink lips would still turn up and flash two adorable dimples in her cheeks.

  Time has been kind to her, and honestly?

  She looks exactly like the girl in my memory. Her breasts are still large, perfectly present underneath her tight bar logo t-shirt. Her hips may be a little wider, a little curvier, but in my mind?

  All the better to grip her with.

  “Stop looking at me like that.” She mutters, before shaking her head and turning her attention back to the bottles.

  “I can’t help it.”

  I’m being totally honest here.

  “Ave’s. I can’t get over how you look exactly the same as the last time that I saw you. You’re just as beautiful as I remember you.”

  “I’m surprised you can even remember what I looked like the last time that you saw me, Eric.” She sneers my name before leaning across the bar, staring hard into my eyes.

  “Because the last time that I saw you? You were ass up in the air, plowing hard into some college whore, who had her legs wrapped around your neck. I’m surprised you were even able to turn your head in my direction.”

  Ok, ouch. So, I deserved that...

  “Ah, fuck. Right. About that...”

  “Uh-uh.” She waves the rag around before shaking her head. “This is why I don’t want to do this with you, ok? Let’s not catch up and let’s not do this. I’d rather just pretend that we are strangers. I’d like for you to finish up your beer and then exit this bar, without a single glance back. Should be pretty easy for you.” She nods in my direction, ending of course, with one last zinger, before turning around and shaking her head.

  She mutters something underneath her breath that I can’t catch, but, I’m not going to give her what she wants.

  I’m not going to just take off into the night and act like seeing her hasn’t just completely rocked my world.

  No fucking way could I do that.

  “I’m really sorry, Ave’s.” I finally muster out, after a few moments of silence.

  “Yeah. I bet.” She slaps a receipt in front of me. “Here’s your tab. You can settle up with Lainey.” She nods towards the other bartender, before shaking her head again.

  She turns on her heel, tossing her bar rag into the sink before mumbling something to the other bartender, and storming through the doors that lead to the back.

  For a brief moment, I debate chasing after her. But if I know anything about Avery, it’s that she has to have her moment to be pissed off.

  But something inside of me, some small part of me that I thought had died long ago, suddenly came back to life, and it all started with seeing Avery Coopers face.

  She may not want to see me again, but dammit all, I sure as hell am gonna try to make her want to.

  Chapter 3

  Six Years ago

  Eric

  “So, son, I want you to just make yourself at home.” Jack Cooper gives me a firm nod, before opening the front door to his home.

  “It’s just me, and my daughter Avery kicking around in this big old house, and there’s plenty of room for all three of us.”

  He motions me inside, as I kick the snow off my shoes, all thanks to a bitter early Michigan snowstorm.

  “Thank you, sir. Really, I can’t even begin to thank...”

  Jack shakes his head, before putting his hand on my shoulder, and looking me square in the eyes.

  “No need to thank me there, young man. I mean it. No need. I’m not doing anything that any other good Christian, or, hell, decent human being would do. Now like I said, there’s plenty of room here for all of us, and when you’re here? You’re family. So, with that being said, I fully expect that you will make yourself at home. The rules here won’t be any different for you than they are for my daughter Avery. Go to school, do your homework, pick up after yourself, and help out around the house. Curfew is 9 pm on the weeknights and 11 pm on the weekends. That’s it for rules.”

  I nod once, trying to absorb everything that he is telling me, even though I’m still trying to wrap my head around the fact that this man just showed up at the shelter I was forced to head to, ordered me to pack up my stuff, loaded me into his truck and drove me to his home.

  There is nothing ordinary about what he has done, but it’s obvious that he doesn’t see anything special about it.

  Which just goes to show you what an awesome human being Jack Cooper is.

  “Yes, Mr. Cooper.”

  “Mr. Cooper died five years ago, and if you keep calling me that you’re gonna make me feel older than I already do. It’s just Jack. Or Coach. Coop works too, or Coach Cooper. But Mr. Cooper is a firm no.”

  He chuckles again, before reaching down and grabbing one of my two suitcases that contain everything that I own, before leading me towards the staircase. He nods in the direction of the back of the house, quickly pointing out the basics. Kitchen, dining room, living room which we walk through briefly, before he starts up the stairs.

  “My rooms on the main floor, but the rest of the bedrooms are up here. There’s a couple spares, you can have your pick if you don’t like the one that I chose for you.”

  “
Any room is fine,” I tell him, as I follow him up, meaning every damn word.

  Any room in this giant old house has to be better than the room that I just left...which was just a huge open room filled with a shit ton of cots, at the local shelter, a couple of towns away.

  And any bedroom here is probably better than the tiny room I called my own in the little tin box of a trailer that I shared with my mom prior to that.

  Or any bedroom that I’ve ever had, in any of the many rental houses and apartments that I lived in with her until we would get evicted and be forced to find a new one.

  We get to the top of the staircase, and he nods down to the right side of the hallway.

  “Avery’s room is that last door on the left. She’s not here now, but you’ll get to meet her later.”

  I simply nod and follow him down the opposite end of the hall.

  He sets down my suitcase for just a second, before opening the very last door at the end of the hallway.

  “I figured this room will work for you.”

  I follow him into the giant bedroom, trying not to let the complete and utter shock show on my face.

  This room alone is bigger than any place that I ever lived in with my mom.

  I almost can’t believe that this is where I will be living for my senior year of high school.

  It’s almost unreal to me.

  “If this doesn’t suit you, there is another bedroom next door, and then one down the hallway by Avery’s room. But I just thought it would be nice for the two of you to have some space between you.”

  And with those words, an unspoken line in the sand is drawn, I’m assuming.

  Except, he goes on.

  “Now, I’m glad to have you here son, and I want you to feel at home. But, I have heard a little bit of your reputation, and I want you to know, that everything in this house is yours.”

  His eyes level with mine, as his mouth flattens. “Except my daughter. That is one thing that is most definitely off limits...”

  “Absolutely sir.” I give him a firm nod. “You have my word. I would never do anything to jeopardize...

  “Good.” He nods again, before smacking me on the back. “I didn’t want to make it an issue. I just wanted you to understand where I stand on that matter.”