1: On Edge
+8 Points
11: On Edge
Easton
“You can go home.” I say, waiting in the locker room for Humphries. I’m sure he wants to ream me out for my tardiness again. He was pissed we let the game get tied up. All knowledge that the opposing team, the Ice Devils, was ranked right below us in the current standings left his brain with his anger. We’d talked nonstop about how they’d match up to us well. Wish he’d hurry, I’m ready to leave.
Becker shakes his head angrily as we hear Coach stomping into the room. Kendall is lingering too. They’ve delayed packing their stuff as long as they can.
“Young! You are now starting for the next three games. Porter’s been suspended. Could be longer.” The veins in Humphries‘ forehead bulge, ready to explode.
“Coach?” Kendall stares at him with concern.
He’s pacing and muttering with anger. “Look, he just assaulted a girl outside the team exit.”
My heart hammers at that and I glance at Jackson. He steps in front of Kendall and places his hand on his
shoulder.
“You need to be smart about this. The girl he pushed, it’s your cousin. She was waiting there, and he got mad before he shoved her. She hit the ground and hurt her arm. They are in the treatment room with Dr. Stevens. If
you go off and give Maxton a down, you’ll be off the team. So be smart Young!” With that he turns to me.
“You can go. We’re good.”
Kendall rushes out heading left toward the treatment room. Kingston runs after him muttering about
watching him.
I don’t move. “Coach?”
He briefly turns to me. “I know why you were late. Don’t let it happen again.”
“Anyone else hurt?” I demand softly. Maxton has shown he has beef with Luci and she’s supposed to be by that exit with my son.
His eyes dart to me, but he averts them quickly. “No. Go home.”
He walks out fast and I hurry to grab my bag before hustling for the exit. I need to see my son…
I find them as I hit the opening. Luci sits on the bench with Cole in her lap and Barrett beside her. I hear Barrett “Luci, why did you let him be mean to you?”
I hold my hand up behind me, halting Jackson and Becker. We listen as she talks to them about choices phrasing it with references they will understand. Once she’s done, they lean against her quietly.
Kingston steps up behind us and I walk out slowly. Cole sees me first and he comes running. I lift him up and he chatters along about the game.
“I had to teach Luci. She doesn’t know nothing about hockey.” He beams and I finally relax. Doesn’t sound like
Maxton said anything to upset him.
Luci stands patiently with Barrett.
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11: On Edge
“Was Barrett coming to play this afternoon too?”
Cole nods excitedly. “Yes, you’re going to a party, so Luci said Barrett and I will play.”
I turn and stare at her. “Party?” I ask coldly. I can already guess….
She makes a fist, dropping it to her side while clearing her throat. “I didn’t…I told Cole you might be busy after…it’s not a problem. I was planning on them going with me.”
+8 Points
I can see her thinking, trying to see if she screwed up the schedule again. She rambles like that a lot. Similar to Cole when he gets flustered.
My mother, up to her usual tricks. “No party Cole. But you go with Luci and Barrett. We’ll be home soon.”
I turn to my brothers. Kingston is staring at the ground beside her frowning. Cole runs over, grabbing her outstretched hand and they leave.
“Maxton apparently was talking to Luci first and got angry. They heard her tell him not to touch her basically. Next thing they know, he walks off and shoves Ana, Kendall’s cousin. She hits the ground and Humphries lost it. He witnessed him pushing her. Ana’s mother demanded Humphries do something about it. He sent them inside, but they heard Maxton blame a Forrester.” Kingston informs us once they are gone.
“That explains why she was talking to the boys like that.” Becker mumbles.
“Let’s pick up dinner and go home. I need to hit the punching bag later.” I tell them as I head for Dad’s SUV. He needs to come home soon. Things are beginning to be too much. Though he won’t even try, I’m sure.
The passenger door opens and I look over to see Jackson climbing in.
“Mother?” He says softly.
“Yeah, she’s trying to make Cole think I don’t want to spend time with him again, I suspect.” I grip the wheel tightly. I push the button on the wheel. “Call Kingston.”
“Yo…” He makes his voice mimic mine, causing Jackson to chuckle.
“Mexican or Italian?” I ask.
“Umm guy with deepest voice chooses.” Becker says sounding like Donald Duck.
Kingston copies him too. “I concur.”
“Jerks.” I say. “Fine Mexican.” I turn off that way. “Meet you at the house.”
“They are trying to lighten you up.” Jackson mutters and I blow out a breath. I’ve been on edge for a while lately and it’s not going to end soon enough.
“I know.” I admit quietly. Kingston and Becker follow me anyway. “So little trust in this family.”
Jackson chuckles. “They want to make sure you don’t forget to order anything.”
We go to walk in and order. At the door is a large group of girls from campus. I recognize a few of them. Senior cheerleaders for the football team. They turn to stare at us.
“Oh hi guys! Great game! We were going to eat, want to join us? Celebrate your win?”
“Yeah, there’s a party later tonight. Football team hosting, but they’d let you in.” Another chimes in. They completely block the door.
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11: On Edge
“Excuse us.” Becker says, but they just talk more.
Becker tries again, but they reach out to touch his chest. “We’d love to eat with winning hockey players.”
Done and not caring, I bark out loudly. “MOVE!”
They shouldn’t be surprised, I’m not known for my warm, fuzzy attitude or conversation skills.
They jump, but get the message clearing a path and we step inside.
“What a dick.” One of them says loudly, but then in the same breath, giggles. “I so want him. He could boss me around all night long.”
“The bad boy that needs to be tamed…yes please. I just want him to say my name in my ear all hot and
heavy.”
“I know that voice, mmm imagine him telling you to get on your knees for him.”
The door shuts and I am thankful for blissful silence. f*****g hell, are they that desperate? The colder I am to them, the more they follow me around.
“I thought the puck bunnies were bad. That cheerleader group was terrible.” Becker grumbles, looking up at
the menu.
“Small group. The rest are normal and nice.” Kingston adds. He has two friends on the squad and they complain about those girls.
I shake my head and hope they leave b
the time we do.
First time today my luck has held out, as they have disappeared when we leave. I texted Baker earlier that we would pick up dinner. At the house, we find him missing.
“Hmm did he have the night off and no one told us?” Jackson mutters, laying the food out on the counters.
“Cole!” I call out down the hall and hear feet running.
“Daddy!” He runs into the kitchen. “Tacos?” He says hopefully and I nod.
“Chips, cheese and salsa too.” Becker eggs him on.
Cole turns happily. “Barrett, we’re having tacos. And chips.”
“I love chips and cheese!” Barrett exclaims, sliding onto the stool next to Cole.
“You like cheese quesadillas, tamales, or enchiladas?” Becker asks Barrett as I set Cole’s plate in front of
him.
“Yes.” He grins and we all chuckle at that.
“A boy after our own heart.” Jackson says, smiling at him. I start making him a plate with one of everything and pass it to him.
Luci steps in. “Boys…” She says mildly. Both of them say thank you quickly even though their mouths are full. “Luci, what do you want?” Becker asks her.
“I’m ok. I’ll eat later.” She places water bottles by the boys.
“Uh, no. If anyone here deserves to eat their weight in chips and cheese, it’s you today after Porter.” Kingston says and she stiffens. “Or maybe my weight in it. You aren’t very big.”
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11: On Edge
Becker simply hands her a plate with a quesadilla slice and enchiladas with chips, cheese and salsa.
“Tell Luci to eat boys.” He smirks mischievously at her. They chime in obediently, and she finds a spot by
herself.
As we eat, I remember something. Coach said he knew why I was late…
“Boys, you want to watch a show?” I ask and of course they agree. I flip the tv on that sits on the counter at
the far end.
Luci is sitting at the small breakfast table behind the boys. I step over and lean my hands on the table across from her. “What did you say to Humphries?”
Her eyes dart to me. She’s always on edge when you first start talking to her. “What?”
“He said he knew why I was late. Why did you talk to him?” I keep my voice low. I’m right and I know it. She
went to save me.
“I…I was correcting my mistake.” She’s biting her lip nervously.
“Why?” I demand.
Her eyes skitter back to mine. “Did I…did I miss part of this conversation?”
“No.” She sounds serious and I watch her visibly relax at my answer. Interesting. “Answer me.”
“Guess Cole got his manners from Baker… Because you didn’t deserve to be punished for what I caused. You
up, not watch someone else suffer.” She takes a deep breath before should own up when you
continuing. “Didn’t think you’d be so angry about it. You can’t ignore it like anything else to do with me and move on?” She says with slight spirit.
“He hates you and yet you go to talk to him? Not very smart.” I warn her. Was it him she was talking about to the boys and not Maxton Porter?
“No one ever accused me of being that. Probably not you either.” She clamps her mouth shut and looks at me surprised. Her internal monologue got out.
“Insulting my intelligence?” I ask reflexively, hiding my amusement.
“Just your common sense.” She fires back and stares at me this time. I can’t figure her out. She insults me, but went to defend me and sacrifice herself to Humphries.
“I have plenty of that. You, on the other hand, seem to go looking for trouble. And no one’s accused me of being friendly or warm. What did Porter say to you?” I sit down now and wait.
“Nothing that matters.”
“It matters if Cole heard it. Please.” Maybe manners work with her. I maintain eye contact, not liking how she looks down at the table. She loses her nerve too easily.
“He called me little mouse again and grabbed my arm. I shoved him off and he got mad. His typical charming behavior.”
Prick!
“And Humphries?” I prompt and she sighs.
“He tried to blame me for Maxton shoving that girl. I told him he was responsible for his own behavior. He
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11: On Edge
+8 Points
called me a pain in the rear. He was upset he had to suspend Maxton I think.” She glances over her shoulder
at the boys.
“Barrett enjoyed the game with Cole?” I think she needs a break from the serious stuff.
“Yes. Cole…he never called you daddy or them uncle at the game.” She seems to be reassuring me. “I forgot to
ask about that.”
I tilt my head. “I told you he knew not to before I left. Did you forget?”
Her eyes widen though I see her looking down.
“…yes I did.” Her breathing has picked up too.
Becker is listening intently from the island. He moves to sit with us. “Luci, did you enjoy the game? Cole said you know nothing about hockey.”
Kingston has turned around. He observes her a lot.
“It was very exciting. I enjoyed the pace of it.”
Becker opens his mouth as we hear the door opening to the mudroom. All our eyes are glued in that
direction.
“Grandpappy!” Cole says happily as Dad steps into the kitchen, smiling at Cole. He’s home after a month. Now where is my mother?
He walks quickly to embrace Cole, but I saw his sharp eyes take in Barrett’s appearance. Becker reaches for her plate, subtly sliding it in front of himself while Dad lifts Cole off the stool. I frown at him. She’s not done
eating.
“Who are our guests?” He asks Cole.
“That’s Luci, who watches me and Barrett, her friend’s nephew. We went to the hockey game.”
“How exciting. Hello Luci, I’m Jason Reed.”
“Hello.” She says and goes to stand.
“Please don’t get up.” Dad tells her quickly when Mother sweeps into the kitchen.
“Eating dinner?” Mother flanks Dad and looks at the table in front of Luci. Becker picks up a chip from her plate, crunching it loudly.
“Yes. Hard game.” Jackson says.
“Your father is back from Europe for a while. We were going to see about all of us eating together as a family.” Guess you should have shared that, I think sourly.
Luci motions at Barrett. “Barrett, we should get home. Thank you for letting him come to the hockey game, Easton.” She glances at me when she says that and stands up. Barrett hops down before reaching for his plate. Jackson grabs it.
“I have it, Barrett.” He says quietly.
“I’ll grab my backpack, and we’ll leave.” She ushers Barrett back toward the playroom.
“I go say goodbye.” Cole rushes out. Dad sets him down, though not before Mother clucks her tongue.
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11: On Edge
“I will go say goodbye.” She tells him. He runs off after them once he repeats the proper phrase.
“He’s four, Imogen.” Dad reminds her softly before he hugs the four of us.
+8 Points
“Jason, you know you have to start early to raise the proper young man you want to present to the world. I’ll go change and you can order dinner.”
“Be back in just a minute, boys, and you can catch me up. Just dropping my bags upstairs. Missed all my boys.” He walks out and I stare at Becker.
Once they are out of earshot, he whispers to all of us. “I figured there’s a rule for Luci about the help eating
with us.”
“Judging by those hawk eyes on the table in front of her, you’d be right.” Jackson adds.
“Back in a second.” I find her by the front door telling Cole goodbye.
“Night Coco. Hmmm let me think. Dream about flying marshmallows that fly through chocolate rainstorms.” He laughs. “Can they have graham cracker wings and then sprinkle storms after the chocolate?” She smiles widely. “Oooh. I like that. See you in two days.”
“Bye Barrett.” I say and he waves. He runs out the front door to her car and I send Cole to find his uncles. I grab Luci’s arm gently. She turns to stare at me puzzled.
“Luci…thank you for going to Coach for me. I appreciate what you did. Listen, if Porter bothers you, call me. Or one of us. Don’t let him box you in anywhere.” I can’t shake the feeling she might not take her own safety
seriously.
She looks worried. “Do you think he’s going to bother me?”
“He’s a crazy asshole. Just keep the offer in your back pocket. I might be a cold sonofabitch, but I’ll come help. Even if you think we haven’t in the past.”
“I’ll make sure he doesn’t upset Cole.”
“Good. But also make sure he doesn’t upset you. You’re on edge enough.” Like me. The question is why…time to start digging into the mystery that is Luci Forrester.
=
Ivory Row
We’re going to let Luci have some fun in the next chapter. There will be bits of drama in it but she deserves a little break from the big stuff. This is Easton starting to observe a lot more about her. One thing I want to mention is this book will be harder with Luci because they will tell her things and she might forget. It might look like a mistake in the book but it’s her focus issue. So like with Easton noticing she forget he told her about concealing their identities, it will show him her troubles. Easton isn’t warm and fuzzy except with kids. But we’ll see if things stay that way.
”
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