52: Plans
Jackson
Luci has obviously been crying and Easton was almost on fire when I walked through the door after making sure Cole was still asleep by some miracle.
“Luci, I don’t give a damn. He f*****g hurt you!”
She moves fast, darting around him and grabbing his keys off his dresser. “Luci….
She races over, hiding behind me. The door to Cole’s room is right behind me with Easton’s desk on my right. He strides over and rests his knuckles on the desk. “Are you really hiding behind my brother?”
Luci’s hand grips the back of my hoodie. “Yes because he’s the same size as you. Twin base
instead of home base.”
A laugh sputters out before I can stop it.
Easton leans over his desk hanging his head, I suspect to hide his own laughter. When he lifts his head, he is grimly amused. “Jackson, you can’t let him leave. Promise me you’ll keep him here.” Luci tugs on my hoodie. I turn enough to look down at her earnest face. “Please. He needs to think about Cole. You can keep him here. For Coconut.” She gives me a tiny pleading smile and I don’t even hesitate a second before completely relenting.
“I can do that. Give me the keys.”
She does with her sweet smile and hugs me. Easton fairly growls and I wonder which infraction it’s for, hugging her or the keys.
“The storm is gone. I can head home.” She says before moving his way again. I watch her touch his arm. “Don’t be upset with me…or your brother. I didn’t tell you that so you could run off and attack someone. I told you because I trust you and I wanted to answer your question. Think about Cole. He needs you here, not in jail for assault. I’m ok.”
“Luci.” He groans with exasperation.
“Promise me Easton Reed.” She stubbornly persists.
“Fine. I promise to stay here.” He begrudgingly tells her. She wraps her arms around him in a short hug.
“Thank you. I’ll see you tomorrow.” She is heading my way to leave.
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48 Point
52: Plans
“Where do you think you’re going?” Easton calls out.
She faces him, jerking her thumb over her shoulder. “Grabbing my bags, then going home. My
usual routine.”
His eyes narrow and I smother my laugh again. “My brother got a longer hug than I did and
you’re leaving?”
“Well I didn’t have to work as hard to convince him.” She fires back, trying not to laugh.
“Thanks Luci for putting me right in his line of fire.” I tell her dryly.
“Her sassy ass attitude…you won’t get far if I have to chase you.”
“Game room East.” I call over my shoulder as I unlock his door and travel across the hall to my
room. I need to hide his keys along with mine because he’s crafty. I tap on Becker’s door after
that. He opens it glancing around. “Cole slept through that?”
“You heard him too. Not sure how but he did. Hide your keys. Luci made him promise not to
leave and stole his.”
“Hell…wonder who lit the volcano. See you in a minute. I’ll tell Kingston.”
Fifteen minutes later, the three of us watch him stalk in and grab his gloves. “I guess you’ll
keep your promise and stay here.” I venture and he shakes his head.
“For tonight. And what happened to brotherly support? You folded and helped her almost
instantly!”
I raise one eyebrow at him. “How do you tell her no? Because it’s like telling Cole he can’t have ice cream. You find yourself agreeing when she asks for something!” I defend myself.
He shakes his head ruefully muttering. “I know. I’ll be agreeing to s**t for the rest of my life and then convincing myself I have to tell her no. I have to be creative now to tell her, but I’d
beat your ass if you did that.”
“Rest of your life huh, East?” Becker asks with that fake innocent face.
Without missing a beat, he gives him almost the same look. “Aren’t you the three that voted to keep her?”
“What happened?” Kingston asks as he attacks the punching bag.
“Marshall f*****g Soames played her three years ago. And Brooklyn Humphries tried to kill her
but died after crashing into her car and then a huge tree on campus.”
I blink twice before I can fully comprehend that. “Okay let’s pretend we’re completely in the
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49 Points
52: Plans
dark here East and you start talking from the beginning.”
By the time he’s finished my brain hurts but I’d like to take my hockey stick to both the
coaches.
“Grown ass adults decided to cover this up and use her as a source for their screwed up grief
over Brooklyn being dead. Their guilt that they spoiled her ass so much she couldn’t begin to emotionally deal with being used and not being the true center of attention from a dickhead
who honestly deserves no one’s attention. She never was able to handle any kind of refusal. A truly spoiled princess with no emotional regulation.” Kingston offers up.
“Nice Dr. Freud. But yeah, you’re right. They turned her into what she was.” I agree.
“Luci said she had a mental breakdown and was under psych care but you can guarantee they
wouldn’t tarnish her reputation with an inpatient stay. If attempted murder was not allowed to harm her memory, how dare you get her real help.” Easton says with venom.
“Luci is right though Easton. You can’t go off and attack any of them. They would press charges and you do have to worry about Cole. Custody of him…” Becker says darkly.
“Then I just let them get away with this?!” He stops hitting the bag to shake his head.
“No but we need to plan this out. Personally, I think you get to beat Soames to a pulp legally. And break his f*****g hands and right arm. In multiple places to ruin the playoffs and hopefully next year’s season for his ass. He seems the type to come after Luci again if Julian
revealed he knows.” Becker points out.
“I’m not using her as f*****g bait!” Easton coldly refuses.
“No you won’t. He’ll be enraged she moved on with you though. And as for Humphridicks one and two….this is coming up.” Kingston turns his tablet around and we all exchange glances before nodding. “Public humiliation. We need the flash drive. That will take care of Fucklin. As for our esteemed coach, Fuckphries…I vote we get Dad involved.”
“I don’t think he’ll help her. He’s been staring at her too much and not in a won over fashion.” I point out and Easton nods.
“Mother dearest…” Becker sighs. “We win him over later. Start with the two biggest assholes.
We need Julian.”
“Tomorrow. We have our first class with him.” Easton proclaims.
After our first class the next morning, Easton moves fast to get out the door before everyone else and I follow right on his heels. He clamps one hand down on Julian’s shoulder and steers
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48 Points
52: Plans
him across the wide hallway.
“Wondered how long it would take you to show up for me.” Julian holds his hands up almost
in surrender.
Easton shoves him through the empty lecture hall doorway. “Your f*****g brother?”
“Asshole left after the parade. Via text, he told my parents he needed to get back. Probably didn’t want to explain the bruised jaw I gave him.” His jaw ticks angrily.
“Your mother helped cover up an attempted murder.” Becker accuses coldly.
Julian’s face is set in cold stone. “Yes she did. And I would bet she buried her f*****g high
society head in the sand after she got the first two photos of her precious son with two
different girls. She’s mine. I’ve listened to nothing but his praises for years while she knew he
was a f*****g scumbag.” He turns remorseful eyes toward us. “I am sorry for what I did to
Luci. For…for the things I said to her. I believed him. He’s still milking the sympathy for losing
Brooklyn tragically with everyone. I thought Luci was a terrible person. Turns out I was the
dumbass.”
“You’re going to help us. And if she never forgives you, that’s your misfortune. She’s the
sweetest person I’ve ever met and it didn’t take me long to figure that out once I spent an hour
with her.” Easton admits to him. Yeah we always saved her and anyone else they went after
but it doesn’t feel like enough. I wonder if Luci has figured out that Easton always tried to
intervene without enraging our coach.
“She must be for you to say that. I’m assuming, no more like praying you are not stopping at
my asshole brother. You tell me what to do and I’m there.” He says sincerely.
“Give us your number.” I say before we leave.
Baker
Cole’s happy voice chatters away as he and Luci come in the front door. She has made a huge
difference in him in only two short months. They come my way and I set his snack plate
down. They are going Christmas shopping this afternoon.
“Hi Baker.” Luci smiles at me.
“I have what you asked for in the playroom if you’d like to go take care of that. I can watch
him.” I offer. She needed my help for one of Easton’s gifts.
Her eyes light up. “Thank you Baker. Should only take me about ten minutes.”
“Take your time.” She walks away and I move to sit across from Cole.
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52: Plans
“Excited to go shopping?”
He beams, his mouth full of cheese and crackers. He nods his head vehemently.
“Will you see Santa again?” I ask.
“I gave him my list. Don’t need to.”
I lean in conspiratorially and keep my voice low. “You know Santa is a good friend of mine.” He is. My father started playing Santa a few years ago and he loves it. And he’s quite familiar
with Cole. When he called me last week with Cole’s wish, I knew I’d need to talk to him.
Watching him do his best to put Luci and Easton together was truly fun to watch. I didn’t interfere in any way, knowing Easton is already doing his best to catch her. He’s changed too. Happier and lighter in so many ways.
“He is?” Cole says, his eyes wide.
“Yep. And he said you have a really big wish. One that he might not be able to deliver by Christmas.” I need to temper him a bit. Jason is wary of Luci though I’m doing my best to change that. But he’s dealing with problems with his wife too. Honestly, I’d like to ask Santa to
deal with her. To bring back the old Imogen…
Cole looks around before leaning over more. “Do you think Luci would be my mom?”
“I don’t know, Cole. She loves you a lot. I think she could definitely be your Luci for always.” I have no doubt Lorelei Winters will return and wreak havoc on poor Cole.”
“Daddy kissed her, Baker.” He confides smiling.
I laugh a little. “Then let’s make a plan to help Daddy.”
Ivory Row
Oh that Cole, he’s recruiting others in his plotting. Revenge is coming but it will be after Easton’s birthday. We’re going to find out Imogen’s issues too. Sorry I didn’t get to post last night. My little one is very sick and I was driving way too late. But we should be back on track now.
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