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It should have been their wedding day and instead Lane was subjected to Lila’s taunts. Damn Lila Crane. If she ever came near Lane again, he might not be responsible for what happened. He wasn’t going to warn her, the bitch deserved whatever happened. Rabid dogs indeed. As he recalled it was much more like wham, bam, see you next time, ma’am. Maybe Tony could date her, he mused. After all, the Bellini brothers seemed to be interchangeable.
Chapter 24
Some play football
They missed the kickoff and had some trouble finding seats. Jamie played offense and luckily the other team had first possession so they hadn’t missed any of Jamie’s time on the field. Ben held her hand as they sat in the bleachers watching the game.
Ben’s cell phone vibrated against his waist. He checked the caller id. It was Jess. He answered and started to walk down the steps toward someplace quiet where he could carry on a conversation.
“I know you’re at the game. I called Mom, but I’m sure she couldn’t hear it ring. Tell her I think the audition went really well and I should hear something next week. I’ll talk to you tomorrow, Ben.” And he was listening to dead air.
He walked back to where Lane sat. He leaned close and told her what Jess had said. She picked up her purse and got her phone out. Yes, there was a missed call. She sent a text to Jess. “Keeping fingers crossed call u later.”
The game was a bit of a blow out, the Hawkettes wi
“Jandy had a good game,” Jake said, and he and Ben began discussing the game in intricate detail.
Lane looked at Meg. “So, what are your plans now? Did y’all eat before the game?”
Meg shook her head. “No, we were talking about pizza. Jake said you used to have pizza every Friday night.”
Lane laughed. “Yes, I’d clean out the fridge on Thursday, reheating all of the leftovers from the week. Then on Friday we’d order pizza. Habits are hard to break, I guess.”
“Well either that or it’s just an excuse to get pizza. I think we’re heading to Minsky’s”
It was date night and they should be spending the night alone, so Lane was surprised when Ben asked if she wanted to join Jake and Meg for pizza. After she agreed, he pulled out his cell phone and sent a text to Jamie. “Minskys pv.” He knew Jamie would probably have plans with friends, but he wanted to give the Bambino the chance to join them for pizza.
Ben helped Lane get into the SUV. He walked around and got in himself. After the interior lights had faded, he leaned over and kissed her. “I love you. I know it’s date night and we should be alone. Do you mind joining the kids?”
She laughed. “I don’t mind at all. I like having the people I love around me. Did you just text Jamie?”
He gri
It was Friday night and it was busy, but they didn’t have to wait too long for a table. They ordered more pizza than four people would eat in one sitting. If Jamie came alone, they’d probably be fine. If he came with other players, they’d need more pizza. If he ditched them, they’d have pizza to take home.
They were talking about Jess’s audition when they saw Jamie come in. He appeared to be with another player and they both seemed to have dates. Ben nodded the way men do at each other. The teenagers approached the table. The football team hung out at the Parker house a lot, so Lane, Ben and Jake all knew Tyler.
“This is Ashley and Chloe. This is my Mom, her fiancé Mr. Bellini, my brother Jake, his friend Meg.” Jamie looked at Meg. “Oh, Meg, this is my friend Tyler.”
Polite hellos were exchanged. Ben asked if the teenagers wanted to join them and the guys began looking for a table they could commandeer and move.
The girls were agog as they sat down. They stared at Ben. A month ago, Jamie had told Ben that he didn’t plan to get serious with anyone since he knew he was going away to college in a few months. He’d also said he didn’t know any girl who was ready to be subjected to all of the Parkers, let alone the Bellinis. But, he’d brought Chloe anyway and he watched as she stared at Ben. He wasn’t sure if it was because she thought Ben was good looking or if it was the Bellini name that had caught her attention. Either way, Jamie knew he didn’t have her full attention.
Ben looked at Jamie. “We have three larges coming, but we can order another if you think we’ll need it.”
Jamie looked at Tyler. Everyone knew the girls wouldn’t eat much in front of their dates, but Jamie and Tyler had just played a game of football. Jamie gri
“I’ve got it. Jumbo combo?”
Jamie and Tyler nodded.
Lane asked the girls where they went to school. Jake, Jamie, Ben and Tyler talked about the game. Meg and Lane tried to engage the girls in conversation about school, what grade they were in, what their plans for college were. They were relieved when the pizza came and conversation was allowed to subside.
Jake and Meg were the first to leave. Lane leaned toward Ben and whispered that she thought they should go too because she still needed to call Jess.
“Jamie, we’re heading out,” Ben said as he stood and helped Lane up. “Tyler it was good to see you again. Girls, nice meeting you.”
“Yes, Chloe, Ashley, nice meeting you. Tyler nice seeing you. Y’all have a nice evening. Jamie, see you later at home,” Lane said as she picked up her purse and turned to go.
Ben put this hand in the small of her back as they walked to the door.
He held the door as Lane got into the SUV and leaned in for a quick kiss before he closed the door. He walked around and got it. “The girls seemed nice.”
Lane laughed. “They were certainly enamored with you.”
Ben smiled. “Surely not. I’m old enough to be their father.”
Lane laughed. Bellini fever, she thought.
“You don’t think the Bambino is serious with Chloe, do you? He told me a month ago he wasn’t pla
Lane laughed. “You were 17 once, what do you think?”
He looked at her. Yes, he’d been 17 once, his senior year was spent making Natalie Stanton think he was serious. And he was. Serious about getting into her pants anyway. God, he hoped Jamie remembered the rules.
He wondered what Lane had been like at 17. He knew she’d been a virgin until she met her first husband although he didn’t know whether they’d waited until after the wedding to have sex. He imagined any number of teenaged boys trying to get into her panties. He shook his head. It was completely insane to be jealous about oversexed teenaged boys in the past.
“What about you? What were you doing at 17?”
“I didn’t even date until I went to college.”
He gave her hand a squeeze. “I find that hard to believe. What was wrong with those Omaha boys? I’d have been all over you.”
She laughed. “First of all, you were five when I was 17, and secondly I went to a Catholic girl’s school and I went from school to home and home to school. There was no time or place to meet boys. No regrets though.” She smiled at him. “I’m very happy with the way my life has turned out.”
He lifted her hand to his lips. “So am I, Red. So am I.”
He drove to her house, aware as each block passed that he had failed to figure out something that would prevent Jess from taking matters into her own hands tomorrow. Besides, Lila showing up today was just another point in Jess’s favor. What had she said to him? “How many more are out there?”