Touchdown

Chapter 21

I just want to take a second and thank everyone who had urged me to keep writing and thank you all for reading!!! Please let know what y'all think I love hearing from you!!
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I whipped my head around to look at Ryan. "Sit," he demanded, pulling over a bar stool, "Smile, remember there's cameras everywhere." The bartender put my drink in front of me, I drank it down as if it was a shot, while Ryan slid a hundred into the tip jar. "Two more," he told the bartender, the man pulled out a second glass and filled them both, and Ryan and I gulped them down. I put on a fake smile as Ryan started to whisper, "Someone leaked it to the press before she arrived, and she confirmed it."

"Who would leak that? And why would she confirm it?" I got the bartenders attention and pushed the glass towards him, "You may just want to leave the bottle out hun."

The man raised an eyebrow, and looked to Ryan, "She's kidding," he laughed, and took the refills, "Don't forget about the cameras," he said through a smile with gritted teeth. "Either she leaked it or Brooke or someone on payroll did. If I had to guess why, she either thinks I'm going to come running back or...."

"Or what?" I forced myself to keep the smile on my face.

"Or she thinks you'll run," the look in his eye showed, he too was worried about that possibility.

I let out a loud laugh, and pulled him closer by the lapels of his suit, "Nothing's changed, I'm not going anywhere. If she wants me to leave she'll have to try harder than that. But.... If it's true.... If it's true she can't be that far along, she's so skinny."

"Four months today, and she is bigger than she was," he paused and lowered his voice, "But there's no way it can be mine."

"How are you so sure?"

"Before you I always used protection, I made sure of that. I've always known I never wanted to have a family with anyone but you," he kissed the top of my head as a flash went off. I turned to see the camera man take another picture of us while we were looking at him. While Ryan gave the man my name, I glanced behind him and saw Brooke was seething as she looked at us. When the man left Ryan turned back to me, "You've got to believe me."

I picked up my glass and downed it, and pulled him in for a kiss not caring who was watching. "I told you, I'm not going anywhere." He took my hand and helped me down, from the bar stool and walked me back to the door.

"We'll be leaving shortly," he said before he walked off.

"What was that all about?" Jordan asked as I took my seat beside her.

"Oh nothing, he just told me how Brooke claims she's pregnant with his child," I smiled as I dropped the bombshell.

"Yeah and my tits are real," laughed Kayla.

"They sure look real and they look amazing," I exclaimed as the bourbon started to take effect.

"They feel even better," Kayla replied.

"Hello? Ladies back to the subject? She says she's pregnant?" Jordan hissed, reigning us back in.

"Yeah, that's what she said but if she is it can't be Ryan's," I replied.

"Why can't it be?" Kayla asked.

"Because..." I started, and at that very moment, the door swung open and grabbed everyone's attention. Brooke was crying as she made a beeline for Ava's table.

She made sure her everyone saw her tears. "I just wanted to raise this baby as a family," Brooke said in between her sobs.

"It's ok baby, you will," Ava crooned, while Brooke continued to sob on her shoulder. "Ryan has always been outspoken about family, and how much it means to him. He'll come back, it'll just take some time." Ava continued to smooth Brooke's hair back as she continued to cry.

Jordan waver her hand in my face, "Please tell me you all don't have plans tomorrow, after tonight we need lunch, and a shopping date."

"You had me at shopping," Kayla laughed.

"Sorry y'all, I can't, raincheck?" I replied.

"What could you possibly be doing?" Jordan pointed her finger at me, "And lying in bed with your man does not count as a good excuse."

"Some kind of interview and photoshoot," I replied with a shrug.

Kayla suddenly had a look of interest on her face, "What kind of interview?"

"Something about women and men, I can't remember what he said about it, just that we were promised the cover and he promised, to take me to the MET if I agreed. So of course I said yes, I mean I've always wanted to go to the MET," I laughed.

Jordan gave me a sly, knowing smile, "Girl, we have to work on your bargaining skills, you literally could've gotten anything from that man and you asked to go the MET? Hell I would've gone with you to the MET."

"What am missing?" I asked.

"Nothing," Jordan replied.

"Nothing my ass," I croaked.

"The Women Behind the Men, publication is one of the biggest honors a rookie can get," Kayla said louder then she should have, I turned just in time to see Brooke's head come off of Ava's shoulder. "All the men in the list are the top of the top rookies, with the best deals, the ones to watch out for and the ones with the best women who stand behind them and support them. Guys with girlfriends, and even fiancé's never get included, I don't know what kind of magic you worked to get the cover but keep it up, it's great press for Ryan and the team."

When the glass shattered, the three of us turned our heads in unison, to see that it was Brooke. "First Ryan, then my house and now MY interview?" Brooke said through gritted teeth, she then started to sob, "How much lower will he stoop to humiliate me?"

Ava started to brush Brooke's hair back as she continued to sob on her shoulder. Ava stared at me straight in the eye and replied, "It's all going to be okay Brookie, she's nothing but a home wrecking whore. He'll realize that and come back to you and the baby, they always do."

"OH PLEASE," I cried, "Neither one of you have the slightest idea about me and Ryan, and what we've been through. We've weathered the storm before and we'll make it through this shit storm too. She cheated on him, and he's a human being, not some prize you can win, and it's his fucking interview not yours, and sure as hell not mine. And if the house is so goddamned important to you, you can buy it when we list it on Monday."

Brooke lifted her head, and the tears had stopped. "I'm going to bury you," her voice was cold and calculating, and had chills running down my spine.

"Go ahead but you should know, when you push on me, I'm gonna push back twice as hard, and come hell or high water, you'll end up losing more than just Ryan. Count on that." I turned to walk out the door and ran into Ryan quite literally.

Ryan hugged me to his chest, then pulled back and ran his thumb down my jawline, as if to ask if I was ok. I gave him a nod, "Stay here." I looked into his eyes and saw a side of him I had never seen of him before, and it frightened me. His fists were balled up as he walked closer to Ava and Brooke. "Ava you have got to make this shit stop."

"Or what Ryan? You're going to keep parading this whore around? You can't do anything," Ava snarled.

"Fine, then I'll be pressing charges," Ryan stated, and turned to walk away until Ava let out a laugh. He turned around and pointed a finger at Brooke, "Did you really think I wouldn't find out she was in my house while I was gone? Every time the fucking safe opens, the camera's start recording. I wasn't going to go to the cops if she gave it all back, and it wasn't leaked, but you've pushed my hand so keep your psycho sister away from me and my fiancé." Ryan turned and took my hand and led me to the door, stopping just short of opening it. "They're going to ask about Brooke. Keep your head held high, look straight ahead, and don't acknowledge the cameras," he never let go of my hand as he led me through the onslaught of flashing lights.