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  Reed’s Reckoning

  Ahren Sanders

  Ahren Sanders

  Text copyright © 2014 by Ahren Sanders

  License Notes

  This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each reader. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to your favorite retailer and purchase your own copy

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

  This book is a work of fiction. All names, characters, locations and incidents are products of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, locales or events is entirely coincidental.

  Reckoning Defined © Merriam-Webster, An Encyclopedia Britannica Company

  Reed’s Reckoning

  Edited by: Anna Gorman Coy with AGC Editing

  Photography by: Jordon Legault

  Cover Model: Jordon Legault

  Cover Designer: Melissa @MGBookCovers and Designs

  Table of Contents

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Epilogue

  Acknowledgements:

  Meet the Author

  Other Books by Ahren

  For The Reader

  Reckoning: noun

  “…the time when your actions are judged as good or bad and you are rewarded or punished…”

  Prologue

  The pain is excruciating. Thinking the drugs were supposed to help was wrong. I’m pretty sure my abdomen is going to explode; ripping me apart from the inside out.

  “Please, the epidural isn’t working! Is there something you can do?” I hiss, thrashing on the bed.

  “Hold on, baby, the doctor’s on the way.” Luke says against my temple.

  “It hurts so much, Luke. Something’s not right.”

  “Where’s the damn doctor?” he asks the nurse that comes back into the room. Concern etched on her face as she assures us he is on his way back.

  “Ari, hold it together. I’m here with you. Look at me; try to think of something else besides the pain. We get to meet the little linebacker today.”

  “I love you, but if you refer to her as a linebacker again, I’m going to kill you.”

  Looking into the eyes of my best friend, the pain lessens as the contraction ends. He sees the relief on my face and kisses the hand he is holding, smiling back at me. Feeling another tightening in my groin, I wince. The familiar burning starts and I cry out. Trying my best not to completely lose it, I hold his hand tight and let the agonizing pain wash over me.

  “Ari, I’m going to check you again. The anesthesiologist is down the hall,” the nurse says.

  She bends in front of me and announces I’ve progressed to eight centimeters. Then covers me back and goes to the bedside monitor to make notes. I cry out in relief when I hear the knock on the door.

  “Ari, I’m going to increase the epidural and you should feel pressure only.” Nodding at the doctor’s words, I close my eyes.

  After a few minutes, I’m relaxed and watch with a light sense of pain as the next round of contractions hit. Luke watches the monitor and soothes me with loving words.

  Another hour passes and the nurse announces that it’s almost time. She calls for my doctor to finally come back. Dr. Adams is not my regular OB but she’s on rotation today. I’ve met her at several of my appointments and she makes me comfortable. Luke was pissed my regular doctor wasn’t on call, but I can’t help it that my baby decided to come a week early.

  Dr. Adams walks through the door with a wide smile on her face and reminds me one more time how we are going to proceed.

  Luke stays on one side grabbing my leg, while a nurse does the same on the other side. After three tries pushing, I lie back knowing I can’t do this.

  Even though I’m numb, I can still feel the extreme pressure. Nausea and dizziness hits.

  “Ari,” Dr. Adams says, “the baby is crowning. I just need an ear and then I can help the rest of the way. Give me that, sweetie. I promise, I’ll help.”

  “Honey, breathe deep and let’s do this. I’m right here ready to meet our little ballerina,” Luke says softly. He’s trying to encourage me by admitting I’m having a girl.

  “You better believe it! Dance recitals for life!” I get ready and push, crying softly through it, and a wave of peace spreads through me when a wail fills the room. It’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever heard.

  I fall back against the bed in exhaustion and relief. My mind only half registers when Dr. Adams announces, “It’s a boy!”

  I look over to see tears in Luke’s eyes. His head is going back and forth between my baby and me in disbelief. When he finally catches my eyes, he smiles widely.

  “I knew you could do it. Sweet girl, we have a boy,” he whispers and hugs me gently.

  I sob into his shoulder and let the last eight months go. It may have been hell, but there’s a healthy baby boy that needs me now. I have to be strong.

  “Okay, Mom, you ready to meet your son?” a nurse asks beside me with a bundle in her arms.

  I reach out and take him. As soon as my eyes land on him, I sob. He’s perfect.

  “Do we have a name for this handsome little guy?” she asks.

  “Yes, Davis Luke Williams.”

  Luke’s expression is full of love and adoration. He rubs Davis’s head lightly and tears fall down his face.

  “I’m honored,” he rasps.

  “No, it’s me who’s honored. You’re my best friend; I could never do this without you by our side. Thank you.” I say softly looking at the perfection in my arms.

  “Ari, we’ll fill out the birth certificate for your records. Who should we name as the father?”

  Not looking at Luke or my grandma, who is watching me across the room in her wheelchair crying, I answer. “There is no father. Just me.”

  Chapter 1

  3 Years Later

  Ari

  This is a bad idea, I think to myself for the fifth time this morning. Taking one last look in the mirror, deciding my outfit will be fine. It’s not that I’m specifically dressing to impress but it couldn’t hurt to dress up a little. My phone rings on the vanity and Sophie’s smile pops up on my screen.

  “Hey, bitch, what’s up?” I give her my usual greeting.

  “Yo, hooch. You ready for a stimulating and wild weekend with Luke and a bunch of insurance studs?”

  We both laugh
because the last time I accompanied Luke to a business dinner, I was bored to death. But his company is having their regional conference about an hour away in Ponte Vedra Beach and this pool of men may be thicker. The employees were encouraged to bring their families, so Luke invited Davis and me.

  “Yep, almost completely packed.”

  “Did you throw in your green wrap dress? It looks amazing and shows off your eyes.”

  “Who do you think will be looking at my eyes?”

  “Oh, please! There has to be at least a few bachelors going. And you’re right, who wants to look at your eyes if they can stare at your body!”

  “Soph, you’re so full of shit. You do remember I have a kid right?”

  “So, what? You’re a hot mama! Better yet, you’re a MILF!”

  “Shut up you hussy! Now you’re just crazy. Is there a reason you called?”

  “Yeah, I’m really sorry, but I’m not going to make the Saturday night dinner. I kind of have a date.”

  “You kind of, or you do?” Sighing into the phone, I try not to sound disappointed. The company made arrangements for a children’s activity camp on Saturday night, and I was really looking forward to an adult night with my two best friends.

  “I do, but if it means that much to you, I can cancel.”

  “No, I think it’s great.”

  “Really, Ari, you’re upset. I’ll cancel.”

  “Don’t you dare! It’ll be fine. I still have Luke.”

  “I know how hard this weekend is for you so you call me if anything happens and you need me. I’ll be there.”

  The sincerity in her voice makes me feel like a bitch. She keeps telling me to get out more and try to date, but I’m not interested.

  “Thanks. Now tell me about this date.”

  She launches into a story about meeting this guy at happy hour and how hot he is. I listen to her telling me all she knows about him while putting the last of my things in my bag. We promise to get together next week and then hang up. I close up my house and head to the main house to get Davis and meet Luke.

  Living in a small house on the back of my Grandma’s property is perfect for Davis and me. We still have privacy, but we’re close enough to watch out for each other and she helps me with Davis frequently. I find them in the living room surrounded by toy trucks. Suddenly a weekend getaway doesn’t seem like a good idea. What if she needs us?

  “Grandma, I think this is a bad idea.” I whine, hoping she’ll give me an out for the weekend.

  “Arianna! I’m not an invalid. Just because I can’t drive after the stroke doesn’t mean I can’t get around. I have friends to help me. It’s time you took that boy for a vacation and quit worrying about me. I have plans for the bridge tournament here this weekend. It’ll be fine.”

  “But what—”

  “No buts! I’ve talked to Luke and this is the perfect getaway. Go! Between graduation, work, and Davis, you haven’t had a break in a while. Take one! Enjoy the beach, get a tan. Maybe meet a guy and have some fun.”

  “Grandma!”

  “I may be old, but I’m not stupid. You need to have some fun. Let Luke and Davis enjoy themselves and you get some rest. Isn’t Sophie coming up Saturday?”

  “I don’t think so; she has a few things going on this weekend.” I sit down and run my fingers through my hair. She walks over, sits next to me, and pulls me close.

  “Ari, I love you and Davis, but you need some downtime. He’s a pistol. This trip will do you good. You’re not too far away, I’ll call if I need you. Luke needs this too; this business meeting is the perfect excuse.” There’s concern in her eyes and I know she is saying so much more.

  “I’m really okay. It’s just another weekend.”

  “Honey, the draft isn’t just another weekend. Every year you sink into a depression and it worries us. We know it brings back memories.”

  “Jesus! He screwed me and then screwed me over! Why can’t I let it go? We all know I was a stupid twenty-one year old.”

  “ARIANNA!”

  “I’m sorry, Grams, he’s off limits. I want to enjoy the weekend, I really do.”

  “I heard Luke met someone?” she says changing the subject.

  “Yeah, I introduced them. She works with me and seems cool. I invited her over for dinner and they hit it off.”

  “Sweet girl, I hate to say it, but what if they do more than hit it off? He’s a fine catch and one day he may want to have his own family.”

  The words catch me off guard and I gasp. “Do you think I’m holding him back?”

  “No, he loves you. But it’s obvious y’all aren’t together, but he has a life in front of him too.”

  I lean into her and nod my head in agreement, knowing she’s right. She’s raised me since my parents were in a fatal car crash when I was fifteen. She’s the only family I have left, and she shows me every day how important Davis and I are to her.

  “Okay, I’ll enjoy this weekend. Then I’ll have a serious discussion with Luke. He needs to be happy.”

  “Gracious, girl, he will never be far away.”

  I move against her, knowing that in my mind this is her way of telling me to let Luke go.

  Reed

  Fucking, finally; peace and quiet. This is the perfect day to throw some lines in the water and enjoy the beach. I have been doing physical therapy and rehab for months. My shoulder feels better and my knee is healing great. I’m avoiding not only my family for the day, but also my trainers. I need a fucking break.

  My mind flows through the memories of the last few years. Being drafted, the instant fame, the gridiron, proving myself, all of it.

  Fucking amazing wide receiver, I was living the life. I had everything I’d ever dreamed of, providing for my mom and sister after the draft, a huge house near the beach, fucking endless women who wanted me. But what happened when the star went down? One hit—that’s all it took—one hit, to dislocate my shoulder and tear my ACL.

  “‘Cuse me. Do you haf a fish I can see?”

  The words break me out of my memories. I look down to see a beautiful boy looking at me with huge blue eyes. His darks curls and tan skin hit me with a wave of familiarity.

  “Fish?” he blubbers again, pointing to my two fishing poles.

  I shake myself out of my stupidity and answer. “No, buddy. No fish yet. If you hang around, I might have something to show you.”

  I reel in my line and see my shrimp is gone. I make a point of showing this little boy how to bait a hook. Looking around, I wonder where the hell his parents are. A man runs towards us screaming, but the little boy doesn’t move. I cast the pole and set it in the sand.

  The man gets to us and grabs the little boy in his arms. “DL, you can’t run off like that. You scared your mom and me to death.”

  “I wanted to see fish.” He points to my line in the water.

  “I know, little man, but next time wait until one of us is with you.”

  When the man looks up, my pulse races. I’ll never forget his face. It’s the same face that has haunted me for years. The face of the man holding Arianna Williams right after she broke my heart. Luke Adams.

  He recognizes me too. Not for the mega-millionaire football player, but for the college friends we once were. Or at least I thought we were.

  “Say goodbye to this nice man, we need to go back.” Luke says picking up the little boy.

  “‘Bye.” He says waving at me.

  Then it hits me. Faces side by side, these two look nothing alike. My heart races faster. “Yeah, buddy, sorry I didn’t have a fish for you.”

  He shrugs at me and smiles the most beautiful smile and my world rocks. It’s the smile in my dreams; deep dimples in each cheek and a shine in his eyes staring back at me. I can’t speak. My mouth goes dry and my stomach drops to my feet.

  “Thanks, man.” Luke walks away towards the hotel behind us. He stops to pick up a towel and beach bag and a woman runs to them franticly waving her arms. She takes the little bo
y and buries her head in his shoulder. Luke puts his arm around her and guides her to the walkway. He says something in her ear and she goes still. Ever so slightly, she looks back at me and my world stops again.

  I catch her stare briefly before she turns and practically runs up the stairs. My heart beats so fast I have to sit down. Now I know why the little boy’s eyes captured mine, it was like staring in a mirror.

  When the team doctor told me about my injuries and confirmed I was out for the season, the first person I thought of was her. Even after all the time that passed, her face came to mind. What the fuck went wrong?

  I remember the night of our second date and allow myself to smile at the memory. Even though it hurts to think back to that time in my life, I can’t deny that Ari held a huge piece of my heart.

  “Reed, why are we at a park? I thought we were going to dinner?” She looks at me confused from the passenger seat.

  “We are; I brought dinner with us.” I get out and walk to open her door. When she is out of the car, I go to the trunk and bring out the bag I packed earlier.

  She watches me closely and looks around nervously. I reach over, take one of her hands in mine, and lead her to a spot near the lake. There are a few people around, but mostly we have the area to ourselves. Letting go of her hand, I set up the blanket and unpack the food.

  “A picnic?” she whispers with a grin.

  “Yeah, I didn’t want a repeat of last week. It’s hard for me to be in public right now with the season starting. I figured if I wanted a real date with no interruptions, I needed to get creative.”

  Her grin turns into a full-blown smile. The deep dimples and shine in her eyes stirs something in me. I motion for her to sit down and then open the containers of food.

  “Oh my God! Is that Mrs. Jones famous pasta salad?” she squeals when I nod. “It’s my favorite!”

  “I know, you mentioned it last week.”

  I picked up a variety of things but knew the pasta salad would score me points. Ever since meeting Arianna Williams, I’ve paid attention to everything about her. Her voice, her laugh, the way she sways when she walks, I can’t get enough. I’ve never been like this in my life; she has me under a spell.