Love Games
A/N: All wrestlers mentioned in this story belong to themselves, the OC's belong to me but other than that please enjoy the story and I enjoy getting reviews. Thanks much.
For the record this wasn't how I had originally planed this chapter to go, but I couldn't wait any longer to bring Sabin into the story. So it kinda deviates from my original plot but I like it and I think the story will be better for it.
Chapter two: Heartbreak, Birthday Cake and Sabin
My flight home was uneventful, but nice considering it was first class and all comfy and what not. Matt met me at the air port and greeted me with a big hug and kiss on the cheek. I wondered if Jeff had told him about Phil not coming. Like Jeff, Phil and Matt were good friends before the whole cheating incident (which unfortunately occurred not long after his own brush with infidelity) and unlike Jeff, they had become close again till Amy was back in the picture. Matt had told me that he wasn't angry with her, he had moved on, but he couldn't take it any more when Phil knowing the history he and Amy had went off and started dating her.
After the hug, Matt looked at me with this questioning look in his dark eyes. "Don't start with I told you so Matt. I know, I was half expecting him to back out but come on, she's his daughter I thought he would at least make a brief appearance." Matt rolled his eyes and picked up my bag. Like I had said, we went out on one date at the insistence of Shannon and Jeff. I love Matt, always have, but not like that and the feelings were rather mutual but part of me wondered if I would have been happy with Matt. Could we have ever gotten over that sibling like relationship we have and had something more? Um, probably not.
"I was hoping he would too, for little bit's sake. But I can't say I'm upset that he's not going to be there." Matt said honestly, I think the feeling about Phil not being there was going to one that most everyone in our family would share. Jeff told me not to invite him in the first place but that would just be wrong.
The whole ride home Matt and I talked about the possibility of me going to TNA, he liked the idea of me getting back into the business and told me that now Zoe was older it would be easier to go back on the road. He reminded me that Beth had offered to help out with Zoe if I ever wanted to go back on the road and maybe it was time to consider going back. Phil would hate it, which was just another reason why I should.
I simply told him I was weighing my options right now and that I was going to go do the January show with Jeff and Shannon. It all depended on how I liked the way TNA worked, if I liked then I would sign the contract and go work for them, if I didn't I'd stay right where I was… living with Shannon and my sister-in-law. We arrived at Jeff's new house to find him sitting outside in the drive way playing with chalk with Zoe.
As soon as I got out of the car I saw my little girl's big blue eyes light up, dropping the piece of chalk she had in her hand she raced towards me her blonde curls blowing in the wind on the surprisingly temperate November afternoon. "Mommy, you're back!" She cried as she jumped into my awaiting arms. I kissed her chubby little cheeks before setting her back on to the ground. "Uncle Jeff and I are drawing… come see." My little girl took my hand and proceeded to drag me towards the spot that she and Jeff had been hard at work. Jeff looked up at me and smiled.
"Hiya baby sis, how was the big city?" He asked from the ground where he was sitting drawing what looked liked a picture of Zoe. I just smirked and shrugged.
"The city, loud, noisy… smelly..I'm glad to be back home." Placing my hand on top of my little girl's blonde curls I sighed. I should just get telling her the bad news out of the way as soon as possible, because if I don't then I may never actually get around to telling her. "Hey Zoe mommy's gotta talk to you for a minute." I gave Jeff and Matt both this pleading, I needed their help I always hated having to tell her things like this alone.
"Yeah, sit down little bit, we all gotta talk to you about something." Jeff said patting the spot next to her. Zoe is a smart girl, she just nodded and sat down next to Jeff who put his arm around her little shoulder.
Matt and I both joined them on the cold pavement and I took a deep breath. "I talked to your daddy yesterday, and before I say anything else. I want you to know he does love you… a lot." I could see the expression on my nearly five year old's face change, it was like she knew what was coming. Jeff picked her up and plopped her down into his lap and wrapping his arms around her protectively. "He can't make it next weekend, he's got a show he has to do and he's really sorry that he couldn't be here."
I watched helplessly as her bright eyes filled tears and she sunk back into Jeff. I reached out and wiped away the first tear as it fell. "Hey," Jeff said softly looking down at Zoe. He adores my daughter and constantly reminded me that a guy like Phil didn't deserve to have Zoe because of the way he treats her. "You've got the rest of us that will be there, plus… I'm sure…" I could tell by the tone in his voice that this was extremely difficult for him to say, "your daddy's got a good reason for not coming. He loves you, we love you… You're still gonna get presents and cake. Grandpa Gil's gonna be there too. We'll have a good time, I promise you." Jeff kissed her tear stained cheeks.
If I could have gone back and picked the perfect father for Zoe it would have been Jeff. He's been there for Zoe like a father since I moved back home. In fact, I have never told this to Phil as it would kill him, but when she was a baby Zoe called Jeff 'Daddy'. Which broke Jeff's heart because I think some part of him really wants to be her father, but that would have required having sex with me and I doubt that would have been any different than me and Matt trying to have sex.
I leaned forward and wiped a few more tears off her pale cheeks. "Zoe listen, Jeff is right. You've got all these people coming just for you. If your daddy can't be bothered than it's his loss." Matt added softly. I was surprised Matt said anything because he could never stand to see Zoe like this.
I glanced over at Matt who tried to muster a smile. "See, everyone is gonna be there and it will be a happy day I promise." Zoe finely conceded and nodded against Jeff's chest. The three of us looked at each other for a moment before Jeff picked Zoe up, her head resting on his shoulder, and carried her into the house. I could hear Jeff talking softly to my little girl as we walked in. His tone was hushed and I could barely make it out.
"We all love you, if you dad can't see how perfect you are. In every single way possible… then he's blind and fool. I love you like you were my own, you know that right? Good." Beth opened the door and saw Zoe was still in tears, she made her out to where Matt and I were standing.
"What is wrong with Phil? Really? Can't he see what he's doing to that poor little girl." Beth had been as involved as anyone else in our family in the whole drama. She has been my best friend, my sister for the last ten years and watched me fall in love with Phil. She never liked him, never trusted him. I should have listened to her all those years ago but I would have never had my little girl if I hadn't. I looked at her and pulled her aside, just out of distance of Matt.
"Did Jeff tell you about why he's not coming." Beth shook her head, "Amy.. fucking Amy is ruining all of our lives all over again. I want to know how the hell she got her claws in the Phil in the first place. It's like she just wants to see all of emotionally destroyed because of what happened between her and Matt. " Beth shook her head and pulled me into a tight hug.
"You know I had been wondering the same thing, Phil couldn't stand her for the longest time as I recall. Now they're all in love and shit. Something is fucked up in Denmark."
Oh how right Beth was, we all just didn't know it yet.
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Zoe and I ended up staying at Jeff's that week, she didn't want to leave even though I had promised her a thousand time she would come see him every day. It wasn't enough. She didn't want him to abandon her too. My poor girl.
By the time Saturday rolled around and Zoe's birthday party was about to start my darling girl had gotten almost back to her normal bubbly self. The party, like so many of the family's events, was taking place at Matt's house. I stood on the back deck having a quick cigarette before people started to arrive when I felt someone come up behind me and grab me around my waist. "Guess who…" I felt my legs get a little shaky as I realized who had me around the waist and was pulling back against them.
"Hi Josh…" I said with a small smirk playing on my lips. I didn't look back, but I would have recognized that voice anywhere, well that Michigan accent of his gave him away the second he opened his mouth. I felt him rest his chin on my shoulder. We had met back when Jeff was working with TNA and Zoe was still just a baby. He had asked me out back then, at the time being less than a year after the break up with Phil I didn't want to start to see someone, even as cute as Josh is. We remained good friends but he was busy with wrestling and now his band we had hardly seen each other for two years but never lost touch.
"Lex, I heard a rumor that you might be coming to my turf." He said coyly rocking side to side a little with me still in his arms. It wasn't nearly as nice outside as it had been just a few days earlier, it was mid November after all.
I shrugged, "Maybe. I'm not sure yet." I finally glanced back at him. He had this boyish grin on his face and spun me around so I was leaning up against the rail of the deck. His hands made their way down towards my hips. "Josh…"
"What?" he asked looking at me with those big blue eyes. It's funny, I always had a thing for him and when I was ready to start dating again he had another girlfriend. I was crushed, that was when the whole Matt fiasco occurred by the way. But according to his last e-mail he and his girlfriend had broken up this past summer and he wanted to know if I still wanted to give us a shot. I hadn't given him an answer, just told him that if he wanted to find out he would have to come down to North Carolina for Zoe's birthday party. He was here so that had to mean something.
"I'm glad you're here…" Not that I needed any more back up when it came to the party and dealing with my emotionally distraught five year old who was presently attached to Jeff's hip while he was cooking and the boys were filming their very special episode of the Hardy Show completely dedicated to Zoe. But I was glad he came none the less.
"Any time, so is Phil going to be here? Cuz I'm not digging the idea of having to hide in the bathroom if I want to give you a kiss." He said playfully leaning forward like he was going to kiss me.
"He's not coming," I said softly and Josh got this strange look on his face.
"It's his kid's birthday, I flew down here from Detroit and I'm not even her fucking father and he can't bother. What a fucking prick." I shrugged and Josh pulled me into a tight hug. I glanced up at him and as I did so Josh leaned down and pressed his lips against mine. It took me back slightly, but I should have expected it. I returned his kiss, parting my lips slightly. Before either us hand a chance to do anything else there was a loud cheer coming from the sliding glass door.
Everyone was standing there watching us, Josh and I just stood there with these stupid looks on our faces. You know the one when you're a little kid and you get caught playing doctor with the little boy next door, yeah that look. I could hear Shannon chanting "Hail Sabin" and Matt and Jeff were doing the little I am not worthy bow. Even the birthday girl stood their laughing as Beth stood with her arms wrapped protectively around my daughter. Not to mention the fact that Kimo was standing there getting this all on film.
Josh smiled and waved at the camera while mumbling "You know your brothers are going to die if they put that on their little show right?" I let out a little laugh and snaked my arms around his waist.
"You take Matt and Kimo, I'll take Jeff and Shannon…" Josh smirked and kissed my cheek as we walked back into the house where we were met by boys all doing various cat calls and Beth trying not to laugh. Josh rolled his eyes and made his way over to Zoe, who smiled brightly up at him.
"Happy Birthday kiddo.." He said softly leaning down to give her a peck on the cheek. Zoe loved Josh, she had told me once that she was going to marry him when she grew up. The girl never missed a single episode of TNA that she knew Josh was going to be on, so I'm sure she was thrilled he had actually showed up at her birthday party. I watched as Zoe threw her arms around him and he lifted her up and spun her around. "My god you're getting big kid.." He wasn't her daddy but I think Zoe was happier after Josh showed up.
As the other guests started to arrive, mostly family, some of Zoe's friends from her dance classes and school, and of chores the usual crowd of Hardy party goers Beth and I stood in the kitchen watching Jeff and Josh play with Zoe and the other kids. "Please tell me Josh wants to make something work between you two…" Beth said as we stood there sipping on some drink that Shannon had made for us. I looked over at her nodded. "Really, you're fucking serious…"
"Yeah, we've been talking a lot lately. He texts me three or four times a day just see what I'm up to, he calls me when he gets a chance. I mean he flew all the way down here just for Zoe's birthday party. Plus I like him, I really like him." I mused as Josh picked Zoe up so she could reach the piñata that group of small children was trying to break open. Then Jeff started to accuse Josh of cheating saying that they are not playing by the Michigan rules. Everyone who was watching the kids attempt to break it open start to laugh. They had gone through the whole group of kids once already and the natives were getting restless.
"Dude, come on it's not Michigan rules, it's I want candy rules! Ain't the right Zoe!" Zoe reached up and pulled down her blindfold and looked over at Jeff and nodded. "What the princess say goes.." Josh responded, even Jeff couldn't help but laugh as Josh put Zoe back down on the ground and put his hands over hers and helped her swing hard enough to finally break open the candy filled Paper Mache Tigger.
As the rabid pack of five year olds descended upon the candy the now lay strewn across the living room floor Beth leaned close to me and whispered. "Zoe adores him… I say he's a keeper." I smiled, Beth was right, Josh was a keeper. It took me four and half years to admit it but I wanted to be with him, he wanted to be with me. It just seems right.
The rest of the part went along as any normal five year old's birthday party would, cake, presents the kids playing with some of the new toys Zoe got and then the kids and other guests slowly started to leave. Soon it was just the core group of us there and Josh. Zoe had crashed from her sugar high and laid in Matt's bed in a post birthday party coma with Lucas curled up next to her. After I made sure she was all tucked in I went back out into the living room where everyone had congregated having a few drinks and talking among themselves.
Josh was sitting next to Shannon, they were talking about the new Halo game that was about to come out. Josh looked over at me and smiled. He motioned for me to come sit with him and I just laughed. "There's no room…" I said but Josh just rolled his eyes.
"Come sit on my lap," I bit my bottom lip but walked over to where Josh and my brother were sitting and sat down on Josh's lap. He snaked his arms around my waist and pulled me back against him. I feel the fact that he was rather enjoying me so close to him, I blushed ever so slightly as I felt him shift me in his lap so that I could feel his erection pressing against my thigh.
When my brother went to get another beer leaving Josh and I alone on the couch he leaned forward slightly and whispered "Do you know how long I've waited for you to be sitting right here with me, like this." I smirked and turned back before giving him a quick kiss. He leaned forward and rested his head against mine and smiled. "You uh, think maybe one of the boys might watch Zoe for ya tonight?" I couldn't help but laugh a little realizing what he was asking. He wanted me to go with him back to his hotel.
It had been a while since I had gotten laid, a long while, and I liked Josh. "Yeah… Matt probably will since Zoe's already crashed in his bed." Josh nodded and looked over at Matt who was already half asleep on the other couch.
"Hey Matt!" Josh called causing Matt to jump a little and look over at us with a funny look on his face. "You wanna watch the kid for Lex tonight?" Matt chuckled knowing what that was implying and he just shrugged.
"What do I get out of it? You get laid and I get shit…" Matt said giving us a dirty look, he was just playing, I knew he would watch her but I had to kiss his ass a little bit. I got off Josh's lap and made my way across the room. Placing my hands on either side of his face a looked him straight in the eyes.
"Please Matty, if you love me and love Zoe you would do this for me." I said with this little puppy dog look in my bright blue eyes. Matt sighed and nodded. He was just putting on an act, because inside I knew he had to be at least a little happy that I had finally given in to Josh after all this time. They all wanted me to start to date again well, they got their wish.
Josh and I said goodbye to everyone and made our way out to Josh's car. Before we even made it to the car Josh grabbed my hand and stopped me. Cupping my cheek with his other hand he pulled me into the first real kiss we had ever shared. There was nothing tentative or nervous about it like the one on the deck had been. It was filled with years of pent up passion and want. It was one of those kisses where you get week in the knees and are half tempted to take the person right then and there, but when Josh pulled away and looked at me. "Why Phil ever cheated on you, I'll never understand. To me… you are prefect."