Empty Net Read online

  Ah, she drove him nuts!

  Tate knew this was because of that asshat, Levi. He hurt her to the core and because of that, Tate was paying for his mistakes. Tate didn’t understand it, what could that asshole say to mess her up so bad? Did he tell her that men didn’t want women who couldn’t have kids? Is that why she was so hung up on it? He wanted nothing more than to confront Levi, demand to know what he said to ruin Audrey. He then would promptly beat the shit out of him for hurting her. Why couldn’t Tate have found her eight months ago? Would it have been different? Would she know what was standing in front of her then?

  Pulling into the airfield, Tate spotted Lucas standing beside his truck. He was waiting for Tate, like he did every time they had a road trip. All of a sudden, Tate became angry at Lucas and when he parked beside his good friend, he came out the car yelling.

  “Why couldn’t you keep them apart!?”

  Lucas looked around before looking back at Tate, “Are you talking to me?”

  “Yes! Audrey and Levi, why couldn’t you have kept them apart? That asshole hurt her! Bad, and now I am paying for his fuck ups! So thanks a fucking lot, Lucas!”

  Lucas scoffed, “What the hell? I didn’t do anything!”

  “That’s right! Aren’t you supposed to take care of the women in your life? Did Audrey not mean enough to you to keep her safe? To protect her heart! What kind of man are you!”

  Lucas’ eyes went wide as he stared up at him. Tate was breathing hard, his hands shaking and his heart beating in overtime. He knew he was wrong for what he was saying to his best friend, but he couldn’t help it. He was fucking losing it. Audrey was driving him insane, and Tate couldn’t see this working out for him. He was too far gone with her. For her to take away what he felt could be forever, felt like she had pulled the rug out from underneath him. He hadn’t felt so unbalanced and hurt since he buried his parents. That had to mean something, but it didn’t matter! She wouldn’t see that it did!

  Taking a step forward, Lucas leaned in close, his eyes narrowed and full of anger. “Let me tell you something, you little punk, I love Audrey, and I did look out for her. I can’t control her life and no matter how many times, Fallon and I told her to stay away from him, she didn’t. We knew Levi was bad for her, but Audrey thought he wasn’t. So before you start blaming people who don’t deserve the blame, find out the facts.”

  Lucas shook his head as he walked away, leaving Tate to feel worse than he originally had. Watching as his best friend, or whom he hoped was still his best friend, walk away, Tate felt empty. Who else was he going to lose and how much more pain was he going to be put through? He saw the look on Audrey’s face and knew that she stood by what she felt was right, and no matter what, Tate didn’t think she would change her mind. He didn’t understand it and he felt utterly helpless. Taking in a deep breath, Tate grabbed his bags and headed for the plane. Things were falling apart around him, but he still had a plane to catch and a game to play.

  This was his life.

  Emptiness.

  ***

  When Audrey’s phone rang for the tenth time, she decided that she might want to make sure it wasn’t Fallon. Peeking out from under the sheets she and Tate had made love in; she saw that it wasn’t Fallon but Piper. Clicking ‘ignore’, she saw that the other nine calls had been from Piper too. Hating that she was ignoring her best friend, Audrey shook her head and went back into hiding.

  She wanted to die.

  Never had something hurt her this badly. She missed Tate something serious. While part of her didn’t want to admit why it hurt, the other part knew why. Audrey had said she was scared of rejection, well she hadn’t been rejected, she’d sent him away. Why though? What the hell was she thinking? Was it because he didn’t care that she couldn’t have children when she expected him too? Or was it because she really didn’t want to be happy?

  Just as before when she walked away from Tate, she felt like she had made another mistake. Was that what she was going to do for the rest of her life? Make mistake after mistake? And never learn from them?

  When her phone rang again and it was Piper, Audrey decided she should answer. Piper could be dying or something.

  “About time!” Piper yelled into the phone causing Audrey to cringe. She didn’t feel like talking to anyone or joking or being happy. She wanted to drown in her sorrows, and hate herself for hurting Tate.

  She was a stupid bitch.

  “Hey, I’m sleeping, are you alive?” Audrey asked, trying to rush off the phone.

  “Yes, and boy am I glad I am. I’m sorry buddy, but you’re gonna need to get up. I have amazing, sexy, news.”

  Audrey groaned, rolling over to cuddle against the pillow Tate had slept on, “What’s up?”

  “I slept with Erik.”

  “What?”

  “Yeah, and oh my goodness, Audrey, it was fantastic, amazing, oh my God! I can still feel him on top of me!” Piper gushed and Audrey could imagine her doing twirls around her living room like a child.

  “You’re kidding,” Audrey said shocked.

  “Not at all. You would have been so proud, I told him I had been lusting over him for the past year and he said he hadn’t noticed but he was glad he had now, and the next thing I know we are almost having sex in the taxi.”

  “Wow.”

  “I know right!? It was so freaking awesome, A, so good. I’ve never felt like that, he awakened all kinds of dirty things inside me and Lord! I can’t wait for him to come home at the end of the week.”

  “I’m so happy for you, Pipe,” Audrey said, tears gathering in her eyes.

  “I just did it you know? I gotta make myself happy, I can’t be scared. I have to try, right? He’s gorgeous and sweet, and Lord, he makes me feel good. He made me so happy last night, A. So freaking happy.” Audrey could only nod as she held in a sob while Piper went on, “I can’t wait to see where this goes.”

  Even though Audrey would rather have hung up the phone and thrown it out the window, she knew she had to be there for her friend. She had to put on her big girl panties, and be supportive. Even if she felt like her world was falling apart.

  “It’s going to be great, you’re amazing, Pipe, he’ll fall head over heels for you in a week.”

  Piper giggled, “Man, a girl can dream, huh?”

  “Sure can,” Audrey agreed.

  “I just feel so good, I feel like I’m gonna cry, I’m so happy.”

  Audrey smiled, wiping away stray tear. She wanted to be happy like that, but like Tate said, she wouldn’t let herself be happy. “Then cry girl, I’ll call you later and we can gush some more. I’m sorry but I am dead tired.”

  “Oh girl you’re fine! I think I might try to go to sleep too. Erik kept me up all night long,” she said with a girly giggle, “Not that I mind!”

  Audrey faked a giggle before saying, “I bet you don’t, I’ll holler at you later, bye,” Audrey said and when Piper said bye, she hung up.

  Covering her face with her pillow, Audrey let out a loud frustrated cry. What the hell had she done!? She missed Tate, so much and it had only been a few hours since he left. She wanted to call him, tell him he was right and that she was sorry but she knew in her heart that even though he said he didn’t care about her not being able to have children, she knew he would. Maybe not right now, but later he would. When they had their house and white picket fence, with four dogs, he would look at her and decide that she wasn’t enough anymore. Maybe she was overreacting and putting herself through pain that wasn’t needed, but she couldn’t shake the feeling that she may be right.

  Rubbing her nose against his pillow, she took a deep breath, taking in his scent just as her phone rang. Bringing it up so she could see it, a picture of her and Lucas stared back at her. Why was he calling her? Did something happen to Tate? Or Fallon? Aiden!? Ignoring the fact that she thought of Tate before her sister and nephew, Audrey hit the answer button and said, “Hello?” She hoped to God, that Lucas couldn’t tell she had been