Final Score: Part Two (Game On 6)

Radleigh tapped me on the shoulder while I was still laughing at Leah, and I nodded. “All yours.” I released her, but she pulled me back for a hug before letting Radleigh envelope her in his arms.

“Thanks, buddy.” Radleigh grinned. My best friend was the happiest man in the world, and rightly so.

I gave him a friendly slap on the back before going back to my seat. I couldn’t take my eyes off them, though. Nobody could. They had some kind of aura around them… I wasn’t sure I’d ever felt anything that strong with my ex-wife. I guess that explained why she was my ex-wife. My eyes drifted to Clare, where she was still dancing with Jesse. She had a beautiful smile and the kind of personality that would keep me on my toes.

“Do you love her?”

I shifted my eyes to the side, where Cody had at down beside me, and laughed. “Slow down! I only met her a couple of weeks ago.”

Cody shook his head, his eyes not leaving mine. “You know what I mean.”

Fuck.

I lowered my gaze before looking back up at him. “I’ve no idea what you’re talking about.”

He raised his eyebrows but said nothing, and I looked towards Leah and Radleigh again. She was laughing at something he’d said, and her eyes shone brightly.

I blew out a slow breath.

“Come on,” Cody said. “I’ve seen the way you’ve looked at her today, and I know you’re good friends, but… seems like more than that.”

I’d been careful. So careful with my feelings because they weren’t okay.

“It’s nothing,” I told him. “Certainly not love.”

It wasn’t. Not romantic love. Not really. Leah was the kind of woman I was attracted to. She was pretty, and fun, and fiery, but she had the biggest heart. What was not to like? But aside from noticing she was attractive, I never felt anything more for her. When Radleigh almost screwed things up with her, I spent a lot of time with her. Not because I was trying to sweep in and steal his woman; the idea never occurred to me for a second. But there was that one moment. One night when I almost kissed her.

I wouldn’t have gone through with it. My lips were never going to touch hers. I had too much respect for Leah and Radleigh, both individually and as a couple. But the fact that I’d thought about it, gotten so close to acting on it, ate me up for a while. After it happened, Leah moved on from it immediately. Didn’t hold that moment against me because I think she understood. It wasn’t as much about her as it was about us both feeling sorry for ourselves. And if she had considered kissing me back, it would have been for the same reason. Not because she was harbouring any secret feelings for me, but because she was lonely, just like me.

“So what is it?” Cody asked. “Don’t tell me it’s nothing, Bryce. I know you.”

I turned to him. “I can’t tell you I feel nothing for her, okay? But it’s not serious. I’m not sad. I’m not pining for her, and I’m not secretly hating Radleigh because he has her. I think just let myself get too close to her for a while because I was sick of being on my own.”

Cody nodded. “I get that. Must be rough sometimes.”

“It is. I was with Sarah for a long time. I had a family for a long time. And I’ve been on my own for a while now. Sure, there have been dates here and there, but none of them have been right. But I’m not lonely enough to jeopardise friendships. I would never do anything to hurt Leah and Radleigh.”

“I know you wouldn’t.” Cody gave my arm a gentle punch. “I just don’t wanna see you feeling bad.”

“I don’t. Me looking at her today is just… she looks incredible, you can’t deny that.”

“She sure does.” He cast his eyes in her direction. “She’s hot.”

I laughed. “Yes. Yes she is. But so is Clare. And I think… I have a real good feeling about her.”

With a smile, Cody said, “She’s a cool chick.”

That was for sure. Plus, it was always great to meet a woman who didn’t know who I was because she didn’t follow soccer. At least that way I knew she wasn’t just dating me because I was “famous”. But she also hadn’t run away screaming when I told her. She could take life in the spotlight. And she wasn’t fazed by me having kids, either. She hadn’t met them yet, and wouldn’t until I was sure she would stick around, but I wasn’t worried about it. Anyone with such a huge sense of fun could only be good for my girls.

Maybe one day we’d have this kind of wedding. Maybe we’d be the couple everyone couldn’t take their eyes off, and there’d be someone else sitting down, watching us, wishing they had what we had.

But that day was a long way away, if it happened at all.

Radleigh

It had been a long day. It was past one a.m, and the last guests had just left. Leah and I were the only people remaining in the party tent, where I’d just had the best day of my life. Leah sat at one of the tables, the only thing left in the room that wasn’t a complete mess. Empty glasses and bottles were all over – not just on the tables – as were the remains of the small bottles of bubbles, confetti, and burst balloons littered the floor.

Amongst the carnage, my bride still looked as amazing as she had when I first saw her walking towards me down the aisle.