Before It's Too Late (Troubled Hearts Book 3)

  Before It’s Too Late

  By

  Savannah Brooks

  This work of fiction is intended for mature audiences. Names, characters, businesses, places, and events are either products of the author’s imagination or are used in a fictitious manner. Any and all resemblances to persons or places, living or dead, are entirely coincidental.

  Before It’s Too Late

  Copyright © 2017 by Savannah Brooks

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means without the prior written consent of the author, excepting brief quotes used in reviews.

  Books and Stories by Savannah

  Short Stories & Novellas

  Falling for his Best Friend • Letting Him In • Never in a Million • Just One Kiss • Cross My Heart • Before You Leave Again • Finding His Forever Guy • Snowed In • Whole Again • Moving Forward • Snowed In Again • Just Maybe • Wild Fate • First Times in Old Pickups • Defining Moments • Harvest Kisses

  Troubled Hearts Series

  • Stay •

  • Broken •

  • Before It’s Too Late •

  Contents

  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

  Epilogue

  About the Author

  Chapter 1

  Zach removed his sunglasses and pinched the bridge of his nose, squinting as he groaned, the blinding sun doing nothing to help the brutal pounding in Zach’s skull courtesy of his massive hangover. The radiant, barely-there warmth from the sun on his front offset the chill at his back, but his ass remained pretty damn near frozen and numb on the metal bleachers. At least the temperature had finally warmed enough so that he could no longer see his breath. Just another typical mid-April morning in Denver.

  Why the fuck had he agreed to this again? Oh, yeah. That’s right. He hadn’t.

  Replacing his glasses, Zach resumed staring vacantly at the kids on the field as he grabbed the water bottle from where it sat on the hard metal bench beside him and guzzled the remaining half, still waiting for the prescription-strength dose of ibuprofen to kick in.

  A sharp whistle echoed across the field, signaling the end of the game. Fucking finally. The Mustangs beat the Wolves seventeen to seven, but Zach really didn’t care. He wasn’t there for any of the kids.

  Zach was only there because his best friend and most evil person on the whole fucking planet right now, Cael, thought the fresh air would do him some good, and he’s the coach of the regional junior league lacrosse team. Go Wolves.

  Or maybe, better luck next time.

  The ten-row set of metal bleachers emptied around him as parents, siblings, and friends made their way down. The kids did their obligatory and somewhat unenthusiastic, good-game lineup and low fives with the opposing team, then gathered their gear rather quickly. It wasn’t long before most everyone had fled to the parking lot, ready to get on with their Saturday plans.

  Zach, however, had no plans. Not since two months ago when his fiancé decided she didn’t want to marry him anymore. He still didn’t understand what he’d done wrong to make her leave, or to make her think he didn’t love her.

  “Whatever I did, Megan, I’m sorry. I love you. I’d never do anything to hurt you.”

  “I know.”

  “Then please, tell me, what did I do?”

  “You fell in love. A long time ago, actually. Just not with me.”

  Their conversation had replayed in his head every fucking day since, and still he had no fucking clue as to what she’d been talking about that day.

  Zach sighed, watching Cael chat with a few of his players. He said goodbye to them and their parents as he continued packing up. Once everyone had left, Zach stood and plodded down the cold, aluminum steps. After tossing his empty bottle in the nearby trash can, he shoved his hands in his coat pockets and wandered toward his best friend, halting a few feet from him as he zipped up the small orange and gray duffle bag.

  “Good game,” Zach said.

  “It was.” Cael looked up at him, arching one eyebrow, the auburn scruff on his face lighting up ginger under the sun’s intense rays. “Did you even watch?”

  Zach shrugged. “A little.”

  “Liar.” Cael grabbed the duffle and the bag with extra sticks. He passed the stick bag to Zach, who took it without question. Cael grabbed the half-empty case of water bottles by the torn plastic wrapping, and they turned to head for Cael’s truck.

  “How ya feelin’?” Cael asked, his feet kicking up dust as they crossed the gravel lot.

  “Like shit.”

  Cael snorted. “You look it.”

  “Fuck off,” Zach grumbled half-heartedly. “I could have been in bed right now. Sleeping. Instead, my ass is frozen and I feel like a bunch of little leprechauns are jack hammering like fuck inside of my skull.”

  “Suck it up, buttercup. I told you not to drink so much last night.”

  “Whatever. I’ll deal.”

  Cael paused at the tailgate of his dust-covered, blue F-150 and looked at Zach. He tossed the duffle and water into the bed. “I think someone just needs to get laid.”

  Zach glared at him.

  “Or blown,” Cael continued, taking the stick bag from him and throwing it over the tailgate into the truck.

  “You offering?”

  Cael snorted and glanced around the now nearly empty parking lot. “As much as I would love to suck your dick, I figured a girl would be more your speed.”

  “If you ask nicely, I might make an exception in your case today.”

  Cael waggled his eyebrows. “You want it, just ask.”

  Zach rolled his eyes. Banter such as this was normal for them. Then again, they had been best friends for most of their lives, so it was expected in a way. Almost an obligation.

  “Are we going or what?”

  “Yeah, we’re goin’, Pook.” Cael chuckled, adding his pet name for Zach—the one Cael only ever used when he really wanted to get under his skin.

  Cael had adopted it back in their first year of college when the first girlfriend Zach ever had started calling him Pookie. Zach had hated that name, and Cael knew it, and there was no way he was ever going to let that one go. Funny thing was, Zach kind of liked it now when Cael called him Pook, but he was never going to tell him that. As far as Cael was concerned, his little nickname still annoyed the shit out of Zach.

  “Just get in the truck,” Cael added.

  Zach slid into the passenger seat, stifling his first smile of the morning, as Cael climbed in opposite him and started the ignition. Pulling off his baseball cap, Zach raked his fingers through his flattened, messy bed hair, then replaced the cap to cover it and keep it from looking too crazy. With a deep breath, he let his head fall back against the headrest and puffed his cheeks as he let the air vacate his lungs.

  “Where you dragging me off to now?” Zach groaned.

  “Breakfast.”

  Zach opened his mouth, but Cael cut him off.

  “Don’t argue.”

  “Fine. Breakfast. Then can I fucking go home and sleep?”

  “No.”

  “Ugh.”


  “You’re coming with me to Gramms’. She needs some help moving boxes up from the basement.”

  “I’d rather wallow in my own self-loathing today.”

  “I’m gonna pretend you didn’t just insult my grandma with that comment only because I know why you’re in such a pissy mood.”

  Zach turned and glanced out the passenger window. “Sorry,” he muttered. He wasn’t usually so callous, but today was a little different. Fuck that, today was a lot different.

  “Look, Zach. I get it. Today was supposed to be the first day of your new life with Megan, but did you ever stop and think that maybe she was right?”

  “About what exactly?”

  “That you weren’t in love with her.”

  Zach’s heart clenched. “I thought I was.”

  Zach really did. He loved her, but he still didn’t understand what Megan had seen that he hadn’t. Cael hadn’t said anything, but Zach knew he wondered too. Megan had reiterated the fact that Zach wasn’t just not in love with her, but that he was in love with someone else. Zach couldn’t fathom who that someone else could possibly be. There weren’t many people with whom he spent a significant amount of time. Cael and Cael’s sister, Chloe, who always hung around his sister, Abbey. He’d dated Chloe years ago back in college, long before he’d met Megan.

  What was it Chloe said to him when they broke up? Some shit about seeing something she saw and loving the fact that he was really more of an overprotective brother than anything.

  “You know what Chloe said when I first told her about your breakup?” Cael asked, his attention focused on the busy two-lane road.

  “What?”

  “That it wouldn’t have lasted anyway. She felt bad for you, but all she did was shake her head and smile, like she and Megan shared the same secret or something.”

  “Maybe they do. You know, Chloe was just as cryptic when she broke up with me too. It’s as if all the girls I get serious with have something against me.” Zach let out a deep breath. “Whatever. I don’t know, man. I feel like I’m never gonna find the right girl.”

  Cael cast a glance at him, his lips twisting as if he was thinking. He reached over and gently grabbed Zach’s shoulder, giving a small squeeze, then dropped his hand to rest on the gear shift. “You will.”

  Zach shook his head, groaning in frustration. “What’s wrong with me?”

  “Well, you are a little on the skinny side,” Cael smirked. Zach glanced over and caught the teasing look in his eyes.

  “Shut up,” Zach said, punching Cael in his bicep. He didn’t even flinch. He was like a fucking walking gym commercial.

  Cael laughed. “Is that all you’ve got?”

  “No,” Zach scoffed, though it probably was.

  Compared to Cael’s muscled, six-foot frame, Zach was a weakling. He wasn’t a twig. He just ran a lot to compensate for his desk job and the fact that he loved to eat, so he was all lean muscle, but undefined at the same time. No chiseled pecs or six-pack abs for him.

  Cael, however, was a gym rat and indoor rock climber, and had the perfectly sculpted body to prove it. Incredibly strong, yet he had the gentlest touch. Caring and sweet, too. Loved kids. Had a great job working at the VA hospital and volunteered his time to coach kids on weekends during the school year. He was the perfect, all-around good guy. Not Zach. Ignoring the fact that Cael was gay, he was the kind of guy the girls would want. Ideal husband material.

  Not Zach.

  “Seriously though,” Cael said, yanking Zach from his downward spiral. “You’ve got what pretty much every girl wants.”

  “Pfft. Apparently not.”

  “I’m serious, man. You’ve got a great job, make decent money, own your own house. You want to settle down and start a family. And, you’re cute. If I were a girl or if you were gay, I’d snatch you up in a heartbeat.”

  “Yeah right. This coming from the guy who prefers one-night stands to a steady boyfriend.”

  “Whatever, dude, I’d totally marry you.”

  Zach turned his gaze out the window and stared at the snow-dusted mountain peaks in the distance.

  Cael had said it so nonchalantly, but even so, Zach wanted to smile again. No clue as to why. Cael was his best friend, and he’d always had his back. Though Zach didn’t know why he’d want to marry him, or why anyone would want to, for that matter. Zach was the shy, programming nerd, always described as ‘sweet’ or ‘nice.’ Average looking and a little on the short side, his five-nine, soft and slim stature couldn’t compete with hot-as-hell, outgoing, six-foot-plus, muscled hunks like Cael. Especially when they had his heart of gold on top of all that.

  Just thinking of Cael, in love with his perfect guy, married with kids of his own, made Zach’s heart hurt even more. He could see Cael now, cradling his newborn child, chasing a toddler around the house, teaching him or her how to throw their first football… giving his kids all the loving attention they deserved and still, always being there for his husband. Sneaking kisses from behind in the morning before the kids wake up, cherishing his man every moment… making love in the middle of the night.

  The vivid picture planted itself firmly in Zach’s brain, sending warmth straight to his chest and heat straight to his groin. Okay, he hadn’t expected that, but it was everything Zach wanted, only with a woman. It’s everything he’d thought he was going to have with Megan, but when he stopped and tried to imagine all those things with her, he couldn’t. He just didn’t feel it. Maybe Megan was right. But why could he so clearly see all of it when he imagined Cael with his perfect man? And why did that thought hurt so much more than knowing Megan really wasn’t right for him?

  “Hey. You okay?” Cael asked, breaking his internal reverie.

  Zach glanced toward him. “Hmm? Oh, um, yeah. Just… thinking.”

  “Yeah, I can tell. The smoke’s billowing.”

  “Very funny,” Zach said, trying for sarcasm, but even he could hear how depressed he sounded. His mind went back to the question still resonating in his head and the other thing Cael had said.

  “Would you really, though?” Zach asked, the words falling out before his brain could stop them.

  “Really what?”

  “Marry me?”

  Cael looked at Zach and smirked. “Why? Thinking of switching teams?”

  “No,” Zach snorted, rolling his eyes, hoping the sudden heat in his cheeks didn’t manifest itself into a noticeable blush, because really, why the fuck would he be blushing?

  Still, he wanted to know. Or rather, he wanted to hear him say it again because the memory of what his words did to him the first time made him call into question something deeper. Something Zach had never thought to question before.

  “Dude, don’t look so serious. But yeah. You’re the kind of guy I would want if I were looking for long term.”

  The kind of guy. So not Zach specifically. Just someone like him. So even his best friend didn’t actually want him, and he’s into guys. Not that Zach could blame him when he knew he couldn’t ever want him back the same way.

  Zach wasn’t gay, and he wasn’t bi. At least, he didn’t think he was. If he was, Zach would have thought he’d have figured it out by now. Sure, there had been other guys he looked at and thought of as good-looking, and there was that one time back in college he’d been coerced into playing some drinking game and ended up sucking off another guy and popping a fucking boner while doing it… but he hadn’t been attracted to any of them, had he?

  Zach took a long, deep breath, looking out the window again. What difference did it really make? It was pretty damn obvious he was nowhere close to finding the love of his life, much less starting a family with them.

  Jesus fucking Christ, I sound like a fucking girl.

  Zach shook the thoughts from his head. Since Megan left him, he’d been a mess, to the point that he was now depressing himself over his best friend’s non-existent family life that he’d fabricated in his own mind. Cael had even let him do pretty much whatever he’d
wanted since the breakup, up until this morning. Which meant Zach had spent the last two months wallowing, hating everything about himself.

  “You sure you’re alright, Pook?”

  “Yeah.” Zach paused. “Actually, no. I’m not. But fucking whatever. I’ll get over it.”

  “I know it sucks, man. That’s the benefit of never getting attached. You have nothing to lose.”

  Zach didn’t answer. Of course it fucking sucked, but it wasn’t losing Megan that he was that upset over. It was more of the feeling that what he wanted was out of reach, and he was about ready to give up and stop chasing it.

  When Cael didn’t say anything more, Zach took the opportunity to move the conversation away from himself. “So, how is Gramms?”

  “She’s starting to act like her old self again.”

  That made Zach smile. “Good. Though that doesn’t surprise me. She never was one to let anything keep her down for long.”

  Gramms was Cael’s grandmother on his mom’s side. Quirky and a bit of a rule breaker, she was a hippie at heart and always outspoken, but very protective of her family. Cael had definitely inherited her protective nature.

  Some four months ago, she’d had back surgery and had been recovering well until a stroke hit her out of nowhere. Doctors suspected that a small clot resulting from the surgery had traveled to her brain. Following the stroke, Gramms had spent a few weeks in the hospital and since her release, Cael had been helping her out more often than usual, including assisting her at home with physical therapy.

  Cael smiled, keeping his eyes on the road. “Doctor says she can’t lift anything heavy yet, but gave her the all clear for her to resume most of her normal activities.”

  “What does she want moved out of the basement?”

  “Just some old boxes. Not sure what’s in them or what she wants to do with them.” Cael slowed the truck and pulled into the parking lot of the Waffle House. With about ten cars in the parking lot, Zach crossed his fingers they wouldn’t have to wait for a table.

  “Now, here’s the deal,” he said as he parked and killed the ignition.