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Joey: Is everything ok?
Me: Grant and I are over
Me: Well…we will be as of tonight
Joey: What happened?
Me: It’s easier to tell you everything in person. Wanna meet for lunch before you head over to the field?
Joey: I guess I can squeeze you in :)
Chapter 7
The inner turmoil I felt when Kelsey told me her relationship with Grant was over was unreal. On one hand, I’m thrilled that she’s going to be single — I won’t feel so bad about flirting with her now. But on the other hand, I know how badly she’ll be hurting from this breakup. When I saw the look of pure fucking betrayal in her eyes last night, it took everything in me not to go inside with her and beat the ever-loving shit out of her idiot soon-to-be ex-boyfriend. I didn’t even know what happened — I just felt this innate need to protect her from the pain.
I walk into The Little Gem Café to spot my favorite redhead sitting at a corner table. Even from the doorway, I can see the despair and sadness in her eyes. I need to make sure that I’m there for her in whatever way she needs me to be. She trusts me enough to come stay at my house, and I’ll be damned if I do anything to fuck that up.
I watch the way her face goes from glum to bright when she sees me approach the table. I’d be lying if I said it isn’t a mild ego boost to know how happy she is to see me. She stands to pull me up into a hug, squeezing me tighter than she ever has. I’m not letting go of her until she’s ready for me to, no matter how long that takes.
“I’m sorry, Kels. It’s his fucking loss.” I stroke the back of her head, loving the way her silky soft hair feels as it flows between my fingers.
“Thanks.” She sniffles as she pulls away from the hug and sits back down. “Things have been weird between us for a while now, but I didn’t expect this to be the reason.”
“Didn’t expect… what?” My brows furrow in her direction. I hate seeing her this distraught.
She pulls out her phone, clicks on a few things, and hands it to me. I’m reading messages between someone named Summer and Grant on a Tinder thread.
“My sister found his Tinder profile last night — that’s why she pulled me away from the bar. We created a fake profile to bait him. I’ll be going to meet him tonight so I can catch him in the act.”
“Fuck, Kelsey.” I rub the back of my neck, searching for better words than another “I’m sorry,” because I know that’s the last thing she wants to hear right now. For the second time in 24 hours, I want to go knock some sense into that asshole. Why would you fuck around with someone else when you have an amazing woman like Kelsey waiting for you at home? “What can I do to help you?”
“You’re already doing it by letting me stay with you.” She takes a sip of her water before she continues. “It’ll just be temporary, until I can find a place of my own. And if I’m getting in your way or cramping your lifestyle in anyway, don’t hesitate to tell me. I can always go stay with my sister if I need to.”
I grab her hand across the table — partly because I need to feel connected to her, but mainly to make sure I have her full attention. “You can stay as long as you need to. Don’t worry about ‘cramping my lifestyle’ though. I’m hardly ever home between the shop, practices, and games.”
“Thanks, Joey.” There’s a sparkle in her green eyes as she speaks to me. “You’re the best.”
“Do you want me to come with you tonight?” She furrows her brow in confusion. “I mean, for moral support… and maybe a ride home. I don’t want you driving when you’re angry or upset.”
“Aren’t you chaperoning the homecoming dance?”
I wave my hand dismissively. “They have an overabundance of chaperones. You need me more.”
“That’s really sweet.” She smiles softly. “Why has no lucky woman snatched you up yet?”
Because I’ve tried and failed numerous times to find a woman who even compares to you.
Chapter 8
After lunch with Joey, I made my way over to Savannah’s place to devise a plan for tonight.
“We’re going to have a problem here,” Savannah states as she points to my head. “Grant is going to see your hair and immediately know it’s you.”
My bright red hair is definitely something that sets me apart from most women. Grant always said it was the first thing that attracted him to me. Now it appears that he’s into any woman that’s not me.
“Wait…” I’m struck with a hopeful thought. “Do you still have that black wig from when you dressed up as Cleopatra last Halloween?”
The grin that takes over her face before she takes off for her closet tells me she does. My sister is hands-down the biggest pack rat I’ve ever met, and right now I could not be more thankful for it. I’m also thankful that my cousin Nikki has dark brown hair, so the wig won’t be completely out of place when Grant sees me.
