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“I’m going to get another drink. Want anything?”
“More of the same. I’ll grab us some more food. It sounds like we’re commiserating.”
He wasn’t wrong, and I knew I needed it. But I didn’t want to just do nothing either. There had to be something I could do to make things up to her, even if I couldn’t win her back. Sarai had made it sound as if she was running away, back to the UK where she felt safer.
If nothing else, I felt guilty that I had hurt her enough to walk away from career opportunities. I needed to do something to put this right. To make her see that she could stay here and she would be okay.
I was still only partway to the bar when I heard my name called. Daniel was coming into the restaurant, several of hisfellow players with him. I hadn’t expected to see him and went straight in for a hug.
“I didn’t think you could be here.” I grinned, feeling better for seeing another friend, even as it drew attention to both of us.
“There was no way I was missing this. One of your finest moments.” Daniel patted me on the shoulder and came up to the bar with me.
“Make sure this guy has whatever drinks he wants,” I said to the barman and slipped him a few hundred-dollar bills to cover the drinks for now. He gave us a quick nod and rushed to get our order.
“You’re always far too kind and far too fast at getting the tab,” Daniel said.
“I’m just repaying you for that first night when you had no idea who I was or anything like that and got the entire bill even though you were almost destitute.”
“We’ve both come a long way since then. I like to think we’re both older and wiser. And at least not stupid enough to try and knock back quite that much liquor again.”
I chuckled, instantly relaxing. Daniel was exactly the friend I had hoped to have here. He was a lighthearted individual and he’d stood by me through all sorts of things. If I was going to get any kind of ally, then he would be it.
For a few minutes, I listened to him talk about his career and how everything had been going since we’d last seen each other. I had been so busy finishing off the project that I hadn’t managed to catch the last few games they had played.
While we were talking Henry came back, and another player came over with food for himself and Daniel, taking my opportunity to talk about Kit and getting her back away from me. There was nothing I could do about it, but I tried to consider how I could get the conversation turned back to her and maybe hint that I needed help.
Henry kept asking questions about the game. I was sure he was trying to help, distracting me and giving me something else to talk about, but right now it was more unhelpful instead.
Before I could figure the predicament out or suggest that I call Daniel later or anything, there was a commotion to one side and Kit came rushing out of a group of players. A few friends of hers trailed after.
“What did I say?” a voice called from the middle of the players.
“Damn it,” Daniel replied. “One of my guys. I’ll go see what they did to upset her and put it right.”
I was left standing there with the rest of the group as Daniel and the rest of Kit’s friends also rushed off. Sarai soon extracted herself from her conversation as well, casting a look of frustration in my direction before she left the restaurant. By now, almost all the guests were inside the building and looking around for an explanation.
The players began coming over to me, drifting as the majority of the rest of the room went back to their conversations. I didn’t know what to do. Did I go after her, or find out what happened here?”
“Sorry, dude,” one of the players said, his voice distinct enough that I knew it was the man who had exclaimed mere seconds ago. “I think I upset your girl when I made a comment about her being all set with you. I asked if you were going back to the UK with her.”
I gulped, understanding what the problem was.
“I might have teased her a little when she flushed. I didn’t mean to upset her. Like, I can apologize. I thought she was cool with being your sweetheart.” The guy continued to try and explain and make amends, but I didn’t know what to say. I knew I must have looked angry about it, maybe even disappointed. Internally, I wanted to scream.
“They’re not together anymore,” Henry said, explaining. “They’ve not been for a few weeks.”
The group went silent, understanding dawning on them, and I knew I needed to get out of the room as well. There was no way I could explain this to all of them and it had never occurred to me that they would need to be told. I hadn’t expected any of them to be at the showcase, and definitely not interested in our relationship.
“Would you all excuse me, gentlemen. I have to make sure this is resolved with Kit’s dignity intact as much as possible.” I didn’t know what I intended to do, but I knew I had to do something. She was hurting, and that was growing even more obvious.
Despite that, she was acting with grace toward me and respect I knew I didn’t deserve. I had to help.
CHAPTER EIGHTY-EIGHT
Kit
I tried to take several deep breaths as I ran out of the restaurant and into the fresher air outside. While most of the gathering was inside and milling around, there were still people out here and they were walking around and talking.
