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The line goes quiet, and I have to look at the screen to make sure our call didn’t drop. Apparently, cell reception in New York sucks because of all the buildings.
“Wow, man. I’m sorry.” I hear him suck in a deep breath. I’m sure this was the last thing he expected me to say. “What’re ya gonna do?”
I let out a sarcastic laugh. “Be his best man and give him all the support I can. I’d never do anything to ruin their relationship. She hates me anyway, which I’ve purposely made happen these past two years, but—”
“But it doesn’t make it hurt any less,” he says, somberly.
“Yeah.” I don’t even know what to say, and I don’t know why I called him. I feel as if I’ve lost my fucking mind.
“I don’t have any life-changing advice for you, Hunter. I wish I had something to say that’d fix everything for you, but I’m at a loss. Maybe it’s time to move out and make a real effort to get over her for good. Perhaps date someone for more than a weekend? What was it you told me that one time? Have a one-night stand, wake up in someone’s bed whose name you don’t remember, bathroom sex? Yeah, do all those things.” He chuckles at the memory.
I think back to that time in his apartment last summer when he was still hung up on his high school sweetheart, Savannah. After ten years, he never got over her. I suck in a deep breath and exhale. “I already did those things, remember?” I deadpan. “That was part of my sex bucket list to get over Lennon in the first place. But hell, maybe I need a new and improved list.” One that can numb the goddamn pain.
“You know what they say. The only way to get over someone is to get under someone else, right?” Hayden’s being overly encouraging right now.
“How’d that work out for you?” I ask, reminding him about his own past. “Okay, that was a dick move. Sorry, I’m just frustrated right now.”
“I get it. Don’t worry about it. Anyway, I gotta go. I have a conference call in five minutes, and I want to be prepared to deal with these assholes today.”
I look at the gym and all the people spending their Saturday on the treadmills. “Alright. I’ll call you later if I need to be talked off a ledge.”
“Sounds good.” He pauses, then adds, “You have a lot to offer a woman, Hunter. Don’t be discouraged. You’ll find her someday.”
Before I can argue that I’ve already found and lost her, we say goodbye and end the call, and I make myself get out of the truck. Once I’m inside the gym and find a treadmill, I run until my chest burns, and my lungs beg for air. I don’t give myself time to rest before I’m lifting weights and can barely move. All I want to do is break my body down because I shouldn’t feel this way. I’ll continue to force a smile and be supportive just as Brandon would do for me because I owe him that much. If I could kick my own ass right now, I would because I deserve it.
Considering I didn’t bring an extra set of clothes with me, I drive home drenched in sweat. As soon as I pull up to the apartment, I see Lennon’s car next to mine. I notice she’s slowly walking up the stairs with several plastic grocery bags in one hand and a paper bag in the other, but I pretend as if she doesn’t exist as I stride past her.
“Seriously? You’re such a dickhead!” she shouts, and I chuckle as I climb the stairs two at a time. My legs feel as if they’ll break as I take the top step. I unlock the door, walk in, and kick it closed behind me.
Once I’m in my bedroom, I take off my shirt, grab a clean towel, and place it in the bathroom. I grab a bottle of water from the fridge, feeling dehydration setting in. Moments later, Lennon enters, slamming the door behind her, then drops the grocery bags on the counter. Her hands go to her hips, and she glares at me, but then I catch her studying my shirtless body. I arch a brow, wanting to tell her to keep her eyes to herself. She must realize what she’s doing because she shakes her head and the scowl returns.
“What the fuck, Hunter? You saw me struggling. The least you could’ve done was help me bring everything upstairs because this food is for all of us, not just me. I’m not sure what crawled up your ass and died the past few months, but maybe it’s time to grow the fuck up?”
My eyes meet hers, and I shrug. “Sorry. I didn’t notice you out there.” I flash her a sardonic smile, which infuriates her further.
