Page 89 of Play Me

“What do you mean? Nothing.”

“This doesn’t change anything?” Her question mirrors the one I’ve been asking myself.

“I don’t know.”

“He wasn’t choosing between us, Cadence. He was choosing between keeping his word to me or not, and if you know anything about Seb, it’s that he’ll never break a promise to you.”

“I think I know that much.”

“And one more thing. It’s that if you don’t come back, he’s never, ever going to be the same.”

“Does he know you’re here?”

“No. I’ve only just come from telling the guys what happened. They’re not that happy with me either right now, for introducing Gemma to them. But well... Jez asked me to give you this.” She holds out a small CD envelope to me.

I reach for it slowly, “What is it?”

“It’s a recording of something he found on the computer. He thinks it’s probably important you hear it.”

SEBASTIAN

“So, what do you think?” Jez asks me once it’s just to two of us left in the room. It’s been a long day, and I just want some quiet time to myself.

“About what?”

“What Hailey told us.”

“What is there to think? It happened, and now we know why. Dennis will do what he does.” Though whatever that is, it’ll only fix part of the problem. The rest is beyond fixing at this point.

“I mean about Cadence, what is this going to mean about you two?”

“Nothing. She already decided she wants nothing to do with me, what more can I do?” I try to answer him flippantly. I’m afraid of another shower intervention, if the boys catch me moping over my broken heart again.

“You could not be more of a chickenshit.” Jez says to me, shaking his head.

“Hey.”

“Seriously, man, where are your balls?”

“She doesn’t want to see me. She hates me! She thinks it’s me that did this to her and she blames Hailey, and in a way she isn’t wrong, even if it’s not exactly how she thinks. What more can I do?”

“You make her realize that you’re worth it, dude.”

“I don’t know if I can do that. Because I don’t know that I DO deserve her.”

“Well, duh! We all know you don’t! But for some reason she’s cockmad for you! Don’t take that for granted.”

I get up and wander over to the piano. Running my fingers over the keys, remembering the way she sat here, lost in the music, me watching her, mesmerized by her.

“What if I told you Hailey was over there explaining everything right now?” Jez breaks my daydream. “What if right now, Hailey was getting you off the hook?”

“I- I don’t know! Does that change anything?”

“Goddammit, do I have to do EVERYTHING for you? DO you LOVE her, man?!”

“You know I do!”

“Then for fucking sakes, use those balls for something other than a toy to fiddle with when you’re bored and go get your woman back!!”