Page 89 of The Chase

“You travel tomorrow.”

He was bringing me lunch today because he had another road stretch, and we wouldn’t see each other for a couple of days. Doing lunches together was a way we snuck in time together during his busy schedule.

“Yeah, well, maybe I need my space,” he snapped at me.

I reared back at that reaction. “What?”

He ran his hand down his jaw, and he looked like he regretted lashing out, but neither of us could take back what we had said. “Maybe you were right to let me down easily. Maybe this isn’t gonna work out.”

“What are you saying?” I asked and bit my lip to keep it from quivering.

Was he really breaking up with me? I didn’t blame him—I hadn’t been fair to him—but he wasn’t giving me the chance to apologize.

“We’ll talk when I get back,” he said firmly.

I didn’t bother stopping him, and he didn’t look back as he stormed out.

I was pretty sure that meant we were done, and I deserved it. I shouldn’t have freaked out on him. I should have talked to Rox. Instead, I let my insecurities get the best of me like I always did. I didn’t deserve the love TJ had been willing to give to me. I pushed him away at every turn. Maybe today was the last straw. My accusation made him finally snap and realize we were better off apart. He was better off without me.

I still burst into tears as soon as he stormed out. We were doomed to fail from the start, but I knew our ending was completely my fault. I pushed him away one last time, and a broken heart was just the consequence of my own immature actions.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

TJ

I was pretty sure Max and I were over, and it was totally my fault. I didn’t know why she thought I was the reason she was getting fired, but storming out wasn’t my best moment. I was kicking myself for telling her we wouldn’t work out, but I couldn’t take it back now. Something was up with her, but rather than ask her what was bothering her, I let my hurt get the better of me. I felt like an asshole.

This was why I never did relationships. I wasn’t built for this shit.

“Dude. I asked you the same question three times. What gives?” Noah asked as he punched me in the arm.

After I left the arena offices, I asked Noah to hang. Noah, being the sensitive guy he was, knew something was up, but instead of asking, he threw a game controller at me.

I didn’t have a chance to answer because Dinah came home from work and distracted Noah. He got up, and I watched as he lifted her up into his arms so he could kiss her. The tiny woman laughed as she kissed him back.

I rubbed at my chest as if my heart was physically aching because I already missed that with Max. I shouldn’t have been such an asshole today.

“Babe, put me down,” Dinah said to Noah.

He obliged and helped her out of her coat. Watching them together was kind of sweet.

Dinah sat down on the couch next to me. “Honey, what’s wrong?” she asked.

Good ole, D. She always knew when I needed an ear to listen.

“I fucked up,” I said.

“With Max?” she asked.

Noah shuffled into the kitchen. When he came back into the living room, he handed me a beer before sitting down next to Dinah. “Figured that’s what this was about.”

“What happened?” Dinah asked.

I scrubbed a hand across my jaw and sighed. “I don’t know. She was in a bad mood when I went over there to meet her for lunch, and then she accused me of telling Roxie she hated her job. She thought she was gonna get fired, and it was my fault.”

Dinah pursed her lips. “Okay…how did you fuck up, then? It sounds like she was the one being the asshole.”

I groaned.