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A week after returning from Seattle, Andrea was in despair mode and there was nothing that could take her out of it. The rest of her visit with Luke had been clouded by the appearance of Raquel the vengeful ex. Oh, they’d talked about what she said and cleared up a few things, but really? Andrea had been full of doubt over how she could handle a relationship with a guy like Luke. A guy who had to deal with that sort of thing all the time. She was a private person. A quiet person. She didn’t get into fights with other women and bash a guy publicly. It wasn’t her style.
Dating a famous football-playing man like Luke Nelson wasn’t her style either. The incident with Raquel made Andrea realize she was completely out of her element. She wasn’t the right type of girl for Luke. Not that she said anything to him. They continued on with their day by having sex, watching a movie, eating takeout Chinese, having more sex and then finally falling asleep.
But she’d held herself back, just like she’d originally planned. She played it cool. And he knew it. Her behavior hurt him. Since she’d come back home, she’d thrown herself into work, ignoring most of his calls, answering his texts with brief replies and generally being a real bitch.
She did it to protect herself. Protect her already broken heart.
“I did blow it, Nat. I’m sure he hates me. I hate me. I acted like that stupid ex-girlfriend of his could say a few bad things and ruin it all. I let her ruin it. I should’ve been stronger.” Andrea closed her eyes. “I should’ve believed in him.”
“Call him and tell him that! Don’t waste your breath on me,” Natalie said. “I’m hanging up right now so you can go call him, okay? You need to stop sitting around and moping over your supposed loss. He’s not a loss, not yet. Don’t let him get away.”
Andrea drew in a shuddering breath, opening her eyes so she could stare up at the ceiling. “I’m an idiot.”
“Yes. You are.” Natalie paused. “I’d give anything to be in your shoes. I think Noah’s lost interest and I’m pretending like I’m fine, but really…I’m not. It’s killing me. I wish he’d call. I wish he’d show up on my doorstep. I wish I had the chance to call him right now and beg him not to forget me, but I don’t. I won’t do that because he’s…he’s already forgotten. I lost my chance. But you haven’t.”
Andrea felt bad. She was whining like a baby and Natalie was quietly devastated that Noah hadn’t called her. At least Luke liked her, was pursuing her. And she was the one shutting him out.
Stupid.
“You’re right.” Andrea sat up straighter, steeling her spine with grim determination. “I’m going to call him.”
“Good! Call him. Tell Luke you miss him and you’re dying to see him again. I bet he’d hop on the next plane.”
“I couldn’t do that.” Fear sliced through her. What would she do if he did come and visit her? Freak out? Throw herself at him and proclaim her love? Tell him maybe they shouldn’t be together after all?
Love him or push him away? Those were the options she was considering?
God, she was so confused.
“Couldn’t do what? Ask him to come see you?”
“I don’t know! I’m freaking out, Natalie. I need to go.”
“Call him. And then call me back and tell me what he said,” Natalie instructed firmly before she disconnected.
Andrea stared at her phone, taking a deep breath before she sought out Luke’s number on her contacts and called him. The phone rang once. Twice. Three times. Was headed straight for voicemail after the fourth ring, but luckily enough, he answered, somewhat breathlessly.
“Andrea. How are you?”
She closed her eyes, clutching her phone tight. His voice sounded so…wonderful. So close. She wished he was here, right now, sitting on her couch, touching her knee, reaching out to pull her into his big, strong arms. “Hi.”
“Hey.” He paused. “You okay?”
“I miss you,” she admitted, clamping her lips shut. No more playing it cool, damn it. She needed to be forthright with her feelings, even if it scared her.
“I miss you too.” When she didn’t answer him, he continued, “Baby. Seriously. Are you all right? You don’t sound so good.”
“I’m an idiot. I let that stupid girl ruin our last day together,” she whispered, blinking back the tears that threatened. “It scared me, thinking I could be with you and knowing that you have all of these…things. Like a past. Like a career that keeps you busy and takes you on the road a lot. Women who fall madly in love with you and they don’t even know you. Women who throw themselves at you. I’ve never had to deal with that sort of thing before.”
“I know,” he said. “It’s weird, I get it. But I don’t care about any of them. I only care about you.”
She sagged against the couch. “Really?”
“Yeah. I care about you a lot. I’d chase after you, wherever you are, just to keep you in my life. You know this, right?”
“I wasn’t sure what to think,” she confessed. “I figured I blew it after how I acted last week. You should hate me for doubting you.”
“I don’t hate you, baby. The last thing I could ever do is hate you.”
