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"Too easy." She flutters off to find me something to try on while I wait for Scarlet.
Anhourlater,thethree of us are sitting in a cute little bistro not far from Artemis, bellies full of pasta and bags of shopping at our feet, with Tilly in a highchair covered in spaghetti she has thoroughly enjoyed.
"Seriously, girls, we need to do this weekly. I feel like a new person," I say.
Amelia sighs. "God, I wish. Free time these days is limited." I guess for two single moms, this is a real treat. Makes me feel guilty; I could be off enjoying my life, but I spend nearly all my time in a dance studio or my bedroom by myself.
"So, what happened to you last night? You went off to find dinner with Miles and you didn't come back. Am I supposed to take that as a good sign or not?"
Amelia looks at me, puzzled. "What? You need to catch me up, who's Miles?"
"A guy from work, no one really, we're just friends. I wasn't feeling well after I ate, so I called Jasmine to come and get me," I lie, too embarrassed to actually share the truth with them.
"Oh, I thought you two would make a cute couple. They really would, and he's not just a guy, he is the assistant coach, and they have been flirting all week."
"Sounds like you have a little crush, Sis." They look to each other and smirk like they have just worked out my dirty little secret.
They are so far from the truth it's not even funny, but this version of the truth is easier to explain than the reality of Brandon getting all annoyed at me because I was drunk then kissing me, so I'm going to run with it. "He's hot, but we work together. I don't want it to get messy, you know."
"That's safe."
"Yeah, and boring. Least one of us had a good night. I hope you know I'm going to be living vicariously through you. I want all the details of this date with English teacher Joe."
BRANDON
I'VE BEEN IN THE gym since six, sleep impossible after what happened last night. I don't need this shit in my head at the moment. But the more I try to walk away from her, the more I think about her. I can't stop. I know what I did last night was a mistake, but she can't deny the tension had been building since Monday, and when our lips touched, she was all-in, just like me. I shouldn't have pulled back to look at her, but I needed to see what she was thinking, and what I saw when I looked into her eyes, I didn't like.
I pound the heavy bag over and over, trying to rid myself of this feeling. I don't want to see her filled with so much pain, knowing my actions caused it.
The door swings open with a bang, and I glance over to see Kobe walking in looking half asleep. He rakes a hand through his hair. "You're up damn early for a Saturday." He yawns.
"Hmm," I grunt, burying my fist in the bag again.
"Want to spar?" he suggests, already reaching for his gloves.
"Yeah, alright."
Kobe spends most of his spare time in our home gym; it's where he has been training his brother Jett to prepare for his MMA fights. The two of them have had an unhealthy obsession with fighting since we were young and they had to work out how to protect themselves in difficult situations. And Jett needs the training more than ever after just being destroyed in the octagon by Axel Stone. It was one little slip-up on his way to the number-one title he is desperately striving for. He straps on gloves, throwing a few warm-up punches and jogging round the ring. I don't need to warm up. I'm ready to throw a few punches. Might actually be the perfect thing to make me feel better this morning.
"Alright, let’s do this." His smile is menacing. He normally kicks my ass, but today I'm feeling extra energetic, and I think I might just be able to take him.
We start off lightly throwing punches as we shuffle around the ring. Then I come right at him with a left hook.
Kobe ducks as I throw another punch his way, determined to beat him today.
I shrug, asking for him to retaliate. His eyes narrow, and he comes at me, pushing me back into the ropes. He pins me with his body. "What the fuck has gotten into you, man?"
I stare back at him, preferring to fight it out rather than talk about it, but I know once he's on to something, he won't let it go. "I fucked up."
He shoves me again then stands back so I can straighten up. "What?"
"I saw her with Miles and lost it."
He looks at me like I have lost my mind. "The redhead?"
I throw my gloves down and run a hand through my hair, trying to ease the tingle of frustration that's plaguing me. I don't like not been able to control a situation. And whatever has happened to her since I saw her last is unnerving. If she would just hear me out properly, we could get past all of this. But she's too fucking stubborn.
"Who else? Of course it's her. After just one week of having her in the same building with me, I'm going insane."
