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“I think you're right. It’s better if we don’t communicate,” I say under my breath, teeth clenched. She has just pushed me too far. No man needs to hear that the woman he couldn’t get out of his head was screwing around because of the way he made her feel.
“Glad you worked that out.” She turns away from me again now that she has what she wants, us not talking.
This conference is going to be long and painful if she keeps this up.
Therestoftheflight was spent in silence. We left the airport and found our way to our hotel, checked in to our respective rooms, and are now sitting in the conference hall at the main floor of the hotel, along with a room full of other teachers who have been given the same opportunity. The guest speaker is on the stage talking about the important role of leadership amongst our youth, and the room is quiet as they listen on. Cassie is on the opposite side of the room, a few rows in front, enthusiastically taking notes. She didn’t have any problem with being at this course other than the company it was with.
Her words from earlier are still playing over in my head. I know I shouldn’t let them. She said them purely to hurt me, but fuck. The girl has gotten really mean since I saw her last. I knew she would have been hurt when I broke it off with her in a text. It was a low move, but I didn’t have a choice. That day she messaged me, I had already struck a deal with her daddy dearest and left town. The money was spent, Ma was in the hospital receiving the medical treatment she desperately needed, and I was back to training, knowing I needed to work my ass off so I never had to feel as useless as Mr. Harper made me feel ever again. I needed control over my life, and I found it. My first year with the Bears was so successful that I was signed to the Chargers the following year with a seven-figure contract. Things have been different for me ever since.
People respect money. I would have moved Ma to LA with me so she would be closer, but she wanted to stay put. She had lived in Palm Springs her whole life. So, I bought her a nice place and made sure she had all the help she needed. I guess I should thank Mr. Harper for making me man up and pull my life together. My mother is the only family I have, and I love her dearly. She’s a survivor and has made a new life for herself. Happy with a new man, even if I think he’s a dick. She is content, so it was money well spent, and I can’t regret that.
The chick sitting beside me crosses one long leg over the other in a less-than-subtle attempt to get my attention. She’s an attractive blonde, in a short business dress with a cropped jacket over the top. She’s done up, but you could see she would be pretty under all the makeup. I can tell she has been dying to talk to me since I sat down but is trying to be polite. The speaker announces a brief break, and the room comes alive with chatter.
“Thank God, I thought he was never going to stop. I have been dying to introduce myself since I sat down. I’m Juliet.” She smiles warmly and holds out her hand for me to shake.
“Brandon. Nice to meet you, Juliet.” I hold her gaze, wondering what she is all about.
“I know who you are. I’m from Chicago. I’ve been to watch you play more times than I can count. This might be a bit forward of me, but can I join you for lunch? I’m here by myself, and you look like you are as well?”
I glance over to where Cassie was sitting, and she is nowhere to be seen. Must have gotten out of here as soon as she could. This isn’t how I saw this weekend going. “Yeah, why not,” I tell Juliet, not because I like the way she is undressing me with her eyes, but because I can’t think of much worse than sitting and eating lunch by myself. And it probably couldn’t hurt to be seen with a woman if Cassandra is still around. A little payback for her comment on the plane.
CHAPTER NINE
BRANDON
Juliethasbeenpleasantcompany today. She’s a little ditzy but having her to chat to has moved day one of the conference along. We’re just on our way back through the foyer from dinner at the hotel restaurant with a few of the other teachers I also met today when I spot Cassie. Something about her looks off since I saw her at the end of the last session today. Her hair isn’t so perfectly high in the ponytail she was wearing. Her cheeks are flushed, and her walk in her six-inch heels could only be described as messy. Her eyes meet mine across the foyer, and her half-smile turns into a grimace as soon as she registers it’s me. That hasn’t changed since this morning. She still hates me.
“Cassie, are you okay?” I call to her as she walks by us on her way to the elevators.
“Just fine, Brandon.” She elongates my name as she says it, her words slurred. I’d say she’s been drinking. Her line of sight travels to Juliet. “Looks like you and your little friend here had an enjoyable night. Don’t let me interrupt your fun.” She throws a hand up, dismissing us as her gaze flitters away, and she keeps wobbling toward the elevators, banging the up arrow with the palm of her hand a little more aggressively than is needed to get the button to cooperate.
“Do you know her?” Juliet asks, a look of concern on her face.
“Yeah.” I sigh. “And I think she might need my help. I’ll see you tomorrow for another fun day of leadership training,” I joke with a smile.
“No problem, hope she’s alright,” she offers, waving me off.
I make a run for the closing door of the elevator and stop the doors from shutting completely with my hand, the doors retreating to let me slip in. Cassie has made herself comfortable leaning against the wall and looks toward me, unimpressed with my interruption of her ride. I know she despises me, but the girl is clearly a mess, and I can’t in good conscience leave her like this. This isn’t the first time I have caught her in this state, and for some reason, I feel like I need to make sure she makes it to her room safely, even if it will cause more animosity on her part for my troubles. I lean up against the same wall as her but leave some space between us.
She eyes me suspiciously. “Had enough of little miss perfect, did you?” Her words are bitter.
“Are you okay?” I ask her, knowing it’s probably not going to get me anywhere, but it’s obvious she is far from alright. She didn’t come for dinner with the rest of us and has been off drinking somewhere in a strange town by herself. That’s not really the behavior of someone who is at peace with their life.
“I hope you didn’t cut your date short on my account,” she snips, ignoring my question.
The elevator arrives on our floor, and the doors slide open.
“It wasn’t a date, Cassie,” I tell her, making my way out into the hall, holding the door open for her. She’s on this same floor, I know she is. I was there when she checked in, but she hasn’t moved. “Are you hopping out?” I ask her.
She looks back at me, her eyes wide, her face has suddenly gone white as a ghost. She stumbles toward me.
“Are you okay, Cassie?”
She shakes her head. “Is the room spinning for you?” she slurs. I can’t tell if she is going to pass out or be sick, so I reach out and grab her by the shoulders, stabilizing her. She must be really out of it because she lets me help her, no argument or smartass comment. Her body relaxes into mine as we stumble up the hall together. “This must be a dream,” she says so softly, as if to herself. “I’m going to wake up in the morning and this will have all been a dream. You will be gone again,” she mutters.
Maybe she has been thinking about me more than she would let on normally. So much that I’m a feature in her dreams. I like the idea of that. But unfortunately for her, I think she’s going to wake up in the morning and it’s going to be more like a nightmare with the thumping in her head. “What's your room number?”
“606,” she mutters way too quietly.
