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“Oh no, tell me you didn’t. Chase, you can’t do that to him. He is under a lot of pressure, and you are just fueling the fire,” I scold, jumping straight to Jordan’s defense.
“What a load of crap. He is living the charmed life. Star quarterback earning a gazillion dollars a season, married to a supermodel, and he has the most beautiful woman in America sleeping under his roof. What the hell has he got to be stressed about? Hmm, tell me that?”
If only you knew half the story, Chase, then you might back off a bit, but I can’t say a word. I love him as a good friend, but Chase is a gossip, and he would be all over anything to make Jordan look bad.
“Listen, just take it from me, you don’t know someone’s life until you are living it. Please don’t say anything else about me. I’m just having a nice visit with a friend, and that’s all I want, okay. I’ll find a day to spend some time with you, but I’m not interested in clubbing. Besides, all I’d probably do is scare off the ladies you plan on taking home for the night,” I tease, trying to lighten up the conversation.
“That’s okay, I’ll just take you instead.”
“Chase!” I squeal in shock.
“Yeah, yeah, I know. Still hung up on that asshole. But one day you will see that there is more to life than him.”
The sadness in his voice makes me feel so bad. I know how he feels. I can’t have Jordan, and Chase can’t have me. I know what his pain feels like. Before I can answer he’s moving on.
“Anyway,” Chase says, “I better get off the phone before the grumpy ass walks in and finds you talking to me. Don’t think it would go down very well. I’ll call you later and we can work out when I can see you, hometown girl. Catch ya later.” And he’s gone.
That leaves me sitting on the floor now trying to get my head on straight before Jordan arrives. If I thought he was worked up this morning, that’ll be nothing compared to what a practice session with Chase will have done to him.
Lost in my own world, time passes and I’m not even aware of the elevator opening until his deep voice fills the room around me.
“Damn, Nat, why the hell did you have to tell Lonigan you were here? And I can tell you now, there is no way in hell he is taking you out to nightclubs!”
The closer he gets, the more I can see the anger in his eyes.
“No fucking way. Do. You. Hear. Me!”
Shit, remember that nuclear explosion I was talking about? I think it just went off in the living room and a second one is about to follow from me.
ChapterNineteen
NATALIE
“What the hell, Jordan, hello to you too, asshole.” Standing up, I face him head on. “And who the hell do you think you are? You don’t own me!”
“You’re mine!”
Oh, he did not just say that!
“No, dickhead, I belong to nobody. Your piece of property, she left here earlier in the day, leaving me her number and reminding me what a special guy you are. Funny, I’m not seeing it right now.”
“Don’t be a bitch, Nat. You know I don’t treat anyone like my personal property.”
“You just did!” Why does he constantly do this? Just when I try to get us back on an even level of friendship, something we can both work within the borders of, he goes and oversteps the imaginary line I draw for him.
“Ughh, you drive me crazy, woman!” He throws his bag onto the floor and storms toward the kitchen.
“Feeling is mutual. And now that you have thrown your two-year-old tantrum, just so you know, you’re a tad too late. Chase is picking me up at seven tonight and you are not invited.” Fuck, now I’ve done it. I need to make an urgent phone call, and even if he can’t, I’ll just pretend I’m going out with him and go sit in a bar somewhere for a few hours. Why do I do this to myself? Seriously, I should shut my mouth sometimes.
“Over my dead body!” I’ve never seen him so worked up.
“That can certainly be arranged!” I’m done. I stalk toward the stairs to my room.
“Cancel it now!” he yells from behind me.
“Get fucked, asshole.” I have never sworn as much in my life as I have since I’ve been here with Jordan. He brings out the best and absolute worst in me.
Running up the stairs two at a time, I need to get to my room and call Chase before Jordan does.
