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I glance at the clock in the corner of the locker room. “About fifteen minutes.”
“I’m going to find Lexie. She should be out in the crowd by now.”
He moves past me and I sit on a bench, resting my elbows on my knees. The frenetic pace of the last two days is nearly at an end since Ethan is my last match of the day. At least I had this distraction to keep me from thinking of…
Fuck.
The memory of me sitting outside the loading dock at work Thursday afternoon returns, staring at my texts from Tessa as if they’ll magically change.
I push it aside, only to be met with meeting up with her in our apartment hallway, asking me about dinner, of all things. How could she think I’d want to do that after she’d stomped all over my heart?
She said she wanted to go back to being friends, but how can I do that when I still crave her so badly? It’s better to avoid her, at least until the worst of this has passed. The only problem is, it’s not getting better, especially when there are so many reminders of her. Christ, Danielle had even called last night asking about her. I can’t get away from her.
And once I go back home tonight, with her right across the hall… How will this work? How can I get over her when she’s always around?
I step out of the locker room, searching for Ethan in the crowd to see if he wants any more advice, but my gaze gets stuck on a petite brunette, out of place among the rough and tumble attendees with her delicate features. Her long hair sweeps over one shoulder, head turned to the side as she looks around the sports complex, like she’s searching for something.
What’s she doing here?
I take a step toward her before I remember myself, forgetting for a moment how things stand between us. She’s not mine to go over and kiss her in greeting the way I want. She made it clear she doesn’t want that. Doesn’t even want me to mention it.
She turns her head, gaze meeting mine like a magnet, recognition flaring in her eyes. Getting up from her spot in the bleachers, she moves past the people in her row, rushing down the stairs in her haste to reach me until she’s suddenly in front of me, the freckles on her face pronounced with how pale she is.
“Hi,” she says, breaths coming fast.
“Why are you here?” It’s all I can think to say. I’d gotten a random call from her last night that I’d ignored, but she’d probably made it by accident, anyway.
Her hands twist together distractingly. “I wanted to talk to you.”
Oh, so she wants to talk now? When I’m working? “I thought I said I needed space.”
“I… I don’t understand why you said that.”
Is she for real?
“Is there somewhere we could go that’s more private?” she asks.
“I’m working. Ethan’s match is in less than ten minutes.”
“Please. I came all this way to see you.”
“I didn’t ask you to.”
Her mouth turns down at the corners, lips trembling.
I sigh and mutter, “Come on.” I lead her over past the locker room door to an empty spot. “What is it?” Maybe it’s better to get this out of the way now so I can focus on the match.
“Why are you so upset with me?”
My jaw clenches and I have to take a moment to compose myself so I don’t lash out. “I’m trying to respect your wishes, but you’re making it hard. I can’t be around you right now.”
“Why?”
The anger that’s been building for the past few days rises to the surface, a dark cloud forming over me, but she surprisingly doesn’t back away. “Because you blew me off.”
Her gaze narrows. “What? If anyone, you’re the one who blewmeoff. I was ready to go out and then you say you need space and you’re going to the gym. What was that about?”
“Why would I go on a date with a friend?” That’s all she sees me as, right? She said we were too different, that things wouldn’t work out long-term. That she wants to go back to being friends. But I don’t want that.
