Page 29 of The Player

“Shut up.” A beautiful blush is on her cheeks, and I want to touch them. To make her blush in more ways than one. Instead, I ball my hands in my lap and keep my thoughts to myself.

“Keep your eyes on the road. I don’t care what’s playing, just as long as it isn’t silent,” Julie mumbles but puts down her phone. “Are we going down Highway 80? It’s probably a lot smoother sailing if we do.”

“No, there’s construction from here until right before you get to 75. We’ll have to take Interstate 20 until Terrell.” Julie doesn’t miss a beat as she weaves in and out of traffic. She was always the better driver. Hell, I’m glad it was her that picked me up and not my sister. That girl can’t drive for shit.

* * *

As we get closer to Summerfield, nostalgia hits me. The idea of seeing familiar faces crosses my mind, and I have to admit…I’m excited. When Julie misses the turn for my family’s farm, I bellow, “Hey, the farm is back that way.”

Julie jumps but smiles. “You aren’t staying at the farm. You’re staying with me.”

“Why?” My voice comes out harsher than I mean for it to, but there’s no way in hell I can stay with her. Shit, I’ve never changed. I’m still vain and worried about my damn reputation. I sink into my seat and realize I’ve sunk to a new low.

Thank God she doesn’t catch onto my feelings. No, she continues driving and explains why I’m not going home. “Your family farm had three pipes burst, causing mold in the upper half of the house and down below. There are only two rooms there that are safe to be in at the moment.”

“When the fuck did that happen?” Julie flinches at the anger coming out of me. I don’t blame her. I have a horrible temper, and she doesn’t deserve that. No, she deserves to be wrapped in diamonds and silks while I eat her sweet pussy. Fuck, I have got to get it together.

“A few hours after she called you to come home. If you had picked up your phone when Kaylee called you for a second time, you’d have known. As it is, your brother has the bed, and she’s on the couch. You are stuck with me.”

The way she says it so matter-of-fact makes me grimace. Before I can say anything, she glowers at me. “We all know how you feel about being seen with me. Don’t worry, I won’t ruin your reputation.”

Fuck, I seriously need to get a better hold of how I handle things. The hurt in her eyes reminds me of the first time I hurt her, and I look away. I can’t stand that look. It’s haunted me for the last eleven years. Knowing I can still hurt her has my head pounding. A whiskey neat would be great right about now.

We turn down a long driveway that opens up to at least ten acres of land and a stunning white cedar log cabin. “This is beautiful.”

“Thanks, Aaron. Come on, let’s get you settled in.”

Julie steps out of the vehicle, which is a new 2023 Ford Bronco. She hasn’t changed one bit. It’s like I’ve stepped back in time with her, but I know that’s not how it is. She hates me now, and I can see it written all over her. It pains me, but I deserve it.

There are bikes parked by the porch and a basketball hoop out to the side. “Whose the sports fan?” I jokingly say because I know Julie isn’t into any physical activity.

“Lennox. You’ll meet him in about two hours.”

Who the fuck is Lennox? My mind is reeling, and anger riots through me. How dare she have another man. I’m about to tell her off, but she opens the front door, and a cat comes barreling out.

“Oh, Tuxedo, you know better,” she chides him.

As I hobble through the front door, I’m met with a beautiful open space layout and can see a lake through the living room floor-to-ceiling windows. Goddamn, she must be doing well.

“Being a doctor has its perks, huh?” Julie stops walking and looks back at me.

“Not as good as being an NFL all-star, but I do well enough.” She bites her lip, and I can see the pride shining in her eyes. That was the one thing she always wanted to be.

“Good for you, Ju-Ju.” The old nickname slips out, and I see her visibly shiver. It’s masked almost as fast, and Julie walks to the right of the kitchen. I almost called her Sugar Plum and I don’t think I could handle telling her how I’m James. Not yet. Maybe one day.

“The master and second bedroom are upstairs, so you can have the guest room down here. It has the most privacy, and there’s a bathroom to the left. Your closet is to the right. Until you get on your feet here, you are welcome to stay as long as you like.”

The bedroom is bigger than my apartment back in San Francisco, but I don’t tell her that. “You mean that, Jules?” Shit, the vulnerability seeping out of my words is almost embarrassing.

Her head tilts to the side, and she takes me in. “Yes. For your sister and brother. By the way, I know you’ll need eight months of physical therapy, which makes no sense. What the heck were they doing at that rehab center?”

I can tell she didn’t mean to ask that by the way she slaps a hand over her mouth. “That isn’t any of my business. Don’t answer. Your brother is going to need as long, if not more time than you. So, with that being said, yes, stay here until you get on your feet.”

My pride rears its head, and I smirk. “I’m a multi-millionaire. I won’t need long.”

I don’t know why I state that. Hell, she knows I’m rich. God, could I be a bigger douche?

She raises an eyebrow and chuckles. “Good for you, Aaron. Good for you.” With that, she leaves me to my self-loathing thoughts and doubts. Way to go—you just isolated yourself even further from the one person you love besides your family. Great fucking job.

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