Page 102 of Never You

No, Ineedto be a part of it.

When I look at the screen, I’m happily surprised, so I pick up.

“Hunter Hansen, you still alive?”

A deep chuckle comes over the line, and I imagine his cocky grin as I stare the rustling leaves in the trees across the street.

“Areyou? I’ve seen your name in the tabloids more than once last week, man. You’ve been busy.”

“Oh, you know how that goes, man. You’re seen with one girl, and you’re a married man the next day.”

“You must be heading for your divorce, then, because I’ve seen you with the same girl twice.”

I drop my back against the concrete wall, a frown on my face.

“What do you mean?”

Hunter pauses, as if he’s trying to break the news to me easily. “There is a new picture online of you and the blonde. You two are looking pretty cozy on the streets of Atlanta.”

Letting out a growl, I rub my hand over my face.

“Shit,” I mutter.

The first few days, I was careful, checking my surroundings, putting a Knights cap on my head to make sure no one recognized me. Anything to make sure the tabloids couldn’t corner me by surprise. But after Memphis, I let my guard down, putting my main focus on Rae the entire time.

“Is it clear it’s the same girl?”

“You mean Rae Stafford? Former specialist for the LA Knights?” Hunter asks bluntly, giving me a clear answer.

“Fuck.”

“Yeah. I’m guessing your mother is not happy with you.”

“Ha! Nothing new, right?”

“True. What are you doing in Atlanta, though? I thought you’d be celebrating your win in typical LA style?”

“Like you did with your last fight? You bailed the second you got the chance.” I laugh, thinking back about his final MMA fight this spring. He got me front row tickets, and when he won, I went to congratulate him in the dressing room, but he was already gone.

“Are you still pissed about that, Jensen?”

“You brushed me off with a text,” I whine jokingly. “I was a little hurt, yeah.”

“I’m sorry, superstar. You know you have a place in my heart.”

“Yeah, whatever. How is your woman doing?”

“Good! She’s getting big. It’s a boy, by the way.” I can hear the pride in his voice, putting a smile on my face.

“No way! Another Hunter? I’m not sure the world can handle that.”

“Tell me about it. Charlotte said the same when we found out.”

I can’t believe we went from clubbing together to Hunter having a wife and a kid on the way. I still remember when she walked into us at a club years ago, with a puck bunny on each of our laps. I will never forget the hurt in her eyes, the pain that she physically felt when she saw him with another girl.

But I could still see the love dripping from her face.

She loved him with everything she had.

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