Page 60 of If We Never Met

"Because she was more into it than you were."

"I don't know if that's true."

"Come on, Dante, you can't keep playing it down. You've said all along that she's not your girlfriend, that it's not serious, but she's acting like she was your girlfriend, and you were serious. You're either not being honest with me or you're not being honest with yourself."

"You're wrong, Keira. I am being honest. It's Nikki who is making our relationship into something it wasn't. We met in February. A month later, I was off to spring training and then the season. We saw each other sporadically. She came to Denver right before I got the surgery, but she couldn't stand being in the hospital. She didn't even wait until the surgery was over to leave. I didn’t see her for six weeks, until she showed up here."

She had to admit it didn't sound like that serious of a relationship. "I can't believe she left before your surgery was over. That was cold. Were you completely alone?"

"No. Danny and Micah came. They stayed a couple of days until I was able to take care of myself."

She was relieved to hear that. "I'm glad they were there for you. Why did you go to Denver for the surgery? Why didn't you have it in Miami?"

"Because Grayson's success rate with injuries like mine is phenomenally good. I wanted the best, and he's the best, so I went to Denver." He paused. "I actually didn't care that Nikki left. She's not good with medical issues, and I didn't have the energy to prop her up."

"You shouldn't have had to do that."

"I should have called it quits with her a while ago, but I've been so completely focused on my recovery that I just didn't want to get into it with her. She wasn't around. I didn't have a pressing need to have the talk."

"But last night you felt that need?"

"After the way she set us both up, yes. I'd had enough. She said she was going to tell people she broke up with me, but I didn't know she'd go after you. I should have figured she would. She's all about controlling the narrative, as you saw yesterday."

"She is very determined to do that. So, what now? Do we say something? Do we stay quiet? What's the play?"

"I'm not sure. I can talk to Nikki, but I don't know that I'll persuade her to come clean, not after she's made this so public. And speaking to her might make it worse."

He had a point. "If we don't say anything, will the press just eventually leave? How long will that take?"

"There's a chance they won't leave until I do. It's not just about you and me, although that's the spicier headline. It's also about my future in baseball. A lot of people want to know how my rehab is going, if I'm coming back." He paused. "I could leave, finish my rehab back in Denver or maybe even Miami. That would take the heat off you."

She immediately shook her head. "No. Your health is the most important thing, not this story. You should not leave rehab because of me."

"I don't want to complicate your life."

"Too late for that."

"I want to do something to make things easier for you."

"I don't think there's anything you can do." She squared her shoulders and lifted her chin. She wasn't going to be a victim or let this story run her life. "It will be fine. I can dodge the press. And even if they take photos of me, what are they going to see? I don't have time to waste on this situation. I have more pressing problems."

"Like Mark Langley?"

"He's one of those problems. He's having dinner right now with my mother. Hannah's wedding dress is the other issue. My design is not going well. I'm stuck and I don't know how to get myself unstuck."

"Well, I can't help you with the dress, but maybe I can help you with Langley."

"I was about to look for Mandy online."

"Why don't I help you?"

She hesitated. "I should say no. It feels like we're playing with fire."

A smile spread across his face. "It will only get as hot as you want it to get."

His flirty words sent another tingle down her spine. "That's the problem. I'm not making good decisions where you're concerned."

"We still have our clothes on, so the decisions haven't gotten that crazy."

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