Page 19 of Those Heartbreak Scars

Liar. God, I am such a fucking liar. I’m going to go to hell because of Gray. I always knew I would. I thought it would be for being in love with my best friend’s husband, not for cheap and nasty sex in a posh restroom.

I muster up a smile. “I’m excited about the prospect of you being so close when I move home.”

“You mean it?” Everett asks.

“Mmhmm.” I do mean it. I like him a lot. I like spending time with him. Any feelings I had for Gray that were holding me back have turned into the intense desire to throat punch him with a crystal goblet. But it doesn’t matter how I feel about it.

Everett won’t feel the same way about me that he does now if he ever finds out about what occurred in that bathroom. He won’t want me anymore.

Any future we could have had I’ve ruined this evening.

“We can put feelers out immediately. I don’t see a problem with finding you a new team to start next season with. They’ll be clamoring to get you.”

“Can I take a couple of days to think about it?” he asks Gray before leaning in to kiss me again. “I’d like to give my agency the chance to come back with a counter. We haven’t been seeing eye-to-eye lately, but I’ve been with them since I started.”

“Of course.” Gray stands as Everett does. “I think we can do some fantastic things together if you choose to go with All-Star.”

“I’ll be in touch.” Everett lifts me to my feet and tucks me into his side.

“Gray,” I say by way of goodbye, trying to hide the icy rage in my tone.

“America.” His nod is stilted.

With his arm around my shoulders, Everett says, “Come on, Lucky Charm. I’ve been on my best behavior, but all I can think about is having you all to myself. I can’t wait to see that pretty number you’re wearing under this dress again.”

He guides me away from the table as Gray starts to cough like he’s choking on something. When I glance back, he’s staring at me like… like I don’t know what, but there’s something in those glacial blues that isn’t usually there.

It gives me butterflies and makes my heart skip a beat. The ice in my veins isn’t as thick as I’d hoped it would be.

I turn my back on him. Turn away from those feelings. He couldn’t have been clearer that there is nothing there for me. He’s still in love with Indy. Still broken over her.

I need to stop wanting what I can’t have.

Chapter Eight

America

Everett beams from ear to ear once we’re in the car. He pulls into traffic and rests his hand on my knee. “That went well.”

“Did it?” I fight the urge to squirm in my seat. Gray’s mess is still making my thighs tacky. My panties are ruined. If anything, tonight has been a total trainwreck. It couldn’t have gone worse.

“I’m ninety-five percent sure I’m going to sign with your friend,” he says.

He’s not my friend. He’s some asshole that I used to know. I let out a labored breath. Oh how I wish that were true. But the fact that my head is still back at the restaurant with Gray tells me it’s not. “And the other five percent?”

“Three percent wants to let my current agent come back with a better deal. They won’t, but I want to give them the chance to. The last two percent likes to be wined and wooed by the people who’d like their commission to come from my salary.”

We fall into silence as he drives us back to my flat. He tries to inch his hand up my thigh again.

I lean forward and adjust the thermostat then cross my legs.

“You’re not okay,” he says. “What is it?”

“I’m fine.”

“Is it because I called you my girlfriend? I kind of sprung that on you, huh?”

“Considering the conversation we had before we left my flat… yes. I thought we were on the same page about moving slowlyand having fun.” My phone starts to ring, and I fetch it from my clutch. Of course Indy is calling me while I’m in a free fall over Gray. And Everett is trying to label us.

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