Page 26 of Her Football Star Ex

Finally, after she seemed to have an internal debate with herself, she said, “I don’t know if that’s such a good idea, Vincent.”

And my heart, which had inflated with hope over the past few seconds, shriveled back to its regular size. “You don’t?”

She mulled it over for another second before nodding solemnly and saying, “The suite is for close family and friends. I don’t belong there anymore.”

“Okay.” I studied her face for a moment before I nodded and said, “I guess I can understand that.”

Even though I didn’t love her answer, I wasn’t about to beg her to come if she didn’t want to. I’d done enough begging for her to take me back to know that once Emerson made up her mind about something, it was almost impossible to change.

She pulled her coat closer to ward off the cold and forced a smile. “Tell your mom and Arianna thanks for thinking of me, though, and that I’ll make sure to have Jaxon ready on time so they won’t be late.”

“I’ll tell her.” I pushed my hands into the pockets of my coat. I knew I should probably say goodbye and head to my truck since it was only ten degrees outside and Jaxon and Cole were waiting for me, except I couldn’t help but ask, “Was that guy you were out with tonight the guy you’re bringing to Derek and Kira’s wedding?”

The guy she’d said those photos from the online dating website were for.

She looked down at her feet for a second before meeting my gaze. Then she shrugged and said, “I may have exaggerated a little when I said I already had a date.”

“You did?” I asked, my heart bumping against my ribcage. “Why?”

She turned her head to the side, as if my question made her uncomfortable. “Because I knew you were bringing someone, and I didn’t want you to know that I still hadn’t gone on a date yet.”

Wait. What?

“Tonight was your first date?” I blinked, not sure I’d heard her right.

I thought I was the only one having a hard time getting back out there. Her online profile had definitely made it seem like she knew what she was doing, anyway.

She furrowed her brow like I’d hurt her feelings with my question. “Not everyone has legions of people throwing themselves at them.”

“If you’re trying to say that I do,” I said, “you’d probably be interested to know that I haven’t started dating yet, either.”

Confusion covered her face. “But Kira said…”

I shook my head. “Kira was misinformed. I don’t have a date yet.”

She seemed to let that soak in for a moment and it almost looked like she was relieved in a way.

But was she relieved because she was just glad she’d been able to move on first? Or relieved because the thought of me dating someone else bothered her as much as seeing her on a date with that red-headed dude had bothered me?

“Well, looks like we’re both trying to appear cooler than we really are,” she said. “And if tonight is a sign of how the dating world is, I’m going to need to work on some things.”

I wanted to tell her she was perfect just the way she was and that she didn’t need to change herself in any way—that any guy would be lucky to go on a date with her. But I knew I was a big reason why she was doubting herself in the first place. I’d broken her confidence. Marriage was supposed to mean security. And I’d ruined it.

So I could only say, “I’m sorry that dude had to leave early.” I swallowed. “I hope it didn’t have anything to do with Jaxon and me interrupting.”

She lifted a shoulder. “It was pretty much doomed from the moment he said he wanted five kids and I knew I couldn’t give him even one.”

She said it lightly, but I knew her well enough to see the pain etched behind her eyes.

And I hated that. I knew how much she wanted another baby.

“I’m sorry,” I said in a low voice that I hoped conveyed how I too felt that pain with her. I would have loved to have given her that baby girl.

“No worries.” She wiped at her eye and looked away for a second before meeting my gaze again. “Anyway, when he figured out that you were my ex, he seemed to remember all those rumors about Vincent Lake’s ex-wife last year and was happy to split.”

She laughed like it was comical, but I didn’t see anything funny about it. Not only had I ruined the future we’d dreamed about together, but because of who I was to the rest of the world, other people had misinformed opinions about my wife.

Or rather, myex-wife.

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