Page 101 of Writing Mr. Wrong

“You scare me, Mason.”

He stepped back, blinking. “What?”

“Not like that. Sorry.Youdon’t scare me. The thought of being with you scares me.” She shoved one hand in her pocket and then pulled it out, like she wasn’t sure what to do with it. “In high school, I had this fantasy of a secret romance with the boy no one else saw.”

She looked up at him. “That wouldn’t have worked, and it’s not what I want now. I want all of you. Every bit. That means being with you publicly, going to your games, being Mason Moretti’s girlfriend. And I’m not ready for that. I’m not ready for people to rip me apart online.”

“But they love us together.”

“For now. If it gets serious, that’s when your fans will strike back. I’ve seen it. I’m sure you have, too.”

His shoulders slumped. “Yeah. I have.”

“I’m not a twenty-year-old fashion model, Mason.”

“I don’t date twenty-year-olds, and I don’t only date models.” He lifted his hands. “Which isn’t what you mean. I know. ButI’mnot an MBA wholookslike a model either.” A sidelong glance. “I’ve seen your ex.”

She shook her head. “For every person who negatively compares you to Alan, a hundred will say I traded up, and a thousand will say I don’t deserve it. But that’s not your problem, Mason. It’s mine. I want to say it doesn’t matter. But my confidence, my self-worth? It’s in tatters. I spent nine years trying to be the wife Alan wanted, and now I’m terrified of needing to be someone else. Not the girlfriend you want—I know being Mason Moretti’s girlfriend will be fucking terrifying and…”

She took a deep breath. “And I want it. I want it bad enoughto face that. I just need you to know that I’m scared and why. It might seem silly to you, and it’s definitely not the Gemma you remember—”

“It’s how you feel now. I get that, Gem. I’ve seen other players and their breakups and their divorces, and I know that being with me won’t be easy.” He shifted. “Everyone acts like it’d be so romantic to snag a sports star. It’s not. Like being a star yourself. It’s amazing, but it’s also…” His voice dropped. “Not perfect.”

She reached and took his hand. “I can imagine, and I’m going to need to do more than imagine it. I’m going to need to understand it. Through you.”

He nodded.

“There’s something else that scares me, Mason,” she said. “What happened in high school. I’ve tried so hard to get past it but…” She exhaled. “I need to know why. Why you let your friends say you kissed me on a dare, why you took all day to talk to me about it, and why you walked away after that. You led me to believe we were starting something, and then you just… left.”

He stilled, his heart thumping so hard he struggled for breath.

“I made a mistake,” he said finally. “A really stupid one, and I regret that I hurt you.”

“Because we were teenagers, and teenagers make stupid choices.”

“Yes.” The word came on a flood of relief. “I’vealwaysregretted it, Gemma. When I heard my friends were telling people it was a dare, I felt sick. Sick and furious.”

“So why didn’t you fix it? You seemed to want to be with me. Why not walk up to me andshoweveryone it wasn’t a dare?”

“I…” He seemed to hang there, on that single word.

She waited.

He shut his mouth and pulled back. “I regret it. I hurt you, and that was wrong, and I don’t blame you for not forgiving me. But I swear I won’t do that again. I mean, obviously, I wouldn’t do that exact thing. But when people say stuff about us, I will stand up for you. Always. And I won’t ghost you. You have my word.”

“I’m not asking for promises, Mason. I’m only asking for an explanation.”

Deep breaths, in and out, like Dr. Colbourne taught him.

“You didn’t seem to want to be with me, Gem,” he said finally. “You said it was just a kiss. No big deal.”

“Because I was hurt. And, yes, young and stupid. I was protecting myself.” She peered at him. “Is that it? You hurt me, and I threw up a wall, and you thought that meant it was over?”

He should jump on this excuse. That’d be the easy answer. A vicious circle of hurt and miscommunication, nothing more.

But there wasmore, and he’d vowed to be honest, and if he lied now, he’d always wonder what she might do if she found out the truth.

“Can we go inside?” he said. “Please. I’ll explain in there.”

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