Page 90 of Chasing After You
Henry shrugs, rolling onto his side to mirror my position in his bed as he grabs the phone. “Depends on the person, but that asshole could have at least been a little more creative. I think what I liked most was when you would say something so honest, you didn’t second-guess it. Personally, I feel like during phone sex you have to be more vocal because the only way your partner can hear you is through your voice.”
“That makes sense,” I agree, making mental notes in my head. “Should I have talked more?”
“Mira, you did what felt right to you, and that’s the only thing that matters to me. I talked a little more than I normally would toward the middle because I could tell you were anxious after I said I wasn’t going to come until you did, and it seemed to help you be more in the moment instead of in your head,” Henry explains, and he’s not wrong. “That’s not a bad thing either, and I hope you don’t take it that way.”
“Are you sure?”
Henry’s eyelids droop a little, but he blinks, forcing them open. “I’m positive. A good partner adapts to their partner’s needs instead of forcing their own desires. I was just trying to adapt to you.”
“Thank you,” I say, as my heart turns to a puddle of mush.
“Anytime,” he says, yawning. “I think you wore me out. I’m about to fall asleep,” he says, his eyes falling shut out of exhaustion.
I think mine close too, but when I stir a few hours later, I see a low battery notification covering the still connected call between us. I plug my phone in, propping it up again so it’s easier to pretend that the man I’m in love with is beside me.
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
Mirabelle
I FLOATED INTO work on cloud nine this morning, carrying a tray of coffees for everyone in an attempt to have a peaceful day. Yesterday was rough without Stacey here to supervise us, and Miley made everyone’s day awful. I beat everyone in, but I’m also trying to get my shit done so I can leave earlier this afternoon.
I’m eager to see Henry, especially since his birthday is tomorrow, but I know after the team’s flight lands, he’ll probably spend the day resting.
I finished writing my reports on Henry’s social media engagement before combing through social media to see if there are any fires I need to alert Stacey about after last night’s loss, but I’m not seeing anything emergent. If anything, fans were commending Henry for his efforts on the field last night, and I took a screenshot of a few of them to send to him.
He deserves to know there are people out there rooting for him.
I’ll never forget the look on his face when Stacey told him how close he was to being traded. It’s part of the reason—aside from the obvious(I still hate that word)—that I was so quick to agree to this whole fake dating scheme. Henry looked devastated, and I understand why.
He spent all summer training with Uncle Owen and Dad, trying to show everyone he could fill the great Sebastian Walker’s shoes.
Henry might not be happy about it, but he’s done everything Stacey has asked of him.
Public perception is everything in this line of business. I understand how Henry felt, even though I was on the opposite end of the spectrum after the Olympics.
Growing up under the microscope with my dad’s career being what it was, I learned to tune out a lot of what other people said. I was used to them watching me because of my last name, and most of the time, I could forget. I have a thick skin, but things were different after the Olympics.
I’ll be forever grateful for my time competing and the opportunity I had to represent my country, but after reaching that pinnacle, I didn’t even feel like a person anymore. I don’t talk about it much because I’m past that point in my life, and I worked through it in therapy, but it doesn’t change how I felt at the time. I had people all over the world on the internet talking about me as if I didn’t have real feelings, thinking they had the right to comment on my body, my athleticism, and me as a person. Now for every negative comment like that, I have dozens of positive ones, but it’s hard to focus on the positive when the negative screams so much louder.
I’ll never forget when I was out shopping with my mom, and a stranger came up to me and started touching me as if she had a right to my body. It solidified my thoughts that I was a marionette doll, with strings for everyone else to pull.
My parents hired a bodyguard for me immediately after that, and Sam went everywhere with me for the next year until things died down. It was probably a bit extreme of a reaction, but it made me feel safe at a time when I needed it. Everyone aside from my parents, Uncle Owen, Aunt Blake, and JJ, thought Sam was there because my parents were being overprotective.
It’s definitely the reason I lost my shit with that couple at the restaurant for putting their hands all over Henry, because they were treating him the same way I’d been treated.
Stepping down from elite gymnastics was the hardest choice I’ve ever had to make, but I wanted to feel like myself again. I wanted to love what I did, and the thought of going back to the Olympics for it all to start again was the reason for multiple panic attacks, but I didn’t want to quit.
My PR team crafted a release stating that I wanted to focus on my education, and the coach at Duke welcomed me with open arms. Competing at Duke made me fall in love with the sport and with myself all over again. I know I have an ego the size of Texas, but I’d rather have that than feel like I’m not a real person again.
My biggest regret from dating Reid is how I let him make me feel like I wasn’t good enough.
I roll my shoulders, shaking off the thoughts.I’m Mirabelle fucking Walker. I’ve got this.
My phone vibrates on my desk, and I smile automatically upon seeing Henry’s name pop up. It’s a screenshot of an audiobook, and another text follows it up.
Henry:starting this one if you want to listen too
Henry:no pressure
