Page 261 of The Perfect Spiral
“You know what the worst part was? The guy she was cheating on me with was my best friend...”
My heart aches for him. I can’t fathom doing that to someone. It’s such a cruel act.
“I haven’t spoken to either of them since that day. The ironic part is, they started dating after I broke up with her, only to split three months later. Their relationship was built on the thrill of sneaking around.”
He finishes his beer and leans back, taking in the view. The empty bottle clinks as he sets it down on the side table.
“After that, I became a bit of a playboy. I partied nearly every night and slept with half the college. If a girl approached me in a tight dress, I’d take her upstairs without a second thought.
“None of it meant anything to me. My heart was completely shattered after that relationship. I haven’t been in one since. I couldn’t feel any emotion for years after it, never got attached to anyone.
“I was the king of the ‘Nail and Bail’ scene. I didn’t feel any enjoyment being around any girl. Until I met you.” A small smile tugs at my lips at his words.
I lean back to join him, pulling my legs up onto the sofa and resting my head on my palm, my elbow propped against the back of the seat. I turn to face him.
“I felt an immediate connection with you, Alex. It’s never happened to me before. When I saw your commercial during halftime at a friend’s house, I thought you were sexy as hell.
“When I met you at the beach, I had to talk to you, mainly to get your number. But when you responded with such ease, it felt natural between us.
“You had this look in your eyes, like you were broken inside. A look I’d worn for years. When we were out on the water and you opened up to me, I knew you didn’t like talking about yourself.
“But you needed it. I knew we’d hit it off.” His hand reaches out to touch my arm, the one propping up my head. He shifts closer to me.
“I could’ve sat there listening to you all day. Even when you spoke about Carter. When you wanted to know about me, even though we’d just met, I knew you felt a connection too. I knew then that I loved you.”
My eyes widen at his declaration. What? He starts to laugh at my reaction and leans in, cupping my face in his hands.
“Relax, sweet cheeks. I love you, but I’m not in love with you.” He gazes past me, and I realize he’s in love with someone else.
“You’re in love with Hannah, aren’t you?” I ask, and a smile slowly spreads across his face. He nods in confirmation.
“I know we’ve only been on one date, but getting to know her when I came down was one of the best experiences I’ve had. She’s the first girl I’ve wanted to commit to in years.
“I love everything about her, Alex. She’s perfect for me.” He stares past me, lost in thought.
“Great, I can’t marry Andy, Hannah, or you! Guess I’ll just haveto wait for Adam.” I laugh, patting his hands that are still on my face.
“Believe me, you’re perfect for someone, Alex. If you haven’t found that someone yet, I think you already have. And if not, I can always have two wives in the house,” he teases, giving my hands a squeeze before dropping them onto my lap.
I roll my eyes, making him laugh even more. “I thought Drew was the one. But I must’ve been blinded by that. I thought I was so in love with him. When I caught him cheating on me, I was devastated. But...” His hand squeezes my leg in a silent show of support.
I can’t believe I’m about to say this out loud. “But it hurt even more when I saw Knox and Lauren together. I went to my grandfather’s grave and cried for eight hours.
“I rocked myself back and forth, wishing I’d never gotten involved with him. The night before it all happened, he kept telling me how beautiful I was. We ended up making love-”
“Making love?” Ben interrupts, his shock evident. “Is that what he said?” He rubs the side of his face, disbelief etched on his features. I can see the anger simmering beneath the surface. I nod in confirmation.
“Yes, he said that. Then the next day, we told everyone about our date. But when I came home with Sam and Tyson... Seeing that... I can’t get the image out of my head.
“I wish I’d never come home that day. I was half-tempted to book a flight back to Cali to see you after the wedding. I can’t stand seeing them together. I should’ve known he’d use me-”
“I’m sorry.” His voice froze me in place, my head snappingaround to find Knox leaning casually against the railings of the steps.
Chapter 94
Ben was on his feet in an instant, storming over to Knox, grabbing him by the collar, and slamming him against the wall. I sat there, shocked into silence.
“You made love to her and then had the audacity to sleep with Lauren the next day? Are you fucking kidding me, Carter? After everything we discussed on the deck that night! You did that to her?” Ben’s face was inches from Knox’s, his voice dropping to a whisper that I couldn’t decipher.
