Page 101 of Third Chances (Men of Manhattan 2)

"That's very sweet of you to say." I gave James what was probably the most un-genuine smile ever. "It's actually getting kind of late guys. And I know you probably have some more stuff planned for your bachelor party. I have to get back to my friends too. They're probably worried about me."

"Can I walk you?" Rob said. His face looked so guilty. Or upset. Or I don't know, because I didn't know him well enough to tell.

"Don't you dare fucking follow me," I said quiet enough for only him to here. "You got what you wanted from me. Just...please leave me alone." I stood up. "It was nice meeting all of you," I said without looking at any of them. I walked as quickly as I could toward the hotel.

Chapter 32

Rob

"Daphne!" I yelled, but it just made her walk turn into a run.

I turned around to glare at my friends. They were all silent. I clenched my hand into a fist. "Are you fucking kidding me?"

"What? She deserved to know the truth," Matt said.

"The truth? I didn't even get a chance to tell her the truth thanks to you."

"Calm down, you weren't going to see her after tonight anyway."

Fucking idiot. "I like her."

"I don't really see why that changes anything."

"It changes everything." I stood up.

"I don't understand why, it's not like it was going anywhere."

"Matt, stop," Mason said.

I didn't want to tell my friends that I had had a crush on Daphne for over a year and that I didn't have the balls to talk to her on campus. This was my one shot. I didn't just like Daphne, I really liked her. And Matt had just blown it for me.

"Fuck all of you." I stood up and started to follow Daphne. I could explain what happened to her. It was just one of those stupid cards. It didn't mean anything. And it was before she showed up. I would never hurt her.

"Rob, wait up." James grabbed my shoulder.

I shook his hand off. "I don't need your help."

"But I think if you..."

"You know what? I don't need saving, so stop fucking trying to save me."

"I didn't say that you did." He looked hurt by what I just said. But I didn't have time to care about his feelings. I was just pissed off, and I wanted to find Daphne. I wasn't going to lose her like this. I had blown my first chance with her by never speaking to her back on campus. There was no way in hell I was going to blow my second chance too.

"Just stop meddling in my life, James. We're not kids anymore. I don't need you fixing everything for me. I can take care of myself." I pushed through the doors and was glad that he didn't follow me. Instead of taking the elevator, I ran up the stairs. If I didn't get rid of some of this adrenaline, I was going to lose my mind.

I stopped on her floor and caught my breath before knocking on her door. "Daphne, open up." I hit her door with my fist again.

The door opened slowly and Alina stepped out, closing the door behind her. "She's not here, Rob." She started walking toward the elevator doors.

"Then where is she?" I followed her toward the elevator.

"Maybe you should just give her some space?" She hit the down button. "I feel like she probably wants to be alone right now."

"I think that's for her to decide, don't you?"

Alina shifted uncomfortably. "She's been having a hard time here. I think that she just needs some time."

"We just had a misunderstanding, I'm going to fix it."

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