Page 80 of Craving the Player

As she gets inside, Ilet out aslow breath and look back at the plain brick building that Icalled home for such ashort time. Ialways thought that Iwould be here longer, that Iwould create memories here that Iwould carry around with me. But the only memories Ihave in the empty walls of my old apartment are ones that Inever plan to revisit again.

The sting building in my eyes is enough to push my feet towards the passenger door. Iopen it and quickly crawl inside, almost as if I’mrunning away from something. Which, Iguess Iam. Or more so running towards something else. Something far from here.

Clare starts driving as soon as Ibuckle up.

“Thanks again for driving me. Icould have called acab.” Ipush the words through my dry throat, quickly flicking my gaze to see her smile slightly.

“Of course. Iwouldn’tmake you take acab. Plus, it gives me alittle more time with you.”

My heart warms. “What am Igoing to do without you?” Iask, my mood becoming dimmer by the minute.

“Honestly? Ihave no clue. Probably end up trapped somewhere or losing your mind because you can’tfind something that’sbeen sitting in front of you the whole time,” she teases.

“Wow!” Isuck in abreath. “You’re feeling ruthless today.”

“It’strue. You’re adamn mess sometimes, S. But Ilove you anyway.”

Igive my head ashake and shove her arm. “Iwish Icould argue with you on that.”

“It gives you spunk. Nobody can be as perfect as me.” She flashes me awink.

“You wish.”

She’squiet for aminute as she fiddles with the radio controls, browsing through them. Ilift abrow when she ends up letting the original station play. “So, everything is taken care of here then? No unfinished business? Iwould hate for you to leave with any regrets.”

“Regrets?” Iask, folding my arms across my chest. It’seasy to realize where she’sgoing with this. “Unfinished business?”

“You know what Imean,” she hums.

“Do I?”

“Stop answering all of my questions with questions,” she groans. “You know exactly what I’mtalking about. Or who, I’mtalking about.”

“Nope. No idea.”

“Braden? Super hot, super buff guy who you’ve been spending every minute of every day with for acouple of months now? I’massuming it is him that’sbehind the puffy eyes and lost sparkle?”

“I’mjust tired,” Ilie. “Sophie made me go out with her last night. Ididn’tget alot of sleep.”

“It looks like you didn’tget any at all, S.”

That’sbecause Ididn’t. The only thing Isaw every time Iclosed my eyes was the fear in Braden’seyes when Itold him how Ifelt. Idon’tthink I’ll ever be able to sleep again. Rejection courses through my blood like it was meant to be there, catching fire every few minutes when Ithink about the past week and burning me alive from the inside out.

“Igot afew hours,” Ilie again.

“Come on. Iknow you better than that. I’myour big sister. And big sisters know everything.”

“There’snothing else for me to take care of here. Trust me.”

“Why not? Is he coming with you then?”

Her question makes arough laugh rip up my throat and her eyes widen in shock. “I’mgoing to take that as ano?”

“Not in this lifetime, Clare. He doesn’tfeel the same way that Ido. That’sall. Can we just leave it?”

“There’salways more to it than that,” she pushes, not dropping the subject. “Men just need abit more of ashove than women do.”

“Idon’tthink that’sthe problem,” Isigh.

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