Page 63 of My Scorned Best Friend

“Sure,” she says.

She hands the receipt to Cade and walks over to an empty table. She sits down and looks everywhere but at me.

“I know you’re worried I’m going to hurt Clara.”

She huffs but says nothing.

“I’m not going to. I promise you.”

Her hand goes up. “Don’t promise me anything. You don’t need to break both of us. No matter what, you’re Cade’s brother and my daughter’s uncle, and I don’t want to hate you for breaking a promise.” She looks away from me as soon as my gaze meets hers.

“I’ve changed. I know you probably know about—”

“How you slept with her out of jealousy and then told her she couldn’t date anyone else even though you didn’t want her? I mean, that’s what you’re talking about, right? How you practically pissed on her and marked your territory, then tossed her to the curb?” Her eyes are narrowed. Sometimes she and Clara look so similar you’d think they’re twins.

“I made a mistake.”

“A mistake that took you two years to make up for. You compounded your mistake when you bought into the media hype and acted like you were better than… strutting your model girlfriend around who probably didn’t even know what position you played when you were honored at the local high school. But while you were up there smiling and acting like the world was at your feet, I was picking my sister up off the ground. You’re entitled to live your life, Xavier, but when you love someone, you don’t do things you know will hurt them. And if you have to, you at least talk to them about it first. Clara had come to rely on you to be there for her as a friend, and with your selfish act of sleeping with her after she told you she didn’t want to if it didn’t mean anything, you destroyed that. How can I be assured it’s not going to happen again? Because I’m telling you right now, if you have any doubts, please walk away.” Her eyes are steady on me now. “For her. If you truly love her like you say you do. Walk away if you’re not one hundred and ten percent sure.”

I blow out a breath and lean back in my seat. Zoe gives me a reprieve and calls my order.

I stand and pick up the coffees and muffins, then stop at Presley’s table. “I’m going to prove you wrong. I’m going to make your sister the happiest she’s ever been.”

Presley crosses her arms and stares at me, doubt radiating off her. “For Clara’s sake, I hope that’s true.”

I don’t know Presley that well. She was new in town after I was already in the lower forty-eight playing football. Sure, Clara tells me about her and Cade, but I’ve never been able to get to know her myself. “I respect your opinion, Presley, I do. But Clara’s belief in us is all I need.”

“That’s all that should matter.” Her demeanor is cold.

I know it’s important to Clara that her sister and I get along, but the best thing I can do is prove to her over time that she has nothing to worry about. I stand there for a second before deciding there isn’t much more to say. “I better get these to her.”

Cade comes over with their order.

I take the opportunity to say goodbye to Leighton. “I’ll be back in a few weeks.”

“Good luck with the rest of the season,” Cade says and gives me a hug.

I say my goodbyes and head back to Clara’s. When I come in, her phone is streaming Nikki’s radio station. She’s about to turn it off, but I take her in my arms, wanting to bury myself in her again. It’s like now that she’s mine, I can’t get enough.

Nikki’s voice sounds through the phone. “I just heard a rumor on my way in, Chip.”

“That your brother is doing the nasty with the librarian?”

“Chip!” Nikki screeches. “We’re a family-friendly show.”

“It’s all over the place. If they wanted to keep it hush-hush, he shouldn’t have come to The Grind in the same clothes everyone saw him wearing in the pictures Marla shared on socials from your family Thanksgiving.”

“Jesus, they work fast.” I rest my forehead on Clara’s.

“Yep, news is already out.”

I shrug. “Oh well.”

“Yeah.” But as she slides out of my hold, I feel her shaky demeanor.

“What am I missing?”

She’s quick to shake her head. “Nothing. I mean… nothing really.”

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