Page 26 of Leave Me Broken

My phone dings but I don’t let myself get excited because that basic ringtone is not the one I have set for Payson. I pull it to my body anyway. Maybe it’ll be a distraction.

It’s a distraction alright, but not one I want.

Alyssa Burton: Can we talk?

Me: There is nothing to discuss. If you need to discuss anything with me, you can wait until practice on Monday.

Alyssa Burton: Ash, please. Talk to me and I won’t bother you anymore.

I know her and I know how manipulative she can be, but the thought of her never bothering me about this summer, never trying to get between me and Payson again sounds pretty irresistible. I shoot her a quick call-me text, hoping this doesn’t come to bite me in the ass.

A second later, my phone rings with a video call.

Leave it to Alyssa to not be happy with a regular phone call. I roll my eyes but answer anyway. Maybe if she sees how irritated I am, she will be less annoying.

Then I remember who I’m talking to and know that’s impossible. I’ll never forgive myself for this summer. If I wouldn’t have been drinking so much that first night, this would have never happened. That was the start of my downfall.

The screen opens with Alyssa sitting against her fuzzy headboard. Her hair is wet and brushed back like she just got out of the shower. Her fake eyelashes make it look like she’s wearing makeup all the time. I ignore the fact she’s only in a robe and trying so hard to get me to see her cleavage by angling her phone down.

“Hey.” Her voice is breathy.

“What did you want to talk about, Alyssa?”

“You’re already being crabby with me,” she pouts and my anger spikes.

“I’m waiting on a text. Please continue.”

“Text from Payson?” It’s not a dig at me or Payson, but a genuine question.

“Yes.”

She shifts, noticeably uncomfortable with my honesty. Her voice sways as she sits up higher and raises the phone so her breasts aren’t the main focus. Instead, it’s her downturned face. I don’t particularly enjoy seeing her eyes flood with tears but there is nothing I can do. She is hurting her own feelings, because I’ve told her since I woke in her room not knowing who she was that I was not interested in her. Sure, the other two times sleeping together might not have been great to tack on after, but I still made it very clear I was not interested in anything serious with her. If she decided in her own head there was a chance, that is not on me.

“Why her?”

“Excuse me?”

“Why Payson? Why not me? I’m legal. There would be no issue of us dating after the season is over.”

This wasn’t a question I expected—not from Alyssa, especially because it was never her. Even from the first night we were together it was never her. I called her Payson for bloody sake. I don’t understand how she can ask that.

“Really want to know?” I’m giving her a last second to bow out. I’m not dancing around the question anymore. Not with someone who can’t affect my or Payson’s careers in a serious way. Alyssa is a lot, but I would like to think she has enough humility to not blackmail us. At least I hope.

“Yes, I need to understand because I can’t on my own.”

“Easy, I love her.”

10

Payson

Alyssa’s gasp is loud over Ash’s phone, and I can’t stop myself from smiling like a schoolgirl. I wasn’t about coming over but if I’m being honest, I can’t leave things like that between Ash and me. I can’t walk away with all these questions. I need answers so I can have a clean break.

That was the plan when I came over. That was the plan when I heard Ash say Alyssa’s name. I assumed the worst when I heard her voice over his phone. My anger roared to a boil, and I’ll need to apologize to Luca because he came upstairs to check on me and I snapped at him, because I couldn’t hear what was being said in the room. The anger isn’t gone now, not completely but it’s back to a simmer.

The door is cold against my ear, attempting to hear what else will be said. He already told her he loves me, so I definitely want to hear what is said next.

“It was never you or her, because it was never you. I don’t understand why you are even asking the question in the first place when I made it clear that there never was or would be anything between us. And Payson’s age is not of concern for me.”

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