Page 23 of One Time Player

“Maybe I was hurt when I was younger,” she confesses, and I can tell that wasn’t easy for her.

“How young were you?” I ask.

“Nineteen,” she sighs.

“And,” I push.

“And nothing, Evan. I was young and naïve. I was head over heels in love and it didn’t work out,” she states.

“Did you catch him cheating?” I ask.

“No. It wasn’t like that, but it doesn’t matter because I got over that situation. We need to focus on you. You shouldn’t be blaming yourself.”

By the tone of her voice, I feel the walls she’s erected. So, I decide not to push anymore because if I remember correctly from the night she took me out with her girlfriends, they did say she’s never been in love, which means she just confessed something to me she’s never confessed to any of her close friends.

“I know you’re right,” I sigh. “But I don’t feel courageous at all. I’m hesitating. I don’t want to go out and meet anyone new.”

“Give yourself time. There isn’t a rule book on how long it takes for your heart to heal.”

“That sounds very different from the advice you gave me at the arena. I thought I was supposed to go out and get laid,” I challenge her.

“That approach usually works for my friends but maybe they weren’t invested in their relationships like you were, and honestly, it worked for me too,” she admits.

“Fair enough. So, what’s with the guy in the pictures?” I ask.

“I told you he was my guide,” she responds.

“Is that all he is?” I ask with accusation I would rather not have filling my tone.

“If you’re asking if we had a fling, the answer is no. He offered to take me out, but I decided against it,” she says, and something inside me relaxes.

“Why?” I ask.

“Why?” she responds.

“You’re doing that thing where you answer a question with a question,” I remind her. It also makes me realize she must do that when she’s nervous or put on the spot.

“Maybe your words hit home,” she replies, shocking the hell out of me. “Maybe I’m sick of meaningless flings, but that doesn’t mean I want to meet someone or put my heart on the line. It just means this time away is about me getting to know myself better. I’ve been so busy with life; I haven’t had time to introspect and learn what I want out of it. That is what this trip is really supposed to be about.”

Her words floor me, but they also resonate. “Well, I hope you find you.”

“Me too,” she retorts and then she yawns. “I’m going to take a small nap.”

“Cool, enjoy your nap.” I yawn too.

“Go to sleep, Evan. The morning always looks brighter,” she replies.

“Yeah, good night, Patty.”

“Good morning, Evan.”

With that we end the call.

CHAPTERSIX

Patty

Two and a half months later.

---