Page 90 of Rival Season
He plops down on the king-sized bed in the center of the room. He’s wearing black sweatpants and a long-sleeved teenow, so he must’ve changed out of his game-day suit before coming over.
“Listen, Haze, I’ve tried to give you time and space. But I’ve had enough, I’m done messing around.” He stands and steps closer to me. I back up until my backside hits the desk behind me. “We’ve known each other since we were kids. Our parents are best friends. I know I messed up, and I’m sorry. But we both know we belong together. Tonight confirmed that.”
I’m stunned, anger slowly bubbling up inside of me. I thought we were done with this, that he was out of my apartment and out of my life…but that was too easy. I should’ve expected this. Why won’t he just move on? I clearly wasn’t what he wanted.
“Chadwick, we can’t be together just because our families hoped that we would get married. That’s actually a terrible reason to date,” I keep my tone even and calm, trying to help him see reality.
“Haze, you’re the only girl I’ve ever loved.” He reaches for me, but I slide out from between him and the desk, putting distance between us.
“You don’t love me; you probably never did.”
His eyebrows draw together like he disagrees.
“When you love someone, you can’t imagine being with anyone else. If you loved me, you never would’ve hurt me the way you did, you never would’ve touched another woman. I deserve to betrulyloved. I deserve a man who treats me like there isn’t another girl in the entire world. A man who only has eyes for me and loves me exactly the way I am.”
I deserve to be loved the way Penn loves me.The thought enters my mind before I can stop it, but Penn doesn’tloveme, does he? My heart skips a beat at the thought.
Chadwick scoffs. “And you think Matthews is that man? You’re kidding yourself. You clearly don’t know him at all.”
Is there something in Penn’s past he’s hidden from me? Or is Chadwick just trying to make me doubt our relationship?
“What I do know is that you arenotthat man,” I say, prickling at his comment.
Chadwick’s face grows red with anger, his nostrils flaring. He’s not used to being told no, and he clearly doesn’t like it. “I thought tonight would make you see some reason and come to your senses.”
Is that why Chadwick invited Penn to brunch tomorrow with such confidence? Because he was convinced I’d decide to get back with him and saw it as an opportunity to humiliate Penn and rub his face in it?
“I’d like you to leave,” I say, straightening my spine and holding my ground.
“If I walk out that door,” he says, jutting his thumb toward the exit. “We’re over forever. No crawling back once you see who Matthews really is. If I leave right now, you won’t have any more chances to be with me.”
“That’s exactly what I want, thank you for finally understanding,” I say, looking straight into his eyes so there’s no doubt that I mean every word.
Chadwick growls, his anger escalating. “Fine!”
He turns and stalks toward the door, pausing with his hand on the door handle like he’s giving me one last chance. When I don’t say anything, he yanks the door open and walks out, slamming it behind him.
The art on the wall rattles and I wonder if he woke up half the hotel with his tantrum.
I heave a sigh of relief once he’s gone. I want to call Penn, but he’ll be sound asleep by now, so I’ll just have to wait until tomorrow to talk with him. All I can hope is that Chadwick is true to his word and leaves me—and Penn—alone from here on out.
CHAPTER 34
PENN
I don’t getmuch sleep.
Of course I trust Hazel, but there’s something about knowing your girlfriend is out with her ex—who also happens to be your arch-nemesis—that really throws a guy off his regular REM cycle.
At about five a.m., I get sick of tossing and turning constantly and get out of bed, giving up on sleep altogether.
With nothing else to do this early in a strange city—six hours before I’m due to meet the Palmers and Weatherbys for brunch…seriously, what is my life right now—I decide to go for a run.Voluntarily. Ally would be so proud of me.
Maybe the monotonous action of putting one foot in front of the other until I’m out of breath and dizzy will help my brain to stop overthinking.
Careful not to wake Noah, who’s snoring peacefully in the bed next to mine, I slide my sneakers on, grab my phone and AirPods, then sneak out of the room. Outside, it’s cool and misty, the world still bathed in the damp darkness before dawn. I crank up one of my old playlists—the ones that used to make Hazel come upstairs and yell at me to keep it down—and set off, running aimlessly as “Sabotage” blasts at ear-splitting volume.
The run does the trick, because almost an hour later I’m sweaty, breathless, and sore all over…as well as very lost somewhere on unfamiliar streets of downtown Sacramento.
