Page 142 of Major Love

“I can’t believe that I freaking trusted you,” I breathe out, feeling my heart break at the blindsiding betrayal.

Because platonic break-ups can hurt just as much as romantic ones, sometimes.

“It was meant to be a good thing,” Riley says as he tries to reach me, but Jason gives him a look that saysdon’t even think about it, man.“You were meant to see the headline, and it was meant to be funny to us, and I thought that you’d finally see the light and, you know… give us a chance!”

I stare at him in disbelief for a moment before screaming, “What?!”

“Ten years, Sunday! Everyone on the team thought that we were endgame.”

“Ten years offriendship, you freaking psychopath! We did business together!”

“Because we were building our relationship!”

“Ourbusinessrelationship!”

“Don’t be like this,” Riley chides. “You know that I’ve always liked you.”

“Oh yeah, I just bet you did,” I say drily, rolling my eyes as I laugh in disbelief. “You slept with over fifty girls last year, Riley! A fact that you told me becausewe are just friends!”

Jason clears his throat, grimacing in disbelief as he glances down at Riley.

“Fifty?” Jason asks. “Really, man?”

“Sunday, I mean it, I’ve always been into you,” Riley starts, but then his cell phone is buzzing and he’s wincing as he looks down at the screen.

“If that’s your manager, you can let her know that Sunday Wells will be sending you back to Nashville in a million little pieces,” I rasp. My voice is husky with anger and my eyes are seething as I look up at him.

“Sunday,” he groans.

I shake my head at him. “You freaking traitor.”

“Babe–” Riley says, and Jason shoves me behind him, out of Riley’s reach.

And then Jason’s big fingers are leashing through mine as he looms over Riley, his rough voice gravelly and deadly calm.

“You should take that call,” Jason rumbles. “And take it outside.”

And after a tense ten-second stand-off Riley shoots me a look before pushing his way to the front door.

“Good call,” I say breathlessly. “If I murder him outside there’ll be less witnesses.”

But without missing a beat Jason instantly hauls me back from the war-path, breathing heavily as I crash into his chest and locking his forearms around my waist.

“Nice try,” he murmurs, grunting hard when I struggle against him, but then my tears are falling in full-force and, the second that he sees, he turns me toward him.

“Hey, hey,” he says gently, wrapping his palms around the back of my head, and then I’m burying my face in his warm chest as I’m overcome with sobs of sadness. “That’s it,” he murmurs softly, hiding me against him. “Let it all out.”

I shake my head, completely distraught, and deep down it isn’t because of the article. It isn’t even because of Riley.

It’s because of the bar in Nashville that meant so much to me – so much to my family – and the fact that someone close to me wasso freaking selfishthat they tried to taint that. To use it to their advantage for some fleeting financial gain.

“He’s such an asshole,” I whisper weakly, and Jason kisses my temple, rumbling, “Yeah.”

And we stay like that for endless minutes, Jason holding me in his strong arms, until my tears have all been shed and reality starts seeping back to me.

The fact that we’re in this adorable country-bar-diner, and there’s a gorgeous song playing through the speakers. And Jason is looking down at me with so much affection that I’ve never felt more valued in my entire life.

“I’m sorry for crying,” I whisper up to him. “That’s…” I laugh shakily. “Really embarrassing.”

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