Page 59 of Marring an Athlete

“He’s engaged.” Her heart broke at those two little words. Michael already had a girl he wanted to marry. And with her, it was real. Not their fake relationship. He wanted to marry Daisy. He asked her because he wanted to.

McKenna’s eyebrows rose. “Yeah, to you.”

Anna pinched her lips together. “Nope. Not with me. Apparently, there is some girl in New York that he’s been engaged to all along. She. . .” Anna’s voice broke as she dropped her gaze to her hands and studied them. “She’s here.” Probably making out with Michael right now. But there was no way she wanted to say those words out loud. She did not want to put them out into the universe.

“Here? At this resort?”

Anna nodded. “She showed up during our counseling session. I hightailed it out of there and have been avoiding him since. It’s all over.”

McKenna leaned back. Her gaze was focused on the other side of the room as if she were processing what Anna had just said. “That’s so weird. He never said anything to me about this.”

“Me neither.”

McKenna turned her attention over to her. “Why are you so upset?” And then recognition passed over her face. “You like him.”

Anna swallowed. Apparently, she was not very good at hiding her emotions. If McKenna picked up on this so quickly, then it was only logical to think that Michael knew as well. And he’d led her on.

What was she supposed to say? Confess everything? Without thinking, Anna said the first thing that came to her mind. “We kissed.”

McKenna raised her eyebrows. “Yeah, you told me.”

Anna shook her head. “No, no. We kissed here. At the resort.”

“So, you kissed at my wedding and now here?”

Anna was the worst friend. “Yeah. I’m sorry.”

McKenna chuckled. “I’m just surprised.” She settled back on the couch and tapped her foot. “So, what’s the plan?”

Anna grabbed a pillow and hugged it. “I have to get over these ridiculous feelings. That’s the only logical step now.”

McKenna studied her and then reached out to grab the throw that was hanging on the back of the couch and fiddled with the edge. “Anna, can I ask you something?”

Anna swallowed. She wasn’t sure how she felt about anything right now, and if McKenna was about to ask her exposing questions could she answer them? “Okay.”

“Do you love my brother?”

Yes.

But if she spoke that word out loud, she wasn’t sure she could come back from it. Lying seemed like the only way to survive this entire week.

“No,” she whispered. She only wished she sounded more confident.

McKenna studied her and then sighed as she leaned back and draped the blanket on her lap. “Then let him go. It’s probably the best for the two of you. Besides, my brother is like a lovable teddy bear, but he isn’t that aware of the people around him.” She shrugged. “Maybe it’s for the best.”

Anna nodded, trying to ignore her breaking heart. At least in the past, she’d never really had confirmation that he didn’t care about her. Then it was just Michael Jones, party boy.

But now, sitting here with McKenna, she was having to reconcile that yes, Michael only played with her emotions. That she’d, once again, allowed herself to feel more for him then he’d ever feel for her.

It was reliving every past relationship all over again. The heartache. The pain. All of it was coursing through her veins. A tear escaped her eye and rolled down her face.

In this moment, she’d allow herself to cry. To cry over Michael and every other guy who’d ever broken her heart. Then, she’d finish this vacation.

After all, she was done allowing men to have control over her like this. She was going to take her life back.

Now, if only she could convince her heart that she was over Michael, then everything would be perfect.

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