Page 107 of Friend Zoned

“Quintin? How?”

“No, not him. It was Camille. Camille followed her to the nail salon and pushed her. I figured you should know. Jeannie wasn’t going to tell you, but I told her that was a dumb idea, so I called you myself. Don’t worry. She’s okay.”

I don’t feel the kind of relief I should by her words. I’m halfway across the country, and I find out the person I love the most in this world was accosted by some psycho bitch. A psycho bitch who's about to be very sorry.

“Where are you now?” I ask. “It sounds like you’re in a hospital, and I’m wondering why the hell no one called me about this?” I spin around the room and run a hand through my hair.

“I’m her mother, Aiden. She doesn’t want to stress you out before the Superbowl. I just got here. They are taking her for an x-ray. She hurt her wrist.”

Normally, I’d find her faux pas about the Superbowl endearing but not today. My heart is pounding, and I have a sudden headache. I close my eyes and count all the ways I’ve failed her. I was so busy watching Quintin, I forgot about her. I should have had eyes on this Camille too, but she will rue the day she ever put her hands on Jeannie.

“I’ll be right there.”

“She’s okay. She will kill me if she knows I called you.”

“I’ll be right there, Myra. Have her call me after the x-ray and take her back to my place. I don’t want her at her apartment alone.”

It’s six long hours later when I land in New York. I left with barely any explanations, but the assistant coaches know what to do, and I’m not worried about my team. I was able to get on a commercial flight two hours after my call with Myra, and luckily, there was one first class seat left. It still left a lot to be desired. With the two-hour time difference, it’s after nine when the car drops me off at my front door. I had Jimmy arrange a car for me, and I gave him orders to fire Walker.

He’s not supposed to leave her alone, especially not at a hole in the wall nail salon where anything can happen. I check my phone and there are about six messages from her. We’ve never gone this long without communicating, and I know she’s wondering where I am. None of her messages mention the mishap today.

I leave the car and run to my front door and go inside. The house is bright, and it smells like home cooking, but nothing like Cook makes. It does smell familiar though.

“The big man is home,” Jeannie’s dad says stepping into the hallway.

Myra is right behind him. “She’s upstairs,” she says before going back to the kitchen. Al follows behind her.

I drop my bag and take the stairs three at a time, bursting through my bedroom door and finding Jeannie in bed typing something on her phone. She drops the phone when she sees me and puts her good hand to her heart. It’s my own heart that’s breaking when I see the purple cast on her left hand and wrist.

“Aid!” she flies out of the bed, and I open my arms to take her in. It’s been less than two days, but I finally feel whole. I lift her off her feet and bring her back to bed. I remove my shoes and slide in next to her. I pick up her left hand and bring her fingertips to my lips. “I’m happy to see you, but what are you doing here?” She rests her head on my shoulder. “My mom called you, didn’t she?”

“She did, but the better question is, why didn’tyoucall me? I had to hear from your mother that Camille attacked you. And Jimmy had to track down Walker because the first question I had was where the fuck was he?”

“His baby is sick. I told him not to worry about me.”

I take a deep breath and count to ten before I say, “It’s his fucking job, and he failed at it.” I grab her chin and force her to look at me.

“I went for a pedicure, Aiden. That’s it. I’ve been to that place a million times.”

“And you got into a fight and broke your wrist. I’m so sorry, baby,” I say to her. I stroke the back of her neck and inhale her scent. “I failed you. I should have done a better job of protecting you.” I take her hand and kiss her fingertips again.

“You didn’t fail me. I beat Camille’s ass, and she got arrested,” she says.

“When I’m done with her, she’s going to wish she was never born. That goes for Quintin too. I need you to promise me you won’t go off without your bodyguard anymore. We’re public figures now. I’ll have Jimmy set up some new potentials for you to hire,” I say.

“What about Walker?”

“He’s out.”

“No. His eight-month-old baby was hospitalized. This isn’t his fault. I went for a pedicure, not for a walk on skid row.”

“If you want a damn pedicure, have someone come here and give you one, or have Jimmy set up an appointment for you somewhere safe. Or hire your own assistant for that kind of stuff, but you can’t—”

“That’s not how most of the world lives. That’s ridiculous, and you never said anything about that before. I thought Walker was only temporary because you’re worried about Quintin, even though I told you he’s not violent.”

“Are you seriously defending that piece of shit ex of yours?”

“No, of course not, but—”

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