Page 25 of Stick With Me
I changed my flight from tonight to tomorrow morning, but extending my stay any further isn’t possible, no matter how much I want to.
We’re heading back toward her parents’ place in Palm Beach. Hannah and I have dinner plans, and I’m hoping she’ll agree to spend one more night with me at the hotel I’ve booked nearby.
By the time I make it out of the arena and to the Jeep, she’s waiting, already settled in the passenger seat. Instead of heading to the driver’s side, I open her door. She looks up at me, confused, but before she can say anything, I pull her into a tight hug. Her blonde hair is down, so I run my hand through it and bury my nose in her neck. Her body fits perfectly against mine, her skin slightly sticky from the humid air.
“I’m sorry your team lost. You did great, though,” she lies.
I chuckle and ease back. “C’mon, Sunshine, I played like shit.”
A small smile lifts her lips. “Okay, it wasn’t your best performance.”
I can’t hold back the full belly laugh, and she joins in. I buckle her in and head around to the driver’s side. Pulling my phone out of my pocket, I hand it to her. “You play DJ. Ready to go?”
“Yep.” Our fingers brush as she takes the phone, and a jolt runs down my spine. Apparently, even a brush of our hands will do it for me now. I shake out my arms, hoping to dispel the direction of my thoughts.
Hannah scrolls through my playlists, oblivious to the effect she has on me. “What did he say to you before the game?”
I know theheshe’s talking about is Knolls. “Same old, trying to get into my head.” Not sure I want to get into my insecurities with her. I mean, I don’t think that’s the way to win over a girl, is it?
“Not about me, right?” She chews on her thumbnail. “I don’t want my problems to cause issues for you.”
“Your problems are my problems, but no. Well, kind of, but not really.”
Her brow furrows. “Want to explain?”
“He insinuated Beck and Rebecca hooked up last night.”
“The woman you were with last night? The one you dated? You’re upset she left with him…” Her last words are so quiet that I almost don’t catch them.
Doesn’t she remember our half-asleep conversation last night?
“No, absolutely not. I have zero feelings for Rebecca. None.” I glance at her, trying to read her thoughts, but she’s staring out the window, her eyes avoiding mine.
Fuck. The last thing I want is for her to think I’m into Rebecca—or anyone else, for that matter.
“Okay, so why did things end? Why didn’t you ever tell me about her? You never tell me about anyone you date.”
Even though we’re close, I’ve rarely shared much about my dating life. It always felt awkward. How do I both be honest and not freak her out?
“She wanted more of a commitment than I was willing to give. I ended things when I realized we weren’t on the same page. I didn’t tell you because it was nothing serious. And we don’t talk about my dating life because I don’t really have one.”
She eyes me skeptically. “Maybedatingisn’t the right word for it.”
“Do you want to discuss my sex life, Hannah?” I joke, really hoping the answer is no. First, because it’s a sad state of affairs. Second, the thought of discussing her sex life makes me feel sick. It can’t be a good sign if she’s unaffected by mine. I know I have no right to these feelings, but I still don’t want to imagine her with anyone else. Secretly—or maybe not so secretly—I hope she feels the same.
“No, no, no. Definitely not.” She covers her ears with her hands. “We got way off track. Back to what Jace said. How does that have anything to do with me?”
“He made a comment about you being with me. Said it would be a downgrade. You know, his usual shit-stirring.” I try to play it off, but the words linger. I hope telling her doesn’t plant the same seed of doubt that’s already rooted itself in my mind.
“What the fuck? He’s really stuck on this idea that we’re going to get together. No matter how many times I reassured him over the years, he always thought there was something between us.”
Hasn’t there been? She looks over at me as if waiting for my response. I can’t tell if she wants me to confirm or deny the accusation. Rather than risk getting it wrong, I deflect, “Did you just curse, Banana? You never swear.”
She positions herself so she’s now almost fully facing me and grabs my hand from the wheel. “You know that’s absolute bullshit, right?”
“Oh, another one.” I shift in my seat.
“Ryan, I’m serious. You’re the best man I know. There’s no trading up from you. You’re top tier. Understand?”
