Page 74 of Blind Date with a #FORMERPLAYER
“Levi.” The way she says my name soft and tender gives me goosebumps. Her hand falls to my chest, over my racing heartbeat like she has done so many times. “I’m falling for you too.” Her words send my heart soaring and the tension easing out of me. It’s not the same as my declaration, but it’s heading in that direction. “But we need to start talking about what happens afterthe holidays. I can’t stop thinking about it,” she emphasizes, her voice defeated as she looks away.
My hand cups the back of her neck, my thumb caressing the back of her jaw, needing her to look at me. “We can figure it out. If we want this to work, we make it work.”
“You go back to Vegas in a couple months. Then what?”
“Then, come with me to Las Vegas.” The words are out before I even think about it and when they do, I recognize that it is exactly what I want.
I want her with me.
She shakes her head. “I can’t.”
A hopeful smile tugs at my lips. “Yes, you can. You can move in with me. If you’re not ready for that, I do understand, I know some places that I think you would like and we can find a place for your mom.”
Wincing, she whispers, “Levi, no,” her voice strained.
Hoping I can find a way for her to agree, I continue adding reasons this will work. “You can find a job there. You’re so fucking smart, Layla, I know you could find something you love. And I know you don’t want my help, but I can give you a recommendation or something as one of your patients. We can figure it out, but at least we’ll be together.”
Her eyes well and a tear escapes. “No, Levi, I can’t,” she says a little louder.
The way she says it makes me hesitate. I look at her again with confusion in my eyes, and force out the question, I don’t know if I want the answer to. “What do you mean, you can’t?”
“I mean I can’t go to Las Vegas with you. Gabe found a place in Oregon for my mom near him.”
“Okay,” I say, dragging out the word. “That would be hard, but that doesn’t mean–”
“I’m going with them,” she interrupts.
“What?” I gasp in shock.
“I need to be near them with everything my mom is going through. Gabe and I need to both be there for her and for each other.”
My head falls back in humorless laughter. Is she fucking kidding me? “Were you ever planning on telling me?”
“Levi,” she says my name quiet, apologetic. But I don’t want her useless regret. Fuck that.
“You must’ve known before now, right? A decision to move isn’t something that happens overnight.”
“I didn’t think it would happen at all or I was in denial. I’m not sure.”
My jaw clenches and I nod, processing her words. She knew and didn’t trust me enough to even talk to me about it. A lump forms in my throat. Clearing it, I ask, “But it’s a done deal?”
She flinches and croaks, “Yeah.”
“Have you started looking for a job in Oregon?”
Her face flushes and my heart plummets, knowing even before the words leave her mouth. “I was offered a position as one of the Maverick’s physical therapists next season. I start at the end of February.”
“Fuck me,” I mutter under my breath. She reaches for me, her hand falling to my shoulder and I flinch away, her silence feeling like a betrayal. Climbing out of bed, I yank my jeans on feeling like my world is suddenly out of control.
“You know when we met, you were so insistent about being open and honest or this would never work, yet you don’t even bother telling me about this, something that is going to alter your entire future,” I emphasize, her betrayal slamming into me like a freight train. “Didn’t you think that this might impact me even a little bit, no matter what your decision would be?”
“I…I…” she stammers.
“Fuck, Layla. I would’ve been there for you to support you. I’m not the guy who will make a decision for you. I want what you want, no matter what it is. You should know that about meby now.” Pausing, I shake my head in disbelief. Pointing to myself, I glare, insisting, “I deserved to be a part of the fucking conversation!”
“I’m sorry,” she whimpers, tears streaming down her cheeks, appearing heartbroken. It hurts me to see her this way, but she doesn’t understand how heartbreak truly feels or she would’ve talked to me.
I don’t have the capacity to comfort her right now. Not when she’s the one who deceived me.
