Page 75 of The Assist
When his eyes find mine, they’re filled with regret and pain. He sits forward like he’s going to get up, but I’m not interested in talking to him. Not now. Maybe not ever again.
I turn and flee the way I came, pushing through the crowd as best as I can with my eyes blurred with unshed tears.
I make it all the way to the porch before Wes catches up to me. He puts his big body in front of me. “Wait, damn it, woman. Hold up.”
His breathing is labored, and he grabs ahold of the railing like he needs the support.
“What are you doing here?”
“Hanging with Mario and the guys. Nothing happened with that chick. She just sat down. I didn’t do anything.”
Nothing happened? God, if that isn’t the guilty man’s anthem, then I don’t know what is. Laughter bubbles in my chest. “I meant why aren’t you in California with the team?”
He shrugs. “Didn’t feel like it.”
He reaches out and caresses my cheek, brushing away a tear before he leans in bringing a waft of alcohol with him. I step back.
“You’re free to do whatever or whomever you want. You’ve made it very clear that whatever we were, we aren’t anymore. Just leave me alone.”
He looks conflicted about my words, but I mean it. I don’t want to talk to him when he’s like this. I knew standing by while he dealt with his shit would be hard, but this is too much. “Please. I’m begging you. Not here. Not tonight.”
He nods and tucks his hands into his front pockets before turning back to the house. I sag against the railing when he’s gone and let all the tears fall. I don’t even know why I’m crying. Despite the cliché, I believe that nothing happened between him and the chick downstairs. Not yet anyway. And I guess that’s what wrecks me —he is going to move on, and man, does it sting to picture him with other girls.
“Aww, don’t tell me the happy couple broke up?” David’s voice is like adding insult to injury. He walks out on to the porch with a beer in hand.
“I don’t have anything to say to you, David. What are you even doing here?”
He shrugs. “Looks like the whole university is here tonight.”
“Go away.” I bite back the horrible words I want to say. “Please.”
David smiles cruelly. “Reynolds cut you loose, huh? Maybe we should work out another agreement.” He leans in. “You didn’t really think I deleted all the pictures just because you got your boyfriend to threaten me, did you?’ He laughs. “Knew that wouldn’t last.”
My control, and probably my sanity, snaps. Killing him with kindness seems to be a losing battle. “You know what, David? Go to hell. You’re a shitty excuse for a human.” I shove past him and walk all the way home, hugging myself as I ugly cry. As I crawl into bed, I promise myself that, after tonight, I won’t shed one more tear over Wes Reynolds. I will cry out all the sadness to make room for hope, but the only thing I’m hoping for is to turn back to a time where Wes and I were happy.
30
Wes
I wakeup with my cell phone resting on my chest. Technology is awesome . . . until it’s not. Having a way for someone to get a hold of you any time, any day makes it that much more painful when they don’t.
I spent the past two days texting Blair, apologizing every way I could think of. I deserve to be ghosted after how I treated her, I get that, but it doesn’t suck any less.
I give in to the temptation and check for missed texts that I know won’t be there. My pessimism is on point, but I’m disappointed anyway.
“What the hell are you doing up?” I ask Nathan as he steps into the living room and pulls his hair back into a low ponytail.
He startles. “What the hell are you doing sleeping on the couch?”
“I’m not sleeping.”
He drops onto the floor and starts repping out pushups.
“Dude, it’s five in the morning.”
I’m met with silence and the even exhale of his breaths.
“Fifty,” he mutters quietly and jumps up. He moves to the wall and dips down into a wall squat. “You smell awful, man.”
