Page 108 of Wildcat
She hesitates to respond, and I can see the uncertainty on her face.
“Dinner?”
“I don’t think it’s such a great idea for us to be seen together for a while.”
“We can stay in.” God, I can’t even imagine how she must feel having the media twist her every move. They’ve been brutal and fucking Rhyse is staying silent.
“Leo, my life is a mess right now and it isn’t fair of me to bring you into it. I don’t want my drama to make things worse for you.”
“If this is because of last night—”
She closes her eyes and shakes her head, sending her brown hair swaying around her shoulders. “It isn’t just that. Why didn’t you tell me about the fight in Seattle? Or that my dad took your A?”
I clench my left hand. The sting of my broken knuckles makes me want to hit something all over again. “That’s on me.”
“You didn’t tell me because you knew I’d feel guilty. You wanted to protect me. That’s all I’m trying to do for you.” She takes a deep breath. “I couldn’t sleep. I keep going over everything that has happened the past few weeks, trying to make sense of it all and figure out how we get through this.”
“We get through it together.”
She makes a strangled sound. “You know that is just going to cause more headlines. I won’t let them use me to get a rise out of you. I think it’s best if we get a little space.”
“Space?” I shake my head. “No, that’s the opposite of what would be best for me.”
“Not forever, just for a little while.” She comes closer and places a hand on my chest. “You are the best boyfriend a girl could ask for.”
Yeah, so good she doesn’t want to be with me anymore. I step back. Rejection stings. It’s been so long since I put so much of myself out there like I have with Scarlett. I know things are tough right now, but damn.
“How long? A day? A week? A month?”
“I don’t know.”
I can see how much she’s hurting, and it’s the only thing that keeps me from begging her not to go. Maybe she’s right in ending things. She deserves more than being raked over the coals for being with me. It’s easy for me to shake off the nasty press, but she’s the one getting the worst of it. Try as I might, I can’t seem to protect her any other way. Some fucking boyfriend.
“Fine. If that’s what you want.”
She lingers for a moment, like she’s not sure what to do now that I’ve agreed, or maybe just not sure how to say goodbye. Numb, I turn to the counter and make my protein drink.
Eventually, her footsteps move toward the door. “Bye, Leo Lohan.”
I stay turned away, and the door closes her on the other side.
Bye, dream girl.
38
HAPPIER THAN I’VE EVER BEEN
SCARLETT
“Oh, honey,”Jade says, petting my hair. “You two can work through this.”
“How?” I wipe my snotty nose on a tissue and fall back onto my bed. I’m wearing his Boston University sweatshirt that he gave me the first night. I never gave it back, and now I don’t ever want to if it’s all I have left.
Like a good best friend, she came over with donuts and coffee as soon as I called to tell her I ended things with Leo. Paused is the way I’d like to look at it, but who knows when things might blow over. And his reaction. I felt like the lowest of lows. I knew comforting him or trying to ease it would only make things harder. We need a break to let things die down. I hope it isn’t forever, but I don’t see a way past things right now.
“He was so hurt. You should have seen him. He wouldn’t even look at me.”
“Well, you did break up with him before the sun rose. That’s bound to make anyone a little cranky.”
