Page 112 of Nailing Heat
I nod vigorously. “Yes, I’d like her back. If you think she would have me.”
“I don’t know, you hurt her pretty bad,” Cassie admits. “She is still a mess. Girls’ night the other night wasn’t exactly a fun night of talking and laughing like it normally is. Amelia is missing that spark that makes her Amelia. You stole that from her. I’m not sure that you have earned another shot.”
“Cas, we can’t be that judge,” Jase says, carefully placing his hand over hers. “I mean, I love Amelia. She’s great, but Dex didn’t cheat on her. And I almost feel like that’s how she’s acting.”
“I think she feels cheated because I wasn’t technically divorced when we were together.” I remind them.
“But you didn’t know that.” Jase says. “I agree with Cassie, I don’t think you’re a bad guy. I think you weren’t honest with her and that bit you in the ass. I mean, should you have told her why you were getting a divorce, well, that’s up to you. But the whole still married thing was a legal error and not something you kept from her. I think the situation that morning got out of hand, and she never gave you a chance to explain yourself. Because when she found out about your past, she was worried that you would cheat on her too.Ifyou could cheat on Elise, it’s very likely you could cheat on her. That caused a whole lot of hurt.”
Cassie is staring at him for a bit like she’s processing it. I, however, grin at Jase.
“Thank you for saying that. I was worried that you all felt like I was the devil and any chance I had developing friendships outside of August was over.”
Jase shakes his head. “You may not be hanging out with the whole crew, but I’ll hang with you, because I like you. I’m not damning you for making mistakes.”
I smile at him and say, “Thanks.” I look over at Cassie. “I get it if you don’t feel the same way, I really do. Your loyalty is to Amelia, as it should be. But please know that I miss her so fucking much. I want to her to know that I am a good person. How do I go about doing that? There has to be something. She made me feel things that I haven’t felt before. I was happier with her in those few short weeks than I was in my whole marriage. So please, if you know what I can do, please tell me.”
Cassie sighs and takes a sip of her beer. “I knew I liked you.”
“Does that mean you’ll help me?”
She laughs out loud. “Yes, that means that I will help you. But you have to help yourself, which means you have to stop avoiding her. You have to say what you are saying to us to her. She is the one that needs to hear this. Don’t get me wrong, I like hearing it. I knew I liked you,” she repeats. “Hell, you took her and bought her fucking books.”
I laugh and say, “Yeah, I thought she could use some new ones since she’s still recovering.”
“That was a nice gesture. She is reading them,” Cassie tells me.
I grin. “I was worried that she wouldn’t keep them. I hoped that wasn’t the case because she was so happy when I got them for her.”
“Oh, she kept them and she’s reading them,” she confirms.
“So how do I make sure I get to see her again?” I ask them both.
“I think there’s an easy solution to that. Assign Lucas something else to do when she is supposed to have some PT, perform it yourself. That’s how you get some time with her. You might have to start out small, but it’s better than this no-contact situation,” Jase says with a grin. Cassie is nodding and smiling.
“You know, I can see her looking for you when she’s at the Blaze. She looks for you on the practice field, when we’re walking the halls and in the team room. She looks for you.” She repeats the words, and each time I hear them, my heart sings.
I grin at her, “Yeah, that’s brilliant. I can do that.”
“You really couldn’t have thought of that one on your own?” Cassie says, laughing at me. “I thought that one was pretty obvious.”
“I wasn’t sure that it would work. I thought she was angry with me, and I would be the last one that she would want to see,” I confess.
“At first, yes, but I think now you could,” Cassie confirms.
“Great, then that’s what I’ll do.” My knee bounces nervously under the table, hoping that the simple plan that’s been crafted works. “When is she scheduled to be in there at the next game day, when you all play the Houston Dash? I can have Lucas do something else and I’ll work with her.” I grin widely.
Jase nods. “I like it.”
“Think it will work?” I ask them both.
“It’s a start and a step in the right direction, Dex. Give hertime, though. Don’t rush and don’t push her,” Cassie warns me. “She is fragile.”
My heart seizes. I hate that I’m the one who made her that way. I took a sweet, beautiful woman and made her fragile. I have got to make up for that.
“I’m not saying I’m the answer. I’m not arrogant enough to believe that, but I will try to fix what I broke, and I’ll never hurt her again, if she gives me the chance,” I promise them.
Jase claps me on the back. “I hope this works. After everything that you have been through, and Amelia, you both deserve a happy ending.”
