“I think you need to sit down and put your head between your knees.I think you’re hyperventilating.”Cici leads me over to a chair and helps me slowly lower into it.She places a hand on my back, pushing my torso down until my head is forced between my knees.
She rubs a hand up and down my back, doing her best to calm me down.But it’s not working.I can’t be the reason her family falls apart.Owen’s going to fire me and Cord will never talk to me again.
“Cici, we can’t date.You can’t lose them,” I whisper in a gutted voice.
“Look at me.”She drops to her knees in front of me and takes my hands in hers.“I'm not going to lose any of them.My dad thinks he can rule everything that happens in my life and he can’t.Trust me, my mom and Cord will side with me.They’ll make him see he’s being ridiculous.”
My phone vibrates several times in my pocket.I pull it out to find text messages from Cord staring back at me.
Cord: You’re dating my sister?
Cord: Are you kidding me right now?
Cord: I’ve told everyone she’s off limits.
Cord: Are you really going to throw away our friendship like this?
I blow out a long breath as my stomach sinks even lower.How did I go from having the best morning of my life to this?I don’t want Cici to go through all of this.
I toss my phone on the table and scrub my hands over my face.I don’t want to give her up.She’s my dream girl and I know I’ll never find someone else like her… but I can’t let her do this.
“Are you kidding me?”Cici mutters under her breath.A moment later, she places a phone call on speaker and the ring fills the air.
“Seriously, Covey?”Cord’s deep voice flows through the line, making me feel like I'm going to throw up.
“Not Covey, idiot,” Cici growls.“Who do you think you are?You don’t get to make any decisions where I'm concerned, do you understand that?If I want to date Covey, I will.If I want to marry him and have twenty-five babies with him, I will.You have no say!”She’s practically yelling at him and I wonder what happened to my sweet, calm, loving girlfriend.
“Why are you on Covey’s phone?I texted him, not you.”Cord’s voice is emotionless.Something he does when he’s really angry.
“Because Covey’s having a panic attack thanks to you and Dad!”She shrieks.
“He should be!I told him to stay away from you!I told every one of my teammates you were off limits!Apparently, he’s not as good of a friend as I thought he was,” he hisses.
Cici sucks in a deep breath and blows it out slowly.Her eyes fill with tears, but she refuses to let them fall.I watch as she lifts her chin and pulls her shoulders back.
“I'm disappointed in you, Cord.More disappointed than I’ve ever been in my entire life.”
“Are you kidding me right now?What did I do?”
“Apparently, you get to have the life you want.You got to date my best friend and almost ruined our relationship when you broke up.I didn’t say a single word to you through any of it.You two made it so hard for me and yet I kept my mouth shut.”
“Cici,” Cord’s voice softens and I can tell he feels bad.
“No!I thought you of all people would be on my side with this.All I’ve wanted is a man in my life who actually cares about me.Someone who will risk everything to be with me and Covey’s doing that!I don’t need to worry about him only dating me for money.There isn’t a chance of him dating me for my last name.He’s here because I mean something to him.Why is it that you can have the perfect life and yet I can’t?Am I supposed to be single forever?Don’t I deserve to have a husband and family?It’s all I’ve ever wanted, Cord.You know that.But I guess none of that is in the cards for me because you and Dad are immature idiots and only care about yourself.”
“Cici, I’m sor-”
She doesn’t even give him a chance to finish his sentence.She ends the call as the first tear slips down her cheek.
I pull her onto my lap and wrap my arms around her.As much as I feel like I'm the cause of all of this and her life would be easier if I walk away, I'm not sure it will be.I don’t want to let her go and if she wants to be with me, I’d be an idiot to shut this down.
“What do you want to do, baby?”I murmur, pressing a lingering kiss to her temple.
“What do you mean?”
“Do you want us to break up?”
“No!”She cries even harder, gripping my uniform with both hands.“Please, don’t break up with me.I don’t want that.”
