“Yeah… We were together for three years.”
Maddox and I started dating during our sophomore year and remained together throughout high school. He was my first and only serious relationship.
I dated around when I went to college, but it never went further than a few dates. Even now, my trust in men is nonexistent. I can’t allow myself to be vulnerable.
She gasps. “Three years?”
“Unfortunately…” I mumble.
“You know, I’ve heard some rumors about him.”She drops her voice, glancing around the office to make sure no one is within earshot. “Is he really that big?”
I rub my temples. “I amsonot having this conversation with you.”
“Ugh, fine! You’re no fun.” Ivy frowns, scooting her chair farther from me.
“Will you at least hook me up with one of his teammates?”
“Nope,” I reply flatly.
“How dare you not help me find a sugar daddy! This friendship is over.”
“Who said we were ever friends?” I arch a brow at her.
Ivy gasps and dramatically clutches her chest.
The door of Veronica’s office opens, and she walks out with Maddox. She introduces him to Trang, one of the fashion designers. They continue to converse about the collaboration. Of course, the role was given to Veronica’s niece. Nepotism at its finest.
Veronica turns her attention to me, shooting me a death glare that causes me to slump in my seat. “Andrea, come here. I would like to have a word with you.”
Uh oh. This can’t be good.
Reluctantly, I get up from my seat, my shoulders sagging as I walk across the office to where she’s standing.
CHAPTER FIVE
maddox
“This is Trang.She will be the lead designer on our team.” Veronica gestures to a petite Vietnamese girl with straight, shoulder-length black hair.
“Hey, it’s nice to meet you!” I extend my hand to her, and she shakes it with enthusiasm.
“It’s such a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Kamado!”
“Please, call me Maddox.”
“I'm such a huge fan. I’ve watched every single one of your games,” she gushes. “When Veronica told me you wanted to start a clothing line with us, I nearly fainted. I threw up this morning because I was so nervous.” She shuffles her feet and clears her throat. “Sorry. I, uh, tend to overshare sometimes.”
“Don’t worry about it. You’re good.” My mouth curves into a half-smile. “It’s always nice to meet one of my fans.”
Trang continues droning on about how much she loves watching basketball, but I’ve stopped paying attention.
My eyes scan the room and lock onher. Annalise Rose Monroe—the first girl to steal my heart and the first one to break it. Waves of emotion washed over me when I saw her again. Ispent the last four years trying to erase her from my mind, distracting myself with basketball and burying myself in other women, but nothing seemed to fill the void. She’s like a tattoo on my skin, an indelible part of me forever.
She looks more stunning than I remember. Her mesmerizing sapphire and emerald eyes draw me in like a moth to a flame. Silky, wavy, brown hair cascades gracefully down her shoulders, contrasting beautifully against her tan skin. And those luscious pink lips bring back memories of the moments when I had the chance to taste their sweetness.
I’ve been with a lot of attractive women these past few years, but they all paled in comparison to her. Annalise is the whole package. Drop-dead gorgeous, intelligent, and blessed with a voluptuous figure.
Our reunion was not what I’ve envisioned. The love she once had for me has turned into hatred. Maybe if we had gone to college in the same city, we would still be together today.
