“You should go.” I kept walking until I was on the safe side of my desk, took a seat and scooted my chair in. I forced myself to look up and meet his gaze. “Now.”
Fin stood. From my perspective, it was as if he physically grew. From the man in the chair, heunfolded, growing taller and wider. I lifted my chin to keep eye contact.
“Invite me to your place tonight.”
Exhaling an exasperated breath, I shook my head. “No.”
“Then come to my place.”
“No.”
He crossed his arms over his wide chest. “Vee, stop whatever game you’re trying to win at this moment and listen.”
Game.
“I can hear you just fine.”
“We have shit to talk about.”
I shook my head. “The Coopers’ season is all that’s important.” I motioned between us. “If there was something between us, it was thrown away fourteen years ago.”
“Bullshit,” he said too loudly.
“Fin, keep your voice down.”
His nostrils flared. “This is why we need to have this discussion away from Maker’s Mark.”
I pressed my lips together.
“I’ll be at your building at seven.”
Standing, I crossed my arms over my breasts again. “It’s a public building. Knock yourself out.”
He tilted his head.
“You need a key to access the residential floors,” I reminded him.
“Then give me a key.”
“Hell no.”
Fin bent down and picked up his duffel bag. He quirked a brow. With a smirk, he said, “In case you need direction, I’ll pick a keycard up at the concierge before seven. Be sure it’s there.” His eyebrow arched higher. “Be a good girl, or our discussion will take a different path.”
I stood dumbfounded and simultaneously turned on as Fin turned and walked away without even a glance over his shoulder.
CHAPTER 24
Vee
Nearly fourteen years ago * New Years Eve
My pulse raced as Fin unlocked the hotel room door and pushed it inward. The din of the hallway was replaced by the hum of the heating as we stepped in to the standard room. Fin hit a switch illuminating two large lamps on each of the bedside stands. Clutching my wool coat, I turned, taking in the one king-sized bed, a TV sitting on top of a chest of drawers, two bedside stands, and a chair with an ottoman. The cold-winter Lexington skyline shimmered stories below through the uncoveredwindow. Theclickandscuffof Fin sliding the chain lock into place set my nerves on full alert.
I turned back toward Fin.
My date, my boyfriend…he was incredibly handsome. I saw the way the other girls looked at him at the dance. Some leered even as they were in another guy’s embrace. I marveled that after these six months, we were still together. Maybe it was because I saw more to him than just the starting quarterback. I saw the man underneath, the one who excelled at play calls and struggled with managerial economics.
I saw the man who strived to eat healthy but always treated himself to a donut the morning after a game. He partied with his teammates to not appear antisocial, but preferred secluded restaurants where he wasn’t recognized or hanging out in one of our apartments. He dressed up when necessary but lived to lounge around in nylon shorts and t-shirts.
