I will not waste my time entertaining or engaging with that asshole anymore.
“Are you okay?” Ellie asks me as we step onto the sidewalk in front of the bar. “He’s such an asshole.”
I am okay. I’ve been okay for years. Seeing him doesn’t bother me like I once thought it would. If anything, he ruined my dinner. There’s no sadness, no anger. I’m just mildly annoyed now. “Yeah, I’m good.”
“I’m proud of you, Jade. You handled that like a bad bitch.” A smirk tugs on her lips. “You were totally Candy Stone in there.”
“Come on,” I laugh, linking my arm through hers. “Let’s go before he ends up coming outside looking for us.”
She laughs, falling in step with me. “He’d be making a grave mistake. I didn’t wear the proper shoes to kick his ass,” she says, lifting her leg to show her heel. “Fuck, I hate men sometimes. If Matty ever acts like that turd did, I’ll step on his throat with these.”
A string of laughter falls from me. “It’s not like that with him and me. We’re just friends.”
Ellie chuckles, shaking her head. “You know that, like, never works out, right?”
“This is different,” I argue, adjusting my purse on my shoulder. “It will. He doesn’t do relationships and I don’t do athletes.”
Ellie snorts. “You could. He’s definitely fuckable.”
My chest tightens, my stomach knotting with jealousy. “Friends with benefits is the furthest I’d go.”
I know better than to get romantically involved with someone like Matteo Ford… physically, however, is a different story.
Ellie’s laughter dies and she squeezes my arm. “Just be careful,” Ellie says softly.
I give her a small smile. “I will.”
I know she’s just being a good friend and I appreciate her concern. There’s nothing for either of us to worry about. I’m too guarded to make a mistake like I did in the past.
I know better than to give my heart to someone like him.
And Matteo Ford’s heart isn’t up for grabs.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
MATTEO
“She said it was a mistake, but it wasn’t. It was inevitable.” - Julian Hart, Painted Inferno
Ishift my weight on my feet, tipping my head back to look up at Jade’s apartment building. I didn’t pay attention to which direction her apartment looked out over the last time I was here. I’ll be sure to make note of it this time when I’m inside… if she ever comes down and lets me in.
We just flew back to Hillford late last night, after our last game on the road in Tennessee. It was only a two and a half hour flight, so we didn’t get home too late, although I opted to wait until the morning to try to see Jade.
My heart stutters as I see her strolling through the lobby, heading in my direction. Her hair’s pulled up into a messy bun on top of her head and she’s wearing an oversized T-shirt that stops along the middle of her thighs and a pair of tight, black shorts. They hug her like a second skin, pulling my focus down her bare legs, which springs back up to meet her gaze as she unlocks the door and pushes it open.
“Hey,” she says, her voice a bit breathless. Her eyes are lined with dark bags, the exhaustion obvious on her face. “Sorry. I was finishing up a call with my editor.” She reaches for the drink carrier I’m holding. “Let me get that.”
I lift a brow, letting her take the two coffees as I hold onto the brown paper bag with breakfast sandwiches I picked up on the way. “How did it go?”
She steps to the side, motioning for me to come inside. I step past her, the faint smell of vanilla and berries assaulting me as I move into the foyer.
“It went well.” She makes sure the doors are locked before leading the way to the elevator. “I sent her the first half of the book last week and she loves it.”
“I’m not surprised,” I admit, smiling at her as we step inside the elevator and the doors slide shut. She reaches out, pressing the button for her floor. “Speaking of books… I actually have a question for you.”
Jade turns around to face me, cocking her head to the side. “Yeah?” She covers a yawn. “Sorry,” she mumbles, shaking her head.
“Some of the guys want to start a book club. Cross' trying to get back into reading and I told them about you being an author.”
