Going Long (Waiting on the Sidelines #2)(54)
“So…kinda awkward way for you to meet the rebound chick, no?” he said, his words hitting every nerve in my body. Not wanting to give him the satisfaction, I just let my muscles clench to take the impact of his fire, hoping it would soon pass, and I could just work out what he’d said with Sarah, Becky and Sienna.
“He did tell you about Jenny, right? Dylan’s cousin?” He wasn’t going to let this go. I turned to face him, the coffee cup to my mouth, masking the grimace on my face. I just shrugged again, and gave him a lopsided smile, but nodded no, honestly. No. I’d told him the truth, and given him the weapon he desperately wanted to destroy me with.
“Wowwwwww,” he let it drag out as he stood to wash his coffee mug, his back now to me. “Well, then, it must have really sucked to have found out last night. I mean, if he’s going to make himself feel better, though, might as well be with a girl like that. I don’t mean it in a crass way. What I meant was she’s so opposite of you. That has to make it better, right? I mean, if it was someone more like you, you’d feel like you were just being replaced.”
He just sat there leaning on the counter again, with a smug-ass grin on his face. I knew Jason was playing me. It’s what he did. He had some bitter war with Reed ever since Reed started seeing success in high school, and it had gotten way out of hand. But there was also always some layer of truth to his shots; he wasn’t a complete sociopath like Tatum. No, he collected bits and pieces along the way, and saved them up to use them against his enemies later, when they least expected it.
I heard Sarah pulling into the driveway, so I grabbed my purse and turned my back to Jason, and his satisfied f*cking grin. Not wanting to let him completely get away with it, I sent one final shot over my shoulder. “Yeah, well you would know about being replaced, huh? Must have sucked when Reed filled your spotlight…and never gave it back.”
I walked out the door at my words and didn’t look back. I’d held it together in front of Jason, but once out of his view, I felt the life fleeing from my lungs. I was nearly hyperventilating when I got in the car with Sarah, who was rolling her eyes at me already, trying to punish me from my actions from the night before.
“Jesus, Noles. Just once I’d like us to get together without some f*cking emotional scars, or wounds, that need tending to,” she said, sighing as I shut the door, and we drove off. She felt bad instantly, though, as she always did, and slid her hand over to squeeze mine. “Sorry, just a little frustrated. I didn’t mean it.”
“I know,” I said, biting at my lip and readying myself for everything new that I had to fill the girls in on.
We hung out at Becky’s for the entire day, just lounging and watching old movies. I’d filled the girls in on how Reed was acting, as well as the accusations and gossip Jason spilled on me before I left. Becky and Sienna were both hanging on every word I said during the part about Jason, but Sarah seemed less concerned. When I was done, she just got up from the couch and slapped her hands on her thighs in front of her.
“Pffft, Jason’s just an ass. He’s just trying to get to you…and by getting to you, get to Reed,” she said, turning to go fill her bowl with more chips.
“Yeah, but I did see Reed with that girl, and they were really close. She was flirty with him, like they knew each other. And it wouldn’t be the craziest thing that he did something with someone else while we’re apart…not that we officially broke up, but…shit, well? I guess we sort of did,” I said, hanging my head down and just searching for something to fill that raw and empty feeling I had in my gut every time I thought of Reed.
“Noles,” Sarah said, climbing over the back of the sofa to join our girls’ circle again. “Listen. I got in his face a little about her last night, and he swore there was nothing there. He promised…and I’m pretty good at reading people. He wasn’t lying.”
She just started eating her chips again and picked up the remote to start the next movie. I slid into the sofa cushions next to her and pulled my knees up to hug them. “I hope you’re right,” I said, sighing a little.
“I am,” she said, not even phased. Her confidence gave me a tiny lift, and I was going to ride that out for the rest of the night.
The ASU and UofA rival game was something special. And while I may have been a Sun Devil to the core, when Reed played, I was on his team—no colors, no sides. Just him. I rode up early with Sarah, Sienna, Sean and Becky; my parents were planning to come up later. Buck had gotten them seats next to his, with most of the other boosters. They were comfortable, and would be out of the sun. Sienna was leaving us to join the band, which sat near the visiting team’s entrance for the game. Our seats were in the student section, so for tonight, I would wear red and blue, and show my support for the only man I’d ever loved.
Buck had a grill set up at the back of his truck parked near the stadium and was cooking for his alumni friends when we strolled up. He was starting to get around a little better now, his leg still in his cast, but he was able to stand propped up on his crutches. Rosie was with him today. I noticed how she cared for him, and it warmed my heart seeing Buck get the love and attention he deserved.
“There’s my girl,” Buck said, reaching out an arm to call me in for a hug.
“Hey, Buck. Good to see you standing,” I said, hugging him back and reaching up to kiss him on the cheek. He smiled at my gesture, and it made me feel sad that there might be a day in the future where this man wouldn’t be a part of my life. Reed left me confused this morning, and Jason left me feeling even more so. I didn’t know where I stood, where we stood. But for the first time since I’d called him and poured my heart out with confessions on his voicemail, I wanted to talk—the real, soul-baring kind of talk. And my heart skipped a little that Reed might actually want to listen.