SCORE (A Stepbrother Sports Romance)(45)

“Emerald is a great compliment for hazel eyes.”

Claire replaced the note and opened the box again to admire the gold necklace boasting an emerald pendant shaped like cayenne pepper. It took her breath away, but it didn’t take long for her to realize who the buyer must be. In that moment of realization, she heard the door knock.

She opened the door, box still in hand. “Chance.”

“Good morning, Claire,” he said.

“I wasn’t expecting you,” she said sarcastically as she held the box against her chest. Chance looked a nervous wreck as he stood there with his anxious eyes. Claire almost took pity on him.

“So?” he asked, and folded his arms as if he expected her to roll over after one gesture.

“So what?” she asked, looking at him blankly.

“You like it?”

Claire felt like smacking him. He still held the pompous air that was doing him no favors, and as beautiful as the jewel was, Claire knew she couldn’t take it. “I do,” she murmured as she pushed it towards him. Unfortunately, he chose to come closer to her at that moment so that she ended up touching his chest. She let go quickly before other thoughts started making their way into her mind. He grabbed it before it fell.

Confused, he looked at her. “So why are you giving it back? I went out of my way to get this for you.”

“I didn’t ask you to,” she told him, her arms crossed.

“You didn’t need to; I saw it and I thought I’d get it for you.” He walked past her and to the cart in the room where he set the box down again. “It’s still yours whether you want it or not; I have no use for it.”

“Chance, look,” Claire paused as she searched for the right words. “I came here to get away and to be alone. Yes, you are handsome and a charmer, but don’t waste it on me. Amy has been digging you from the first time she saw you. Why don’t you just stick to the ones who are…”

“Available?” he finished her sentence for her.

“Yes. Available,” she answered, lowering her eyes.

“You know, going out with someone else can be a good way to get your mind off of another,” he told her. “I know he hurt you…”

The look Claire gave him stopped him mid-sentence. “You know what? How do you know someone hurt me?”

“I can tell,” he said nervously and rubbed the back of his neck.

“You’re lying,” she replied. “Admit it.”

“Okay, I admit it. Amy told me why you are here,” he said after a pause. “But that has nothing to do with any of this.”

“I don’t believe this! Why would she be…what did she tell you?” Claire was growing angrier by the minute.

“Nothing much,” he defended. “Just that you were to be married and it didn’t work out so you came here.”

“I think that’s enough,” Claire said, placing her hands on her hips and turning away from Chance. She started crying before she could stop herself.

“Claire?” Chance asked from behind her, moving closer.

“Just go,” she said. Her voice cracked as she stood with her back to him.

“I didn’t mean to make you cry,” he whispered, touching her shoulder. “I just thought I’d do something nice for you, to take your mind off him. Any man who does that to you doesn’t deserve your tears.”

“Just go,” she said, but her voice had grown weaker and the sarcasm was gone from her voice. She didn’t want him to go. Not yet.

“You’re too good for him. Don’t you ever forget that,” he said. He released her and left the room.

Claire stood rooted to the spot, crying even after he had gone. Her heart felt heavy and somehow she felt betrayed by Amy. She didn’t need a stranger to know that, let alone a man who was apparently interested in her. She must seem like a fool to him now. And she had no one to blame for that but Amy. She quickly brushed the tears away, dressed in cut-off jeans and a tank, and headed for Amy’s room.

“Amy!” she shouted as she pounded on the door. “Open the door.”

“Claire?” Amy answered from inside her room. “Are you okay?” As soon as Amy opened the door, Claire barged in. “What’s wrong?”

“What’s wrong?” she fumed. “What did you tell Chance about me and Trent?”

“Oh,” Amy said and covered her face. “I’m so sorry, Claire; it just kinda slipped out.”

“It slipped out? My personal affairs just accidentally slipped out to a perfect stranger? What makes you think I wanted Chance to know anything about me, let alone that I was jilted the day before my wedding?”

“Claire, I was at dinner with him, and remember how I told you he always seemed unavailable to me? Well, that’s because he likes you. A lot! I only told him so he would understand why you aren’t interested in him and why he should leave you alone. I was wrong, and I’m sorry,” she said as she moved closer to Claire and took her hand. “You are my best friend, and I love you, and I wish I could kill Trent for what he did to you. But that doesn’t mean I want to see you sad all the time, or hurt again, either. I thought I was helping.”

“Well, you didn’t help keep him away,” Claire sighed. “As a matter of fact, you only made him try harder.”