Hate the Player: An Enemies-to-Lovers Romantic Comedy(100)

“Blake called us and let us in,” Billie updates around a mouthful of Raisin Bran. “And, I have to be honest, your cereal selection sucks ass.”

“My apologies for not making sure I was stocked up with your favorites.” An incredulous chuckle leaves my lips, and I head over to the coffeepot, where fucking Luca has already brewed a fresh pot. “You guys planning on telling me why you’re here, or am I supposed to guess?”

“We’re here because you’re a dumbass,” Billie answers without even a second of hesitation. “And because my sister is too fucking stubborn for her own good.”

Jesus. I should’ve known this unwelcome visit was going to be about Birdie.

The press, my publicist, my goddamn assistant, it’s all anyone seems to talk about these days. Even after I had my publicist put out a statement, the media is still fixated on us, trying to link us together in every way possible.

I choose to ignore Billie’s jab to my intelligence and pour myself a cup of coffee.

“You don’t have anything to say to that?” she asks, and I don’t turn around until I’ve stirred some cream into my mug and take my first sip of caffeine for the day.

“Nope,” I eventually answer, my eyes meeting hers and my hip resting against the counter. “I’m pretty sure everything that needed to be said was already said.”

A week ago, inside her hotel room in Memphis, Birdie made it pretty fucking clear she didn’t want to be involved with a guy like me, didn’t even want to be mentioned in the same breath as me.

All I did was let her off the damn hook and make it easier by walking away.

Make it easier? It sure as fuck doesn’t feel any easier right now, you mopey bastard.

“Oh, so I guess that means you’re perfectly fine with how things went with my sister, then?” Billie asks.

“Yep,” I respond through a tight jaw, and Luca bursts into laughter like that one word is the funniest fucking thing he’s ever heard.

“You look like you haven’t showered in days. You’re flaking out of obligations. And, per your assistant, you’re living out of your bedroom like a fucking hobo,” Luca states with a knowing raise of his brow. “C’mon, man, don’t try to bullshit us on what’s really going down here.”

I narrow my eyes at him. “And what exactly do you think is going on right now, bro?”

“I think you look exactly like I looked when Billie left me in Alaska.”

“Excuse me?”

“I think you’re in love with Birdie and you feel like a shell of a man right now because you’re not together.”

“We’re not together because she doesn’t want to be with a guy like me.”

“You’re not together because the two of you are a horrible mix of pride and stubbornness,” Luca refutes, and the first inklings of anger start to flood my veins.

“Enlighten me. Am I the stubborn one or the prideful one?”

“Oh, you’re definitely the bastard with too much pride,” he answers, and those words only infuriate me more. But the dick keeps on going. “Instead of fighting for her, you simply walked away because you thought it was easier. But not on her,” he adds. “Easier on you. C’mon, man, I’ve known you long enough to understand your relationship patterns. Although, I have to be honest, I know we weren’t in contact for several years, but I’m pretty sure this is the closest you’ve ever allowed yourself to get to anyone.”

His bullshit words officially push me over the edge, and I slam my coffee down onto the counter. “You don’t know shit,” I spit. “You come in here and act like you have all the answers, but you don’t know shit. You. Don’t. Know. Shit. About what went down between Birdie and me. This has nothing to do with pride! Fuck my pride. Fuck your pride. Fuck Birdie’s pride. She tore my heart out of my fucking chest. I walked away because it was what she wanted. Not me.”

“So, basically, what you’re saying is that you are, in fact, in love with her?” Luca asks, and my jaw goes unhinged.

“That’s what you got out of everything I just said?”

“It’s all I needed to get out of it.” A knowing smile etches his mouth, and I have the urge to stride over to him and shove my fist in his face.

Obviously, I don’t. But goddamn, I want to.

Luca looks over at Billie, and the two of them share a secret smile.

“See?” she says to him. “I told you.”

He chuckles. “Yeah, you were right, princess.”

I glance between the two of them, utterly confused. “What the fuck are you two talking about?”

Billie meets my annoyed gaze. “Do you still love her?”

“What?”

“If you ever want me to leave your house, you’re going to have to answer the question,” she responds. “And I should remind you that I’m getting very close to my due date. I have a feeling you’d prefer I don’t deliver my baby in your kitchen.”

“Christ, Billie. You’re killing me here.”

“Just answer the question, Andrew. Are you still in love with my sister?”

Fucking hell. These two are quite the duo.

“Andrew,” Billie shouts, and at the shrill sound of a pregnant woman on the brink, I just break.