Fighting for Love (Second Chances #4)(75)
Nodding, I smiled at him, clenching my hand into a fist to keep it from shaking. “Thank you,” I breathed nervously. “I’ll be right there.”
As soon as Jace walked out of my room, I took in another deep breath, clicked on ‘send’ and released it shakily. It was done … finished, and now I had a whole month to myself to ponder the meaning of life. Hopefully, I’d find some answers.
Fetching my purse and cell phone off the bed, I turned off my bedroom light and met Jace out in the living room. “I did it, finally. Now I just hope everyone likes it,” I added, gazing down at my phone.
Jace held out my coat and I slipped my arms inside before following him out to his car. “I’m sure everyone will, including Matt,” he murmured. “You know, it wouldn’t hurt to text him and let him know it’s finished. I’m pretty sure he’d like to hear from you.”
“It hasn’t even been a week, Jace. What if it’s too soon to start reaching out to him? I want to make sure he’s had enough time without me complicating things. I don’t want to screw up with him, and who knows, he might not want to hear from me. Maybe he’s moved on already.”
Jace scoffed. “Trust me, that’s not the case. He’ll want to hear from you, especially since the big fight is tomorrow night. He’s going to want your support, even if it’s just a text.”
On the way to the restaurant, I stared at my phone, wondering what the hell I was going to say to him. Should I call or text? With Jace in the car, I decided to go with a text; the coward’s way out.
Me: Hey, I just wanted you to know that I finished the article. I hope you like it. I also wanted to tell you good luck with the fight tomorrow night. Kick his ass for me. #TeamMatt
It was kind of lame and nowhere near what I wanted to tell him, but I didn’t exactly want to type ‘I miss you and I want you to come back to me’ just yet. He didn’t need the pressure.
I didn’t expect a reply back from him, but he sent me one almost immediately. I read it over and over the whole car ride to Romero’s.
Matt: Thank you, angel. I have two seats reserved for you just in case you want to come. If not, I understand. Just know that this fight is for me and you. I won’t let you down.
“Jace, what time do our flights leave tomorrow?” I asked curiously.
“Uh … I think two o’clock,” he noted unsurely. “I’d have to look at the tickets again.” He drove us up to the valet attendant and one of the drivers helped me out of the car while another gave Jace a ticket and took off with his vehicle.
“Why did you want to know what time we’re leaving tomorrow?” he asked, furrowing his brows. “You do still want to go, don’t you?”
Holding out his arm, I linked mine through his and he ushered me into the restaurant. “Jace, I do want to go more than anything, but I was wondering if maybe we could get a later flight? Do you think that’s possible?”
Before we got to our table where everyone was already seated, he pulled me to a stop and sighed, his gaze melancholy but understanding. “I’m pretty sure I can get us a later flight,” he assured me, “but you know I have to be back in North Carolina by early afternoon. I can probably get us a flight late tomorrow night, but it’ll be pushing it if you want to do what I think you want to do.”
With a sad smile, I nodded. “I have to, Jace. I want to be there for him. Even if I don’t speak to him, I at least want him to know I was there supporting him. Also, Kyle needs to see that I’m there, too.”
Jace took my arm again and grinned. “That he does, but right now tonight is all about you. Next week, you’re going to be lying on the beach in Nags Head, North Carolina with not a care in the world. It’ll be good for you, I promise.”
It would be good for me, but I knew something that would make it better. Wishful thinking was all it was.
ALL WEEK, I TRAINED HARD for the fight against Kyle, worked out, and trained some more until I could barely stand. Carter literally had to make me leave the gym because I didn’t want to stop. I needed something to take my mind off of Shelby, along with the constant nagging worry and wondering if she was all right. Jace was diligent on keeping me updated, but it wasn’t the same as hearing it come from Shelby.
He told me he planned a dinner for her in celebration of finishing the article she worked so hard on. I had hoped the waiting period would be over and that I’d get an invite, but it never came. All I wanted was to see her just once before she left to go to North Carolina. She texted me and it felt like the first step to something, at least, but I didn’t know what. I would take any interaction with her, even if it was just a simple text.
Tomorrow was my fight against Kyle and I was ready for him. I wanted Shelby there, but Jace told me they were leaving for North Carolina in the early afternoon. I didn’t want her to know I knew she was leaving because then she’d realize I was keeping in touch with Jace. That was why I told her about the reserved seats. I honestly did have them reserved for her, but unfortunately, they would remain empty.
“How are you holding up in here?” Gabriella asked, poking her head in through the door.
Sitting on the edge of my bed, I peered over my shoulder at her. “Just sitting here thinking.”
Gabriella opened the door all the way and ambled into my room, her sad gaze on Shelby’s journals lying beside me, unopened. “Have you read them yet?”