31. Chapter Thirty-One
Rachel
As I walk into the quaint neighborhood café, the air smells of freshly brewed coffee, and it feels warm, like a hug wrapping around me. This has been a busy week, and I’m just looking forward to a few minutes of quiet and the chance to relax. I look over the menu as I stand in line, but as I do, I can feel someone behind me—and it’s a presence I’ve felt before. I turn, and Collins is there, grinning as he always does.
“Rachel!” he says, a bit brightly, a bit friendly. “Fancy seeing you here.”
“Hey, Collins,” I reply, forcing a smile. I don’t want to be near you after the last time we interacted, but it seems like fate has other plans.
He points at the counter. “Would it be alright if I sat and had coffee with you? I could use a break.”
I hesitate but nod. “Sure, why not?”
After ordering our drinks, we find a small table by the window. I can’t get rid of this feeling that this might not actually be a casual catch-up. I’m not sure I’m ready for it, but there’s some undercurrent in the air.
“So, how have you been?” Collins asks as he takes a sip of his coffee and leans back in his chair.
“I’ve been good,” I answer, trying to keep it lighthearted.
He nods - “I’ve been thinking a lot about setting up my own sports business. Could you help me with it? I could really use your expertise. Could you work with me on it?”
I blink in surprise at his suggestion. “I don’t think that’s a good idea, Collins. I’m Vaughn’s secretary, and I don’t want to mix things up.”
He looks earnest as he leans forward. “But, Rachel, I’m serious. Someone like you—I really could use your help. I know how Vaughn works, and I think we would be a great team.”
I shake my head, irritation simmering within. “I’m not interested in the offer, thank you. I like my job, and I like Vaughn.”
I see Collins’s demeanor soften slightly, and I can see the disappointment across his face. He presses, with an air of defensiveness in his tone, “Are you sure it’s not because of Vaughn? Doesn’t he treat you that well?”
The words hit me with the force of a slap, and my irritation burns to anger. “What do you mean by that?” I ask, my voice sharp. “There’s a lot going on for Vaughn right now. You don’t know what he’s dealing with.”
Collins raises his hands in mock surrender. “You could do better, is all I’m saying. You deserve someone who appreciates you.”
“Stop,” I say, my patience fraying. “You don’t get to decide what I deserve. You don’t know me or my relationship with Vaughn.”
He crosses his arms defensively and leans back in his chair. “I’m just worried about you,” he says. “It feels like you’re always stuck in his shadow.”
I snort, and my anger boils over. “Stuck in his shadow? He’s a person, not a shadow I get cast over me. I have my own life, my own goals, and I’m not going to let someone—let alone you—tell me otherwise.”
Collins’s expression changes, and for a moment, I see him realize his mistake. “Okay, okay, I get it. I didn’t mean to offend you.”
I try to calm the anger bubbling within me, but a deep breath doesn’t help. I just want to be respected on my own merits.
“Collins, I don’t need you to come in and play savior,” I say.
He nods, and we just sit for a moment, the tension in the air so thick you could cut it with a knife. My heart is racing, a mix of frustration and some other feeling I can’t quite put my finger on.
My phone buzzes on the table. I look down and see an onslaught of missed calls and texts from Vaughn. My heart skips a beat as I swipe to check the texts.
Rachel, where are you?
I need to talk to you. It’s urgent.
Please pick up.
The urgency in his messages twists my stomach. How did I get so absorbed in this conversation with Collins that I missed his calls? I can’t believe it.
“I have to go,” I say abruptly, standing up. I pick up my bag and think about what Vaughn might need to talk about.
“Wait,” Collins says, standing as well. “I’m sorry for pushing. I just—”
“Not now, Collins,” I cut him off, my voice firm. “I need to get to Vaughn.”
As I rush out of the café, I can feel Collins’s eyes on my back, but I don’t turn around. I’m listening—listening to Vaughn, to the urgency in his words. It must be important; whatever it is he needs to discuss.
Once I’m outside, I pull up my phone and I see an incoming call from Vaughn. He wants to see me immediately.
I shake off the remnants of frustration as I make my way to my car. I don’t want to let that get in the way of what’s important. I need to be there for him, and he needs me.
The busy streets blur as I drive, my heart pounding in my chest. Anxious thoughts swirl in my mind. What could have happened? Why was he so insistent?
I can’t help but partially rush toward Vaughn’s mansion. I can’t move any faster. Every step feels heavy, the urgency of his messages propelling me forward. What could have happened to make him so frantic in the world? Something is terribly wrong, and I can’t shake the feeling.
I pull into the driveway, and there’s Vaughn, pacing up and down in front of the door, his fury a full storm. When I get out of the car, I can feel the tension radiating from him, the tangible energy sending a chill up my spine.
“Rachel!” he barks as I approach, his voice slicing through the air. “What took you so long?”
“I came as fast as I could!” I say, trying to keep panic from rising in me. “What’s going on?”
He takes a step closer, his eyes narrowing, his voice filled with anger. “You’re lazy. You’re too busy playing the field with my team and not doing your job!”
He accuses me, and I blink, taken aback. “Flirting? What are you talking about, Vaughn?” The words get caught in my throat. I can feel anger bubbling beneath the surface. I don’t deserve this.
“Collins,” he snaps, the name sounding like a curse. “You two are always together. You’re my secretary, not his plaything!”
“Are you serious?” The hurt in my voice is evident as I shoot back. “Collins and I were just having coffee. I can’t help it if he’s friendly!”
Vaughn is clearly agitated. He runs a hand through his hair. “That’s not the point! It’s the work, not socializing with my teammates, that you’re supposed to be focused on.”
I breathe deeply, trying to hold it together. “Hey, Vaughn, I’m not thinking about anything else. What’s got you so worked up? Did something happen?”
I can see the frustration building beneath the surface as he hesitates. “I was just on the phone with the league. They are accusing me of using drugs, and now I find out you’re too busy with Collins to help me!”
The accusation hits me like a slap in the face. “What? That’s ridiculous! I know you didn’t do anything wrong!”
“I need you in my corner, Rachel,” he says, his voice rising. “You’re out there acting like a fool instead. You should be taking this seriously!”
Anger surges inside me, but I suppress it. “You think this isn’t serious to me? I’m here now, aren’t I? I dropped everything to come help you.”
“Is that what you call it?” he retorts. “It’s like you’re more interested in dating my teammates than supporting me.”
A swirl of anger and offense fills my chest, and I feel it sink. “I am not dating anyone! I’m here to help, and I’ve been busy making sure everything is going smoothly. You need to trust that.”
He shakes his head, his expression darkening. “Trust? You want me to trust you after everything? The guy who tried to bribe you—you didn’t even tell me about that!”
The words shock me, and I catch my breath. “Bribe? What are you talking about?”
“The guy who approached you about sabotaging my reputation,” he snaps, his frustration boiling over. “Now you let that slide, and it’s coming back to haunt us. If you’re keeping things from me, how can I trust you?”
“I didn’t think it was that important!” I protest, my voice rising. “I was handling it. I was going to tell you, but I didn’t want to make your stress any worse. I could deal with it myself,” I say.
I can sense the distance between us growing as his eyes blaze with anger. “If you had, you should have told me from the beginning. This is serious, Rachel. Do you know how damaging that could be?”
His words land heavily on my shoulders, and I take a step back. “I’m trying to protect you, Vaughn! It didn’t seem urgent at the time, and I didn’t want to burden you.”
“Protect me?” he scoffs, the bitterness in his voice cutting deep. “You think keeping secrets is protecting me? Rachel, I don’t know if I can trust you. Or maybe you took that bribe after all.”
My anger is on the edge of bubbling over. I feel it, like a knife in my gut. “How dare you! Never in a million years would I do something like that. You know me better than that,” I say.
“I thought I did, but you’re making it difficult to believe,” he snaps.
The tension is suffocating, and I can hear my heart pounding as I try to process it all. Right now, it feels like Vaughn is pushing me away. I’m not his enemy—I’m trying to help him.
“You’re accusing me of this?” I ask, my voice quivering. “You deserve my trust, and I’m here for you. If you can’t see that, then maybe I should just go.”
“Maybe you should,” he replies, his tone cold and cutting.
The words hit me like a blow, and tears threaten to spill from the corners of my eyes. I won’t let him see me cry. I swallow the hurt and straighten my back. “Fine, I’ll leave. And don’t think for a second that I’m the problem here.”
I turn to walk away, but I feel his gaze on my back. I’m hurt, and I’m furious—a storm of emotions. I thought we were in this together, but the distance between us feels insurmountable.
The cool air hits my face as I step outside, and I take a deep breath, trying to calm the storm within me. But I won’t let his anger define my worth. I can’t let Vaughn make me feel like something I know I am not.
My heart is heavy with a mix of anger and disappointment as I climb into my car. The drive home feels long and lonely, but I know one thing for sure: this won’t be the end of my fight—for my integrity, for my career, for my relationship with Vaughn. I’ll show him. I’ll show myself that I deserve better.