Chapter 14
Harper
Taylor got back on Tuesday, but he isn’t making any concrete plans with me. It’s so weird. He wanted me so badly when we were on the phone and was texting me all day Monday before the game. Then nothing. He told me he’d see me when he got back but now keeps saying he’s busy.
Now it’s Thursday. If I keep texting him, I’m that pathetic girl who isn’t seeing that the guy isn’t into her anymore.
I don’t think he’s cheating on me. Not after what happened on the phone this weekend.
I know my friends want to believe this all happened too quickly, but I feel like we’ve been together all along.
I have a party to put on tomorrow and I need to concentrate on that.
Taylor can wait. When this is over, I’ll flat out call him if he won’t answer my texts again.
Until then, time for party planning. I have my vendors in order and the guest list is set.
I have to confirm delivery with catering and make sure the servers know what to do.
I also have to confirm with the shot girls and the bartenders.
I’m using the same people I usually do so that shouldn’t be an issue.
This is always some easy money for me. It’s not a great way to occupy my mind, though.
The monotonous tasks are like second nature to me and at least I know the party will be fun.
Friday night rolls around and everything is set.
I wonder if Taylor is going to show since he did RSVP.
Not that that’s any guarantee for him. He’s always here, though, staying until everyone leaves to help me clean up.
Since we have been together, it’s been more of him staying till everyone leaves to make out with me while he helps me clean up.
I don’t see him anywhere and it spurs me to have more than my fair share of champagne. What am I supposed to do with this? In my drunken state, I start venting to Allie, who’s another regular at these parties.
“Maybe you were right. Maybe he’s just like every other guy.” She pats my shoulder.
“Harper, no. Don’t listen to what everyone else is saying.”
I turn to look over my shoulder at her. “What do you mean?”
“Well, that you guys got together too fast. That it’s distracting him and affecting his performance on the field.”
“People are saying that?!” I hadn’t heard that.
“Yeah.” Allie sounds sad.
“Maybe he needs time to figure all that out. I’ll give him some space. I’m sure it’ll all be fine.”
“You’re not worried that…” she trails off.
“Not worried that…what? Spit it out Allie.”
“That he’s getting bored of you?”
“No! Why would you even say that?”
“You know his reputation, Harper. The women he goes out with.”
“Okay sure, but a lot of that was gossip.”
“We saw it with our own eyes.”
“We saw him dating people, not what went on when they left.”
“You know what went on. Come on, Harper.”
“I can’t see him as that guy. It just doesn’t match up with the person I know.”
“Fine, you know your relationship better than I do. Just be careful, okay?”
“I will. I know what I’m doing.”
She narrows her eyes at me.
“Stop, I do know. He’s -”
“Different?” She cuts me off.
“Whatever. Come on, let’s get some more champagne.”
“You sure that’s a good idea?”
“Two seconds ago you were patting my shoulder telling me not to listen to everyone else. Then you go right to criticizing my relationship choices, and now you’re questioning my champagne intake?”
“Okay, fine let’s go.”
“That’s right.”
“You’re a mean drunk, Harper.”
“I’m not drunk, Allie.”
“Sure if you say so.”
She waves me off and we slink away to the champagne fountain, one of my more genius acquisitions. This thing is always a hit. Taylor also loves the champagne fountain.
I sit down with my next glass and go over what Allie and I talked about, the words spinning in my mind. Is he really pulling away from me? How do I stop it?
The next day I get a text about 12:30pm. It wakes me up and I’m kicking myself for staying so close to that champagne fountain last night. I sit up when I see it’s Taylor.
Taylor: Can I come over?
I’m so fucking hung over, but I do want to see him. We have to talk about all this shit.
Me: Yes, but only if you bring hangover food.
Taylor: Burritos and unsweetened iced tea?
Me: Perfect. I’m unlocking the door and going back to bed.
Taylor: See you in 15.
I don’t get dressed or even brush my hair. He’s seen me hungover before and he knows what to expect. When he arrives, I savor the taste of beef and cheese in my favorite hangover food with my unsweetened iced tea. I’m not ready to deal with the real-life Taylor in front of me yet. A few more bites.
He’s sweating it out and part of me kind of likes that. I finish the first burrito and take another out of the bag. I unwrap it and then pause before I take a bite.
“How have you been? We seem to keep missing each other and I’m overdue for a workout.”
I take a bite and look at him while I chew, willing him to speak.
“I’ve been busy. We’re well into the season and these press people keep riding me about retiring.”
“I saw that. You do a pretty good job of warding them off.” I take another bite.
“It’s exhausting.”
I make him wait some more as I chew and swallow a few more bites, then put down the burrito on its open wrapper on my bed. I take a deep breath and let it out. This is getting painful.
“Are you cheating on me?”
“You must be joking. How could you ever think that I would do that?”
“Are you really that surprised?”
“Of course I am. I could imagine those assholes from the press saying something like this, but you? I thought you understood me better than that!”
“You have to admit, you have a bit of a reputation. I’ve seen it myself. Then you ghost me for almost a week right after an away game? It was weird, Taylor.”
“I don’t have to listen to this.”
He throws his hands up and scoffs at me, grabs his jacket from the dresser where he’d set it down, and leaves the room. I hear the door close, and I get up to go lock it. I see a bag on the table from the Mexican place we both love. He’d brought extra burritos.
Fuck.