Chapter 12 #2
“You don’t get points for showing up late with the bare minimum,” Ash spits out. “Besides, I don’t work for you, you’re not my friend. I don’t have to be nice to you.”
“You sure don’t,” is all I say. There is nothing that can be gained from fighting with him. So, I take the high road and let him say whatever he wants to say about me. Nothing I say is going to make him respect me more or hate me less.
So, I go for silence.
“Maybe you could just cut August a little slack tonight. It’s been a rough night for the whole organization, so maybe back up a bit,” Danny adds, taking one of the pitchers and refilling everyone’s glasses.
“I know it’s a rough night for you all, but that doesn’t mean he gets a pass for being an ass,” Ash says, picking up his glass and taking swig. “Thanks,” he says, turning to Danny.
“Welcome,” Danny replies.
The air at the table is tense and I know it’s because of me and Ash. The situation will not get better unless I leave.
“Look, guys, my tab is open. Feel free to order food or drinks on it, or don’t,” I say, looking around the table.
“But I think I’m going to give everyone some space tonight.
It’s been a rough night; space is what is best. But please know this, tonight was one minor setback.
And it doesn’t erase all of the good things that have happened this season or the fact that we’ve made the playoffs.
So, feel however you need to feel tonight, but it’s heads up tomorrow, got it? ”
I see nods around the table. “Have a good night, everyone. I’ll catch up with you later.
” I turn to Ash, who is openly staring at me right now.
There’s a look of disbelief on his face that makes me feel a bit smug.
I like that I have him a little off balance right now.
He’s not sure what to make of me, which is good.
“I hope you had an enjoyable time in the box tonight, regardless of the outcome of the game.”
I grab my Scotch, get up and leave the table. I hear a male voice call my name. I can’t place if it’s Dex or Danny, but I don’t even bother to look back.
The seat at the bar where I sat when I ordered the pitchers is still vacant, so I take it. Lowering myself onto the stool, I wave down the bartender. “I’ll take another one.”
She nods in acknowledgement and turns to pull a bottle of Scotch off the top shelf. Sighing, I look up at the screens. A man drops down beside me, and I don’t need to look over to know that it’s Dex.
“You shouldn’t leave Amelia right now. She needs you.”
“I think that she’ll be fine. Right now, I’m worried about you. Why are you letting that man talk to you that way? You’re August fucking Cromwell. You don’t let anyone treat you like you are the dirt on the bottom of his shoe.”
“He’s not—” I start to say, but Dex cuts me off.
“What happened between the two of you? She willingly came to the bar to help you with the pitchers. This isn’t normal Hendrix and August behavior.
So, I’m going to ask you again, what is going on between you and Hendrix?
” He says the last sentence like I’m hard of hearing or like he needs to speak carefully because I may not comprehend it.
“Dex, just leave it,” I say, taking the new glass of Scotch. I thank the bartender, and she nods and walks away.
“I don’t want to leave it. I want to know what is going on.” Dex looks over at me and says, “Come on, man, what is happening here? Tell me so that I can go back to that table and punch him in his fucking arrogant face.”
I chuckle. “The girls would not like that. I’m sure they are all charmed by him. I already know that Mac thinks he’s some kind of silver fox or something.”
Dex chuckles. “Yeah, well, that doesn’t matter to me.
I don’t give a shit who he is, he is not going to talk to my best friend like that.
Now, tell me what the fuck is going on. Why aren’t you giving him little jabs back?
Why are you rolling over like a kicked dog?
Did something happen between you and Hendrix? ”
“It might have,” I relent, letting Dex in just a little bit, because it’s him. He’s had my back from day one. He was the one who helped put me back together again when I left her. He may just have to do that again.
“Spill it. You know you fucking want to. Now just tell me what is going on.” Dex leans in. “It’s me. And I’m not going to tell anyone.”
I nod. “I know that. I just don’t want anyone to overhear.”
He grins widely. Just like that shit-eating grin that he gave me the night that I admitted that I loved her and missed her back in college. “Do you wanna leave?”
I sigh. “No, I don’t want to leave. But let’s go outside.”
“Oh, you really are trying to be protective of her, aren’t you?” he teases me.
“Fuck off, man. I’ll meet you outside. Grab your drink or something,” I say, getting up and heading out the side door that leads to the patio of the Backwoods. The same spot where I managed to corner Hendrix and take her home.
I grab the same table out of nostalgia—or stupidity—and wait for Dex to join me. I chose the same seat she occupied, as if sitting here would somehow connect us. It’s stupid and I know it, but I don’t care.
Dex appears and takes the seat that I occupied that night. I grin and stare past Dex, not really focusing on anything at all.
“Tell me where you are, right now.” Dex is grinning at me when I finally look at him.
I sigh and chuckle. “She was sitting in the same chair that I’m in and I came out here the night we won big and clinched the playoffs.
I brought her a shot of tequila. She was lonely and frankly, I was beyond lonely.
She came home with me that night and we made love.
” Dex starts to say something, but I hold my hand up stop him.
“But the next morning she wanted to pretend that it was a mistake. You are the only person who has been told about this. I highly doubt she shared it with any of the girls.”
“You made love, huh?” Dex is grinning when he says this. “Normally, you would say that the two of you fucked. But this time you used the words that you made love.”
“Well, the fucking would have been what happened between the two of us a few hours ago. I fucked her from behind in the locker room to try and make her feel better after losing the game.”
Dex laughs loudly. A bit too loudly, because other patrons are starting to look in our direction.
“Discretion, Dex. Please try and use some of that right now,” I tease him.
He shakes his head. “Yeah, well, was that what you were doing in that locker room earlier tonight?”
“We locked the door,” I say, shrugging.
“Oh, well, thank god for small favors.” Dex laughs again and then leans forward.
“So, tell me something, what does all this mean? Why are you cornering her in locker rooms so that you two can fuck? Or taking her home from the bar to make love to her? Letting her brother take shots at you that you haven’t earned so that, what, she sees you as a good man?
Or are you just hoping that if you grovel enough and eat enough crow that you will in fact one day get the girl? ”
I take a long sip of Scotch, almost draining the glass.
“What if I’m sick and tired of being the one who goes home with the bimbos?
What if I’m tired of them leaving and then feeling so damned empty inside?
I don’t want to constantly disconnect anymore.
I want something real and raw like I had all those years ago. Is that so wrong?”
Dex looks at me, really looks at me, and then shakes his head.
“No, it’s not. But you are forgetting one thing, dear August. You have to have a consenting party to this little fantasy that you are talking about.
And while she may just be having your back in front of big brother, there is no way that she will come back to you.
The woman is really good at hating you, or pretending to hate you. ”
“You think she hates me?” I ask.
“Based on the way that she takes you down in public. That’s why I think that.
” He takes a sip of his own drink and looks at me.
“But you let her, which has told me for so long that you are still carrying that torch for her. And the one thing that I know about torches is that if they get knocked over, they tend to burn down the whole damn world.”
I nod. “I know.”
“Your father—,” Dex starts to say. I hold my hand up, silencing him.
“I know he will not approve of this thing I am doing. It’s not a good look.
She’s a member of the team that I own. How can anyone think she has any merit if she’s sleeping with the owner of the team,” I say, shrugging.
“Expect that she has been nicknamed by the papers as ‘The Wall’ and I think she has proven herself time and time again. So, half of that shouldn’t matter. ”
“You’re really trying to do this, aren’t you?”
I shrug again. “I think I just might be.”
“You are a stupid, stupid man,” Dex tells me. “But I like it. I like this stupid decision because at least this one has a brain in her head and also is not a bubbly blonde who just wants you for your money.”
“What do I do?” I ask him. And I actually mean it. I need to figure out how to get some time with her when we don’t end up naked or half naked. I need her to see me as a man. An actual person who she would like to spend her time with.
“It’s going to be tough with the brother who hates your guts hanging around.”
I chuckle. “Yeah, he really does. I wonder why he hates me so much.”
“You made his sister cry. Wouldn’t you do the same thing if someone hurt Drew that way?”
I laugh. “No, I wouldn’t because Drew doesn’t date and I’m pretty sure that anyone he would date would be someone that Maxwell approved of, so he wouldn’t have been forced to give her up.”
Dex nods. “Yeah, that is true. Drew always did know how to play the game better than you do.”
“I want to live my life,” I remind him. “So, you haven’t answered my question yet. What do I do?”
“Hendrix hates you and she is a woman with integrity. She isn’t going to trust a grand gesture.
She’ll only trust consistency. The first thing that you need to do is move quietly.
Show up when you say you will and stop taking her clothes off.
Stop bringing up old arguments and do not demand her forgiveness.
This is the time for you to prove that you are not the same guy.
” He watches me carefully while I digest his words.
“She’s seen me take home how many women?”
“Well, that stops, August. Go home and beat off all night long if you have to. But stop taking home the parade of women in front of her face. While she may not say it, it hurts her. You need to stop doing that.”
I nod vigorously. “What else?”
He sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose.
“You have to start listening to her when she is talking. Stop coming up with your defense. You have no defense.” I go to say something, but he stops me.
“Show her that you see her pain. And then step back, don’t chase her and let her choose to come to you.
Her noticing that you are different is going to be the turning point.
” He drains his drink and leans back before asking, “Are able to do that?”
I nod. “I think I am.”
“Good,” he says, standing up and patting me on the back. “I’ve got to get back to Amelia. But August, I’m going to tell you that this makes me proud of you. You are trying to right a wrong and take back the only woman you have ever loved. That makes me proud.”
I grin up at him. “Thanks. I just hope I can do this.”
“You can and you will. Now head on home alone,” he says, chuckling.
“Yes, mother.”
He punches my shoulder. “Fuck you,” he says, flipping me off as he walks away.
I stay for a few more minutes, looking up at the sky, thinking about what Dex said. I know that he’s right. I just don’t know how I can stay away from her. She’s so fucking addictive.