Chapter 33
Connor
I couldn’t get her to call me back.
How was I supposed to make things right with her when she wouldn’t respond to my texts or call me back? In a moment of desperation, I’d texted her dad and her brothers, who were also radio silent.
Which was a little scary, but maybe less scary than Tony actually answering.
Because our roadside breakup was all over the place. As it turned out, half the damn city had recorded me as I followed her down the freeway, begging her for forgiveness.
The general public consensus was that I’d done something shitty and she’d dumped me.
Good job, guys, on figuring out that brainbuster.
But the public was also pondering the idea of Duffy being a jinx. The general line was that if we lost this week, it was going to be because she’d jinxed us by dumping me.
Great. More reasons for her to hate me.
After a few more days, I sent her flowers.
I literally went into the flower shop and gave them a handwritten note to include with the flowers. But two hours later, they called to say that the order wasn’t accepted.
“What does that mean, not accepted?”
“It means she told us to take them back. That she doesn’t want them.”
Why wouldn’t she just take them and throw them away?
Josh was the one who suggested I go see Tony after practice. It was the most terrifying thing I’d ever heard, but it actually made the most sense. He’d either kick my ass or give me a clue. I drove over to his house when I knew she was at work and I rang the doorbell.
He was coughing when he opened the door.
“What the hell are you doing here?” he said gruffly.
“Where’s your oxygen, Tony?” I asked. “Do you need me to change it—”
“I took it off. I’m eating lunch,” he said with a scowl. “Not your business.”
“I just thought the doctor said you should—”
“You lost any right to share your concerns,” he said, “when you broke her heart.”
That was like a slap in the face, a statement that made it hard to speak because fuck—to imagine Duffy heartbroken and knowing that I was the one who caused it was excruciating.
“It was a mistake,” I said helplessly. “Did she tell you what happened?”
“She didn’t have to. She said you lied to her and that’s all I need to know.”
“But it’s not that cut-and-dry,” I said, dragging a hand over my hair. “Tony, I—”
“She’s family, you’re not.” His face was hard and unwelcoming and it fucking broke my heart, holy shit. I hadn’t realized how much his opinion mattered to me until now, as he stared at me like I was nothing to him. “You should probably leave before her brothers come over.”
“What—are they coming over to kick my ass?” I asked, letting out a pitiful, mirthless laugh.
“I mean, I don’t think they’ll be successful, but they’ll try.”
“Christ,” I said, letting out a breath. “Do they know what happened?”
“No one does, but it doesn’t matter, don’t you get it?” Tony snapped. “Duff is the smartest good girl, so if she thinks you dicked her, you dicked her—end of story.”
Fuck, not Tony misusing “dicked” her.
“I just need to explain—”
“You hurt her, you don’t get to explain,” he interrupted, pointing a finger at me. “You should get outa here before she sees you.”
“Wait—is she home?” I asked, glancing over at the windows and zeroing in on the one to her room. “Is she here?”
“Leave, Cunningham,” he said, shaking his head like I’d let him down in a multitude of ways.
I could tell I wasn’t going to get any further with him. I felt drained, defeated. “I’m sorry, Tony.”
Why does it feel so shitty to disappoint him?
“Me, too,” he said, sounding genuinely disappointed. “I thought you were a good one.”