Chapter 50
ALEX
One day life is fucking amazing, and the next, you’re at your sister’s place, fixing your shit because you fucked up royally.
It can’t get worse, right?
Wrong. My entire family is here to witness the circus I created.
June’s going through every contract I’ve received in the past forty-eight hours. Bluffing over the phone to divert the attention from Hannah didn’t work as I expected. These guys are now pressing for me to sign deals.
I was talking shit!
“This is why you’re not allowed to talk to the press, or…anyone,” June says, staring at the pile she already reviewed.
“I was bluffing,” I say. “It was the only way to divert the attention from Hannah.”
She tosses a magazine in front of me. “Well, it didn’t. Hannah is being dragged through the mud.”
“Can you fix it?”
“You fired me!”
“I’m not asking for myself, but for Hannah.”
June glares at me. “Where is she anyway? I can’t get in touch with her.”
I shrug. “With her parents?”
“You should care. What happened to this is the real thing?”
“Maybe it wasn’t, okay? You’re right. I was infatuated with the new toy,” I lie, because what else is there to say.
I’m done fighting for someone who’s never going to see me as more than a fucking jock. She doesn’t need me because she has everything: money, a company, fame—if she wanted to use it.
Jack laughs. “You’re giving up too easily.”
“Moving on,” I say, feigning disinterest.
Dad looks at me with a disapproving gaze.
“What was she to you?” June asks. “And please don’t give me the bullshit you said before.”
Hannah is like fresh powder. The morning after a blizzard. The waft of fresh air that I take before going down the slopes. The rush of adrenaline shooting down my veins while I’m flying.
The doctors saved my body. Hannah saved my heart and my soul.
That’s all I know.
“June, I just need you to get her out of the tabloids, please.” I touch the contracts. “I’ll deal with the mess I created later.”
She pulls out her phone. “Listen, I have to talk to Hannah and see if she has someone working on this.”
June dials her number, and voicemail picks up the call. She tries two more times before giving up with a growl. Leaning forward, she drags over her landline phone, presses the speaker, and dials a number from her computer.
“Killion speaking.”
“Ethan?” my sister says.
“Yes?”
“Hey, this is June, June Spearman.”
“How can I help you?”
“I’m trying to get in touch with Hannah,” she says casually.
“Let me transfer you to her office.”
“Thank you, Ethan.”
“Office?” I ask, confused.
June frowns, but doesn’t say anything. We both know that Hannah doesn’t have an office. Does she?
“This is Hannah Bell,” she answers the phone, and I let out a breath.
“Bitch, I’ve been calling you for days and you’ve been sending me to voicemail.”
“Hello to you, too, June.”
“Why are you ignoring my calls?”
“You know those times when you’re in a bad place, broken hearted, eating tons of cookies with ice cream, and drinking wine?”
“Uh-huh,” answers my sister, glaring at me.
Okay, so I avoid telling my family about our fight. More like how much I fucked up, and she left me.
“Well, I’m there.” Hannah exhales loudly.
“I’m your best friend,” my sister protests. “You’re supposed to call or text me when you’re there, so I can bring the wine, and we can bitch about the asshole.”
“See, that’s the thing, I can’t tell you any of it. The asshole is your brother. So now that you know, let’s talk when I’m not in bashing the asshole mode.”
“I can have Jack and Jason punch him for you.”
Hannah laughs. “That’s not necessary but thank you for the sentiment.”
“Anything for you,” June answers. “Can we talk about this?”
“June…” she whispers. “It’s too soon.”
“Well, let’s change the subject then,” my sister says. “Are you using a PR to handle the press?”
Hannah laughs again, but this time it’s humorless.
“No, June, you can do whatever you want with what’s happening.
Tell the press I was high and harassing your poor brother.
The saint.” Hannah snorts. “Say that I used him. Hey, maybe he sent me to rehab and saved my life. I don’t fucking care what you say, okay? ”
“Bitch, I’m calling to help you. I’m not the press or my brother.”
“We both know you’re calling me for him. You need to do damage control and release a statement. I understand. He’s your brother and your client,” Hannah says, very matter of fact.
“You’re my best friend,” June reminds her.
“Listen, I’m heading to a meeting,” Hannah says with a calm voice. “I’m not doing any damage control because the last thing I want is for Alex to lose any of the contracts he gained from this mess. I hope that after everything, I’m still on your Christmas card list.”
“Hannah.”
“Take care, June.”
June glares at me and shakes her head. “What really happened between you two?”
I shrug. “Let’s just fix it.”
“We can do a press release and just say that she’s a family friend and went to support you. Then, make the calls and tell these guys you thought about it and it’s not for you.”
“You know how much I hate to take those calls,” I say. “But I did it to help her. I tried to divert the attention from her. Make it sound as if she’s not important.”
June gasps. “Please tell me you didn’t do that in front of her.”
“The worst part is she never let me explain. She left and took Draco with her.”
She looks at me with worry sketched on her face. “When I introduced you two, I was expecting something different. I could see the two of you together. However, from day one, you two just couldn’t get along.”
Closing my eyes briefly, I exhale loudly. It’s not like that, but what am I supposed to tell her?
“What are you hiding?” she asks.
Taking a deep breath, I tell her our story from the beginning. Skipping the parts that only belong to Hannah and me.
She gives me a sad smile. “Why don’t you talk to her?”
Didn’t she listen to our story?
I don’t say that, instead, I tell her, “She wouldn’t let me explain. I’ve fucked up too many times. What’s the point of being with someone when half of the time you have to justify your actions?”
“Love,” Dad answers. “If you have to ask, then you don’t love her enough, and this split is for the best. Give up now, son. This isn’t the right woman for you.”
But she is.
She’s the only person who has been able to reach me, who found me. The one who helped me find myself. I’m sorry I wasn’t ready to love her when we first met. There’s no fucking way I’m losing her because I’m an idiot.
I love her the way I never imagined I could love anyone. This is the kind of love that stays in your heart forever. She’s my forever. There’s no fucking way I’m losing her. I just have to time everything right.
“It’s safe to say she moved to Seattle?” I ask June.
She closes her eyes and nods. We both know what that means. I look around the room and smile. “Well, I have to fix my life.”
“Need help?” Jack asks. “We can expedite this move. Make it easier for you.”
“Yeah, I’ll crash in your conference room while I figure all this out.”
Jason pats my back. “We’re here for you.”
Will Hannah take me back?