I reached out and grabbed her arm to stop her. I had to say something. I had to get her to listen to me. This whole time I thought Kiro had told her I was sleeping with Nan. I wasn’t sure where Kiro got his info or if he was just assuming it, but from what Dean had told me that was why Harlow was ignoring my calls.
“If you didn’t know about me and Nan before, then why have you been ignoring my calls?”
Harlow stopped and didn’t try to jerk her arm free from my grasp. She stood there, so calm. The females I knew did not deal with their emotions like this. They were loud. They yelled, screamed, and threw shit. Harlow was so unemotional.
“You called once. You were drunk. You never called again. Now please let go of my arm. I have forty minutes left with Adam and I’d like to use my time properly.”
“I did f**king call you. A million times! You wouldn’t answer. I called the house and got threatened by your dad. Even Dean warned me off. I thought that was what you wanted. I need to explain.”
She spun around and the fire behind her eyes startled me. “No, Grant, you don’t. I’m a real smart girl and I’d know if I missed a call. You didn’t call.” She jerked her arm free and headed for her side of the court.
This was not the way I had imagined this going. And I didn’t have a f**king clue how to get her to listen to me. She was so careful to protect herself. Walls had been erected between us and it felt as if they were made of steel.
“If that is all, Mr. Carter, we need to proceed with our session,” Adam said in a businesslike tone.
I didn’t want to do this here anyway. Not with an audience. Instead of answering, I just walked away. I didn’t know what else to do. I needed to regroup and plan what to do next. I also needed advice. Forget waiting on Rush. I was going to see Blaire.
Harlow
Adam acted as if nothing had happened. Even after I started missing every ball he sent my way. I couldn’t concentrate. Grant’s words were replaying over and over in my head. He was so determined to make me believe he had called me. Yet he didn’t think about the fact that his comment about sleeping with Nan was like sticking a blade through my chest. I just stopped trying. Adam stopped hitting and we stood there, staring at each other.
“I’m sorry. I don’t think I’m going to be able to finish today,” I told him. He didn’t need any more explanation; I knew he’d heard us. We weren’t exactly whispering.
“I’m free for another hour and twenty minutes. Want to grab a cup of coffee?” he asked, surprising me.
I wasn’t sure if that’s what I wanted. I didn’t really have a lot of friends. My books were my friends.
“I won’t ask about what happened if you don’t want me to. I just thought coffee sounded good, and I’d like some company,” he said when I didn’t respond.
I needed to do this. It was time I got a life. Dad had sent me here and made it impossible for me to hide in my bedroom. Staying at home meant being near Nan. “I’d like that,” I replied.
Adam seemed relieved when he shot me a smile. “Good. I thought I might have to beg.”
I wasn’t sure what he meant by that or if he was teasing me. I waited while he used his towel to dry the small amount of sweat he’d worked up and take a long drink from his water.
When he turned back to me I decided that I liked Adam. He was attractive and he was nice. And he hadn’t slept with Nan . . . or at least I didn’t think so.
“Before we have coffee together, do you have any relationship at all with Nan?” I asked. I knew this was ridiculous but I was protecting myself. If he had then I was better off not spending any time with him off this court.
Adam laughed. I guess I sounded like a child asking something like that. But I didn’t care. “No. Nan is the kind of girl I keep my distance from. She’s also messing around with August Schweep. He’s the club’s new golf pro.”
Awesome. Grant was sleeping with her while she was sleeping with the golf pro. Ew. Just ew. “He’s not the only person she’s messing around with.”
Adam’s eyebrows shot up. “Like I said. Not my type.”
Yes, we could be friends.
“Good. Not that coffee means anything. I just prefer not to waste my time with people who have had any relationship with Nan.”
“Hate her that much?” he asked.
I shook my head. “No. It’s just a big red flag that the person lacks something.”
“Really? What would that be?”
“Integrity,” I replied before snapping my mouth shut. I shouldn’t have said that.
Adam, however, burst into laughter again.