Jilted Jock - Rebecca Jenshak Page 0,46

time to break through that tough shell of yours. You really let him into your life.”

“That was just forced proximity. He was a little hard to avoid.”

She shrugged. “Maybe, but you didn’t have to take him in to start with.”

“The guy needed a place to lick his wounds. Now that he’s all better, we have nothing to talk about. He’s, well, Finn McCash and I’m just me. We don’t exactly travel in the same circles.” Except he was here now, in my circle.

“You don’t give yourself enough credit. Besides, I thought you two were sort of cute together.”

“Cute together?” My face had to be beet red. Oh my God, had he said something to them? I shook my head. No, of course not. He would never. Besides, he’d likely already moved on and I was long forgotten. He hadn’t tried to contact me after the email about wanting to kiss me again which had only proven that I’d made the right choice in ignoring him.

“Well, yeah,” she whispered. “Look, Richard is great, but you and Finn – I could see it under different circumstances.”

I couldn’t spit the words out fast enough. She was crazy. “Finn and I are the worst possible match. He lives this big, crazy life where he can have any woman he wants. Parties, clubs, bars, and women everywhere begging for his attention.” I shook my head. I’d given this some thought, so I was prepared with all the ways that Finn and I were not compatible. “I could never be with someone like that.”

“You think that’s his lifestyle or you know it?”

I lifted a brow. “I know how my brother was when he played, and I’ve seen enough of Finn’s social media to need to bleach my eyes.”

“Alright, if you say so, but people change.”

I followed her line of vision to where Chance was pushing CJ on the swing, looking happier than I’d ever seen him. Chance hadn’t changed by choice. I’d pushed him into it, forcing him to grow up because I hadn’t. Maybe the only good thing that came from it was it’d brought him to Aubrey. Though I liked to think they’d have found each other regardless. They were the very definition of soul mates.

Finn stood next to Chance talking and looking completely at home, but his gaze was fixed on me.

I looked away and Richard caught my eye over the crowd. His warm smile stretched out across his face. I wasn’t sure if Richard was my soul mate, but I knew the only way to find out was to move to New York and give it a real shot.

“Richard is a good guy,” I told Aubrey and it was a good reminder to myself as well. He was all the things I was looking for. Generous, kind, reliable, and he loved me – there was never a doubt in how Richard felt. He was steadfast and loyal.

“Of course he is, but does he make your whole body light up every time you look at him? When he says your name do you want to throw pride out the window and throw yourself at his feet?”

I snorted, but when I glanced over at her the way she looked at my brother told me she wasn’t exaggerating by much.

I spent the next few hours avoiding Finn. Any time he moved, so did I – in the opposite direction. He disappeared inside and I let out a shaky breath and moved to the perimeter of the party to observe and enjoy. The night was winding down and who knew when I’d see these people again.

I was going to miss it here and I needed a moment to be sad about that without anyone thinking it meant something it didn’t. It was okay that I was sad. It could be sad and still be right.

Richard lifted a bottle of Perrier from the drink table and struck the side lightly with a knife. “If I could have everyone’s attention, I’d like to say a few things.”

The crowd quieted and Richard flashed his biggest, most heartfelt smile. “Thank you all for coming tonight. It means a lot to me and Adele.”

A hand wrapped around my arm and he whispered in my ear, “You can’t avoid me all night.” I ceased all ability to hear Richard, though I know he kept talking.

Finn gently turned me to face him. His eyes had a sincerity that I wasn’t expecting. “I need to talk to you.”

I walked away, moving further from the