The Problem with Sports - M.E. Clayton Page 0,44

Grant, and then we’ll be on our way. Okay?”

I nodded. “Okay.”

Steven kissed me on the top of my head, and I just stood there as he walked out of my condo, on his way upstairs to get Grant.

A part of me could admit that Steven was right about my knee-jerk reaction and ending things with Nathan just to protect myself, but I also knew there could be no misunderstanding about the lengths I would go to in order to protect Grant from any more unnecessary heartache.

But then, I suppose I wouldn’t be so scared of Nathan Hayes if I weren’t already falling in love with him. I wouldn’t be so scared if he didn’t have the potential to hurt me just as badly as Steven had. And I guess I had to decide if I’d rather be scared than happy.

Easy, right?

And then there was still the fact that we were neighbors, and if Grant and Nathan were going to remain friends, then I wasn’t walking away from Nathan free and clear. He was going to be around, and was this something so big that I really couldn’t get past it?

Was I going to regret not hearing him out later down the road?

Was I going to regret hearing him out?

And which was going to hurt more?

Chapter 24

Nathan~

Well, I wasn’t expecting this.

When Steven had agreed to talk to her for me, I really hadn’t expected it to work. Now, while I had prayed for the best, but I didn’t really think he could pull it off. But the man had done me a solid I wasn’t sure I’d ever be able to repay, whether Andie forgave me or not.

After he came back to pick up Grant, he hadn’t given me much, other than she had listened to him, but she hasn’t said anything about whether or not she was going to give me a second chance. He said she just thanked him for his efforts, and that was that.

So, when the doorbell had sounded from the public elevator, I had gotten my hopes up way high. However, as I stood in the doorway, looking at her, I was actually afraid to say anything.

Her brows rose a bit. “May I come in?”

Feeling like an idiot, I stepped back and opened the door wider to allow her entrance. “Sure,” I muttered.

Andie walked in and made her way to into the middle of the inside foyer. I shut the door as she turned around to face me. She didn’t say anything, and I could only stare at her. And, to be fair, even if she were speaking, I wasn’t sure I’d be able to hear anything over the rush of blood in my hears and the pounding in my chest.

When I couldn’t stand it any longer, I said, “I’ll do anything.”

Her face softened a bit. “I suppose recruiting Steven is kind of proof of that.”

“I didn’t know what else to do,” I admitted. “And I hadn’t even come up with that idea, if I’m being honest. My brothers came up with that.”

“Your brothers?” She looked surprised.

“Yeah. Uh, after I left yesterday, I went over to Sayer’s and Gideon met us there,” I told her. “I needed…them.”

Andie let out a deeps sigh. “Nathan-”

I rushed up on her and put my hands on her shoulders, not caring if she was going to deck me for touching her. It’d be worth it, anyway. “I know I fucked up, Andie,” I rushed out. “I know I overstepped and acted like a complete dick during our fight, but…fuck, baby, I swear to you, I never meant to undermine you or…confuse Grant. I would never do anything to hurt that kid.” And that was the God’s honest truth. “Grant thinks Steven and I are friends, for fuck’s sake.” She huffed out a small chuckle. “And I would never do anything to hurt you, Andie. Never.”

She grimaced. “Steven pointed out that I may have let my uh, old ghosts get out of hand yesterday.” I pulled her to me, and she let me.

She fucking let me.

I was probably crushing her, but I couldn’t think about that right now. “I’m sorry, baby,” I whispered against the top of her head. “I’m so fucking sorry, and…I’ll do better.”

Andrea pulled back, and I let her. Looking up at me, she asked, “Do better?”

I winced. “Gideon may or may not have pointed out to me that I’ve been a spoiled brat all my life and I could probably benefit from other point of views on life.”

“He