She rose from the couch. “If what you’re really saying is that you’d rather be with this Natalia girl, than trying to pick up the pieces of what we had, then I don’t know what to say.”
I stared at her in disbelief. “Yes, that’s what I’m saying.” I walked back to the door. “I think you should say goodbye.”
“For good?” Her eyes were misty.
“Yes, for good. Forever. Don’t call. Don’t check on me. Go see Todd next time you’re feeling lonely and broke.”
She huffed and I saw the anger boiling in her eyes. “Maybe you are just an asshole, Sam Hickson.”
“Thanks for dropping by.” I practically shoved her into the hallway.
She glared at me and walked down the hall toward the elevator.
I closed the door. What the fuck was that all about?
Two days later, I figured it out.
I woke up when my phone started buzzing. I didn’t take calls this early, but I picked up the phone.
“Hello?”
“Turn on Sports Now,” Natalia instructed.
I grinned. “Since when did you become such a morning sports fan? Is there a story about me?”
“Turn it on,” she hissed.
I picked up the remote. It was still on the channel from last night. I saw the picture and read the scroll across the bottom.
“Fuck,” I muttered. I couldn’t believe it. There was a pit in my stomach. I felt panic and outrage. My hands balled into fists.
“How could you do this? Why did you do this?” she cried into the phone.
I shook my head, still foggy from sleep. “I didn’t.” But I was staring at a picture that was on my phone. One that Natalia and I had taken at Canyon Lake.
“That was a special place. A special night. And you did this with it?”
“I’m trying to tell you what happened with the picture. It wasn’t me.” She had never sounded this frantic before.
“Don’t try to tell me someone else sold our picture. You’re the only one who had it.” I could hear the sobs. “I thought you respected my decision. I thought you cared about me. You realize I’ve been fired? I have to take in my Goddesses uniform today.” She was crying hard. “I have to give them back the boots. They won’t even let me keep them.”
“God, Natalia. I know it looks like I could have done this, but I know who sold the picture. I would never do this to you. I would never hurt you like this.”
“Then who? Who has our picture?”
I exhaled. “My stupid bitch of an ex.”
“What?”
“She stopped by a few days ago and now I realize why. I played right into her hands. Damn it. There probably wasn’t a single ounce of truth to anything she said. I bet she and Todd are still together.”
“Who is Todd? Your ex stopped by and you didn’t mention it?” I could hear the outrage in her voice.
“Right, that sounds bad, but it’s not what you think either. God, this is fucked up.”
“Isn’t it?” She paused. “I have to go. I have to get to the stadium to meet Heather and give her my uniform. They won’t even let me inside. We have to meet at the gate. Do you know how humiliating this is? Do you even know what this is doing to me?”
I couldn’t fix it. I couldn’t take away her embarrassment. I couldn’t retract the photo. God, I couldn’t even punish Maddie for screwing me over again.