Love in Game (De La Fuente Family 6)

Kasey winces and slides his gaze to mine before he turns back to his brother.

He’s going somewhere?

“I’m all set,” he answers.

Not willing to stay and listen to their conversation, I shift on the swing and get to my feet. Ignoring them both, I head to our bedroom with my heart in pieces. I feel numb and my tears won’t come as I enter and sit in the chair by the window.

Staring blankly, I don’t understand what’s happened and why he hasn’t spoken to me. We were supposed to be heading back to New York together in another couple of weeks, so why is he going now, and from the sounds of it, without me?

Hearing the door open, I refuse to make this easy for him when really that’s my inclination. I’m not a difficult person to please but he needs to know that he’s hurt me.

“Felicity,” he says softly, reaching for my hand, which I move out of his way. He pauses and finally moves his hand away. “I didn’t mean for you to find out that way.”

“When are you going?”

“First thing in the morning.”

My head whips around so that I’m facing him because I’m too shocked to hide my reaction. “I assume that I’m not going with you,” I say, my voice dull.

“Dammit, Felicity.” He starts pacing. “Coach wants me back early. I’m going to be gone more than I’m home, so I figured you’d be better off staying here with Blake and my family.”

My family…no longer our family…

I dip my head and ask, “Why didn’t you tell me? Or give me a choice? Why did you decide for me?”

“I should have said something to you, but I was worried you’d talk me into taking you so I kept quiet.” He sits on the sill and leaning forward, takes my cold hand into his. “I don’t want to fight with you, okay? I’m trying to do what’s best for you and I think that leaving you here where you’re happy is what’s best.”

I meet his gaze and realize that he really believes that I’ll be happier here without him. I’ve never been as happy as I have been since I found him in New York.

It feels like I’m not wanted and it hurts a lot. Sometimes I wish that I had more experience with men so that I’d know what to say or do right now. As much as I hate being in the city, I want to go with him. It won’t be forever, which made it easier when we’d spoken about living there.

“What’s changed?”

He frowns and looks at me with confusion, so I clarify, “We had plans to head back to the city together.”

“You love it here, and as much as I love you, I don’t want you in the city, which you dislike.”

“I wouldn’t dislike it, because you would be there.”

“Only to sleep.” He sighs.

I’m fighting a losing battle to get him to take me with him, when it’s obvious he doesn’t want me there. His mind is made up. Taking my hand back, I settle into the chair, and continue staring out of the window, ignoring him.

“Dinner’s going to be ready. Um, you coming to eat?” he nervously asks.

I shake my head. “I’ve lost my appetite.”

“Felicity?”

“Please give me some space, Kasey,” I request quietly.

He mutters under his breath and then slams the bedroom door behind him.

My head aches with trying to make sense of the sudden change in Kasey. We’ve been together for less than a month, but we’ve spent all of that time together, joined at the hip. So why is he so keen to be away from me now?

Unsure of how much time has passed, but it’s dark outside when I decide to move into Blake’s room for the night. I want to avoid saying goodbye to Kasey because that will just hurt me all the more.

Gathering my sleep things, I quickly dash from Kasey’s room and quickly enter Blake’s. He gives me a startled look from his position on the bed, which turns into a frown when he notices the nightshirt in my hands.