Slow Grind (Men of Mornington)

“What is it? Max? Is he okay?” she asks in a panic.

“He’s fine. However, your boyfriend is at the door. Should I invite him in?” This is exactly why I don’t do love, as I’ve said before. Because it slaps you in the face. Looks like sweet little Aubrey got one over on me, didn’t she? Got her childhood fantasy acted out and gets the help her brother needs. All the while she’s carrying on with me, she’s got a man at home. I fucking knew better.

“My who?” she asks, and Jacey rushes past me and into the living room.

“Oh, shit!” Jacey yells, and Aubrey follows her friend.

“Well, fuck,” Aubrey says when we both reach the living room. “Drew, seriously. It’s not what you’re thinking. This is Nate.”

“Don’t worry, Aubs. We’ve already met. How about I catch you guys around?” I toss some money on the couch for when the food does arrive and step past Nate and head to the lift.

“Andrew Ditner, get back here and let me explain,” Aubrey yells after me.

“No need, babe. I get it loud and clear. Have fun.” The lift door opens and I waste no time getting inside and stabbing the lobby button.

Wonder what Max’s rules were for Aubrey and the breaking of my heart? Not that my heart is broken. She’s a hot chick I nailed a

few times, nothing more, right? Fuck it. I’ve had hot, I’ll eventually get hotter. She’ll go home to the States and it’ll be like nothing ever happened.

Who the fuck am I kidding?

I’m screwed.

Fuck.

Chapter Seventeen

Aubrey

“Nate, what are you even doing here?” I run my hands through my hair, my heart racing as I glare at Nate. “What did you say to him?”

“That I’m your boyfriend,” Nate says. His eyes darken. “Hold up, I’m the one who should be asking questions here. What’s going on, Aubs? Who is that guy?”

“I can’t do this right now,” I mutter, because if I do, I’m going to snap.

Is he for real? He’s either really stupid or my breaking up with him went right over his

head. I keep thinking that maybe he’s messing with me, but the look in his eyes tells me I’m not that lucky. Jealousy is not a good colour on Nate. Not a good colour at all. I’m not sure if I’m more pissed that he flew all the way here for absolutely no reason or at Drew for not giving me the chance to explain—especially after the huge deal he made out of me not listening to him with the whole Darla thing. Then I remember how I felt, seeing that. The last thing I wanted was to hear him out. I wanted to run. Shit, I ran. His only saving grace was the lift didn’t show up in time and the stairs were brutal. Had it not been for those damn stairs, I would have left and never looked back.

I have to go after him like he came after me. It’s what you do when something is miscommunicated. I spy a set of keys laid out on the coffee table next to Nate’s jacket. Without thinking or worrying about when Nate got a license to drive in Australia, I scoop them up and dash out the door, running for the rental car conveniently parked out front.

My vision is clouded with the unshed tears I refuse to let fall and my stomach rolls with nerves, but I push all that aside, determined to find Drew and make him listen to me. To make this right and set the story straight. It’s not Drew’s fault, or my own, Nate can’t take a hint.

“Aubrey, what are you doing?” Nate yells after me as I turn the key in the ignition and shift into gear.

I take a quick second to think, trying to remember how to drive, let alone doing it on the opposite side of the road, before he even reaches me. I press down on the accelerator, trying my best to avoid running over Nate who is banging on the driver’s window. I’m not as successful as I hoped as I look through the side view mirror and wince as he stumbles backwards and grabs onto the foot I so obviously ran over.. I mumble a quick “Whoops,” to myself and continue my pursuit. He glares at me through the rearview, his dark eyes blazing. Jesus. It’s not like I did it on purpose.

“Aubrey! Are you crazy? You’ve been drinking, not to mention you can’t even drive!”

I hear Jacey yell as she runs out the front door and stopping where Nate fell to the ground.

How hard can it be? It’s automatic, for God’s sake. I used to drive around the farm

when I was a kid on my grandfather’s tractor, this can’t be any more difficult than that. Besides, this is an emergency. I need to find Drew and force him to listen to me.

Without any further issues, I find myself driving swiftly down the highway, pretty impressed with how quickly I’ve gotten the hang of this when my phone rings. I feel the seat next to me for my phone and after placing it in my lap, I press answer, and activate the speaker. God, I hope it’s him, and that he’s come to his senses and wants to listen to me. If only he’d let me explain he would see that Nate is a nut who is obviously obsessed with me. I shiver. Seriously, who flies across the country to see someone they’ve broken up with? I knew he was more into our relationship than I was, but I never thought he was this crazy.

“Aubrey!”