Dump and Chase (Nashville Assassins Next Generation 1)

“I don’t get how you are so caught up on this when you know he loves you. You’ve sung his praises, and you’ve been patient as hell with him because you believe in him. You’re the most confident person I know, Shell. Why is this tripping you up?”

I look down at my towel and shrug. “Because I was just a fuck at the beginning.”

Her brows come in, and she nods slowly. “But from the way you speak of him, and how I saw him look at you at dinner with my mom, or even the picture you sent me of you two back in New York the other night, it doesn’t seem like that anymore.” She searches my eyes. “Maybe you weren’t ever that at all.”

My eyes itch with tears. I know I’m not. In my gut, I know it. But what if my gut is wrong? What if my heart is just taking over and I want so badly to be Aiden’s world? For the last couple weeks, I’ve felt like his world, but all it took was for him to say what he did and it was like the last four months didn’t even happen. The Aiden I know and love wouldn’t say those things, so why did he?

“I gotta go get ready.”

“Okay. Call me later?”

“Yeah,” I say, and then I kiss her before heading to the showers.

After my meeting with my mom, I’ll be working up at the piano bar since I have to take the weekend off. Hope everyone is ready for some really sad, depressing music since that’s all I feel like singing tonight. As I wash my hair and my body, Amelia’s words play over and over again in my head. How is Aiden supposed to fix this? I won’t give him the opportunity. But even so, what could he say to heal this hurt? He already tried to say that he didn’t mean it, that he was sorry, and I blew him off.

We were so perfect, and now… Now, I don’t even know. I miss him. God, I miss him, but I don’t know how to get past what he said. I still can’t believe he thought that was okay. He knew how I felt when it came to being just a fuck. I struggled with it so much at the beginning, but then I let it go. I knew we were good. But now, I don’t know if we are, and that scares me. I am ready to give myself to him completely, and it sucks that I don’t know if he feels the same.

After blow-drying my hair and curling it, I put on a tight black pencil skirt with a green tank and black blazer. I lace up my green heels before packing up my gym bag and making sure I look okay. I plan to put on makeup once I get to Brooks House. I’m not in the mood right now. After making sure I have everything, I head out of the gym and toward my mom’s office. As I walk, my heels clicking on the floor, I can’t help but think of Aiden. Everything about him makes me smile, but then I hear his words again, and tears burn my eyes. I’m pretty sure I said I’d never shed another tear over Aiden Brooks.

When I get to my mom’s office, she isn’t there. I check my phone and I’m early, so I’m confused. Maybe she’s running late. I throw my bag on her floor before shutting the door and walking back to the receptionist. “Hey, do you happen to know where my mom is? Is she running late?”

Tanya shakes her head. “No, ma’am. She’s waiting for you in conference room seven.”

Conference room seven? What the hell? “Thanks so much.”

I head toward the conference rooms, and I’m annoyed. I don’t want to do this. I don’t even want to go to the gala tomorrow. How am I supposed to face Aiden when I won’t even speak to him? This is what I get for falling hopelessly in love with someone who wasn’t ready for it. Who am I kidding? I couldn’t stop myself if I tried. And damn it, he is ready; he’s just being a punk.

Now I’m irritated all over again. Wonderful.

I turn the corner of the long hall where all the conference rooms are located, and coming toward me from the other end is the last person I want to see right now.

Aiden’s eyes widen as he watches me. He runs his hands through his hair, but his eyes don’t leave mine. I plan to ignore him, walk right past his ass, but he stops before I even reach him. Since I can’t just slip into any old conference room, especially since they’re locked, I keep walking toward him as my heart jackhammers in my chest. It’s totally unfair how gorgeous he is. Especially when he’s wearing athletic pants and a hoodie, not his usual slacks and nice shirt.