Dump and Chase (Nashville Assassins Next Generation 1)

I beam as I nod. “It is. It’s everything I wanted it to be.”

“You did a wonderful job.”

“Thank you,” I say, and I bite the inside of my cheek. “I’m sorry for being disrespectful yesterday.”

Mom scoffs. “Oh, love. I was probably in the wrong. I keep forgetting you’re not a baby anymore.”

“You were wrong.” My lips curve.

She laughs as she cups my arm. “How are you?”

I shrug. “Living my best life.”

I know she sees right through me. “Is that code for complete shit?”

I grin back at her. “Yup.”

“Well, then, Aiden is doing the same.”

I follow her gaze to where he sits with some of the guys. He looks stunning in his vest and newsboy hat. He’s wearing an adorable purple bow tie that goes great with his whole outfit. He’s pulled his hair back too, but it’s typically messy and, of course, so sexy. Even with how good he looks, it’s easy to see he’s miserable. I swallow hard as I look away.

“Have you talked to him?”

“No, Mom.”

She gives me a look. It’s somewhere between pity and annoyance. “Can you stop being so stubborn?”

“Nope. Inherited it from you, so thanks.”

She makes a face as she shakes her head. “You’re a pain in my ass.”

I smile and lean back into the stage. “Mom, let me be. I need to get through this.”

She doesn’t move, though, as her eyes burn into mine. With a small grin, she takes my arm in her hand. “Can I give you some advice?”

I groan loudly. “Please don’t.”

She ignores me. “You knew he was good before he did. Don’t lose that, my love. Hold on to the love you want because, I’m telling you, he loves you something fierce.” I meet her gaze, and she gives me a pointed look. “Remember, I was just as proud as you are being now, and all it did was bring me heartache. It wasn’t until I knocked off the chip on my shoulder that I was happy again.”

With that, she walks off, her dress flowing behind her. She’s stunning, she really is, but she’s also annoying as fuck. It doesn’t matter. I only have to get through this party, and then I’m home free. I could even move back to New York now if I wanted. Not that I will, but I could. I don’t want to. I want to go over and wrap my arms around Aiden.

My damn pride won’t let me.

Since I know where he is, I keep my eye on him as I move around the room. I’m trying to be inconspicuous, but it’s pretty obvious I’m staring at him. I hate how hopeless and upset he looks, even if it’s exactly how I feel. It’s kind of funny that we’re both so bummed and apart, when I had asked him to come to this thing with me. If only we could go back to that time in the truck. Maybe then he would have said he loved me. Not during a fight… God, I can’t believe he did that. He sure is handsome—and book-smart to boot—though, when it comes to relationships, the dude is a dud.

But he’s trying.

When he looks up, our eyes meet, and everything around me just stops. Gone are the guests, the staff, the players, everyone. It’s only him and me as my heart goes crazy in my chest. His eyes are so dark, so sad, and they gut me. He holds his beer by the neck, running his thumb along the top of it. He looks down, almost as if he is arguing with himself before looking back up at me, those gray eyes piercing my soul. When he starts to get up, I know I should probably go the other way, but I stay where I am.

It only takes a few strides before he’s standing in front of me, intoxicating me with his ice-rink smell.

“I don’t want to fight,” he says then, calmly but sternly. “I just want to say that everything you’ve said is bullshit—”

I scoff. “If you don’t want to fight, don’t call what I say bullshit.”

His eyes burn into mine. “Always got something to say, huh?”

“Always,” I retort. “You hurt me, Aiden. Truly hurt me.”

“I know, but that wasn’t my intention. I really was just protecting us.”

“But Boon and Wes know about us.”

“They do, and of course, they know the truth. I even shook my head at them so they knew I was putting up a front. We know the truth. That’s all that matters.”

I slowly shake my head. “I don’t know, Aiden. It’s almost like I didn’t know that guy who was saying that crap. You don’t talk about me like that anymore, but then you did, and it hurt. It was a huge blow. Anyone who sees us together now will think I’m only the girl you keep around to fuck and not feel anything for.”