Dump and Chase (Nashville Assassins Next Generation 1)

“I’m not trying to hurt you. Please, take this in from my point of view.”

I shake my head and walk toward the door as he calls my name.

“I don’t want you to leave. Let’s talk about it.”

“Talk about what? I can open my legs for you, but I can’t help you with your place. Cool. I know where I stand, but I’m better than that—”

“That’s not fucking true. Calm the hell down and talk to me!”

I glare. “Go find someone else to open her legs for your uncool, man-bun self who’s scared of tattoos so you don’t even work in the cool, long-hair dude kind of look! Shave your stupid head to match your bare skin! Asshole!”

His eyes widen as I slam the door shut, and I swallow back the tears. I rush down the hall and pray he doesn’t chase me.

Thankfully, he doesn’t.

And it hurts.

When I get to my truck, I text Nico that I’ll meet him at Brooks House, even against my better judgment. Knowing me, since I’m butthurt right now, I’ll probably go to bed with him just to feel better. It’s pathetic and sleazy, but I feel shitty. Why doesn’t Aiden want me? His place looks amazing, and I cooked damn good food. I get that this would be weird if I were some new chick, but he’s known me since I was born. Surely he knows how I like stuff clean.

But then, does he even care to know me?

I’m about to pull out of the space when my phone starts ringing. I look down in the hope it’s Aiden, but of course, it’s not. It’s my mom.

“Hey, Mom.”

“Hey, can you do me a favor and pick up the boys at two thirty? I have a meeting.”

“Yeah, that’s fine.”

“What’s wrong?”

“Why are boys stupid?”

She pauses. “I don’t know, honey. I’m pretty sure it’s your father’s fault, but what did they do?”

I let my head fall to the steering wheel. “No, I mean boys in general. Not Owen and Evan.”

“Oh, that’s a relief,” she says on a sigh. “I don’t know, honey. I didn’t even know you were involved with anyone.”

“I’m not anymore.”

“Well, that doesn’t sound good.”

“I just don’t get it,” I say, shaking my head. “I bought a beautiful plate set for his ass, and he basically called me weird.”

She whistles. “Oh, honey. You don’t buy a guy plates. It always goes bad.”

I make a face. “What? Why?”

“I don’t know. I did the same for your father when we were dating, and he got all weird on me. Something about he liked his white plates. I don’t know, honey. Guys are strange when it comes to their stuff. It’s something to do with their bachelorhood. I don’t get it, but they want their things left alone. Now, when they fall in love, that’s when you swoop in and take over. That’s what I did. Now, Daddy loves anything I buy.”

I know she said it to be funny, but I’m so mad. “He didn’t even have plates, Mom! He just moved in to a new place, and I remembered what his old place looked like, so I did it all while he was at work this morning. I thought he would be impressed by my awesomeness, but he was all freaked out.”

“How long have you been dating him? Not too long, right?”

“No, but I knew him in New York.”

“Are you two in a relationship?”

I make a face. “Nope. Guess not.”

“Oh, well… I mean, I can understand why he’d be freaked out. It does seem like something you would do in a relationship.”

I close my eyes. “You don’t know all the details.”

“Tell them to me, then.”

“I can’t, Mom. I don’t want to talk about it.”

She pauses, and I know she’s annoyed. “Why did you do it?”

I shrug, even though I know she can’t see me. “I wanted to make him happy. Take a little of the work off him since he’s so busy. Plus, I love organizing stuff.”

“I know, but honey, was it your place?”

I bite my lip. “I don’t know. I think I wanted it to be.”

“Exactly,” she says softly. “I think you may have rushed into this, romanticizing the situation. And when he freaked, you got your feelings hurt.”

“Because he was an asshole and didn’t even want to admit that we have something going on. It’s all just sex for him.”

“Oh, baby, sometimes that’s all it is.”

“I know that,” I snap, and I glare at my steering wheel. “I just wanted this to be different.”

“Maybe you should talk to him.”

“I don’t want to. It’s all over anyway. Fuck him.”

“My goodness, Shelli Grace. Don’t hold back what you’re feeling.”

I roll my eyes. “I gotta go, Mom.”

“Okay, baby. But it’s all right. It will work out if it’s supposed to. You’re smart, beautiful, successful, and kicking ass at your internship. You’re gonna have my job in no time.”