Breaking Through (The Breaking Series Book 3) (32 page)

“If you say you didn’t, we believe you,” Hannah said.

“We do,” Bia agreed. “But why is Reese saying you guys kissed, then?”

“I didn’t kiss him, I swear.” I glanced first at Hannah, then to the other girls. “Last Saturday, our mother invited us for dinner at our parents’ house, which is sorta normal. We always have brunch or dinner on Saturdays together. Anyway, when I arrived, I found out we had guests. Reese and his family.”

“Our mother is trying to set up Hilary with Reese,” Hannah explained.

“What? No!” Bia spoke up. “Reese is nice and good looking, but you deserve better.”

I smiled, thinking it must be a twin thing because Leo had said the same thing to me the other night.

I lost my smile. “I sneaked out after dinner and went to the stable.”

Bia gasped. “You? At the stable? You went there by yourself? Without even taking Evie with you as an excuse?”

“Yes. Can we focus on the main topic here?”

“Sure, but I want to know all about this urge to go to the stable later,” Bia said.

I rolled my eyes. “Anyway, I went to the stable and Reese found me there. He told me that even though my mother is pushing it, he really likes me and would like to go out with me. I told him … I’m not ready to date yet.” I shifted my eyes to Hannah, the only one who knew about Gui and me. Gosh, the way things were going, soon everyone would know and the level of awkwardness would be unbearable. “He told me he knows what I’ve been through and he respects the time it’s taking for me to heal. He also said he’d wait for me, then he kissed me on the cheek and left.”

“Oh, he sounds like he’s in love,” Lauren said dreamily.

“That is kinda cute,” Iris said, her tone matching Lauren’s.

“If that’s what happened, why did he say you two kissed?” Bia asked.

“Maybe he didn’t,” Hannah said. “Maybe he told the right story, but from what Leo told me, the story traveled through several people. Someone must have added to the story or heard wrong.”

“Or both,” Gabi said.

It made sense. I hoped Gui heard that theory. Ugh, why did I care so much? Maybe if he thought Reese and I had kissed, he would move on quicker. To be honest, it was hard to imagine Gui hung up on me, but when we talked, he made me believe he was. Maybe now he would be mad at me for a few days, then move on and things wouldn’t be awkward between us anymore.

One could only hope.

“What are you going to do about it?” Bia asked.

I frowned. “What do you mean?”

“I don’t know, are you going to talk to Reese, see where the story derailed from the truth?”

I hadn’t thought of that. Did I care about it? Ignoring that deep down I did care if Gui knew the truth or not, I didn’t care if the rest of the town believed Reese and I had kissed. Perhaps people would stop thinking of me as damaged now.

“I don’t think I’ll do anything.” I grabbed the menu from the table. “Are we ready to order, or are we only staying for drinks and appetizers?”

Getting the hint that I was done with that topic, the girls picked up their menus and started browsing. Over their menus, I felt the weight of Hannah’s knowing stare. I did my best to ignore her too, and focused on trying to relax with my girls.

Chapter Twenty-Five

I could have waited until Sunday, when I was going to the club to have lunch with my mother and her friends. I knew Reese would be there then, but I just didn’t want to wait.

Last night, when meeting with my mother and Hannah to taste the food that would be served at the wedding, my mother told me she had heard Reese and I had kissed last Saturday. Oh my gosh, this was going too far. I wanted to clarify this situation now.

I took the afternoon off on Thursday, promising Fallon I would work later on Friday and next week to compensate. She just shrugged, not caring about my work hours. Since I didn’t have Reese’s number, even though my mother had wanted to give it to me on several occasions, I called the club in the morning and found out what time his next practice was with the Knight House. At 1:30 p.m. Figuring he would arrive early, I had a quick lunch at my apartment, and then drove to the club. I arrived there a little after one in the afternoon.

I parked my car in the almost empty parking lot and waited. Soon, Malcolm, Justin, and David arrived. They watched me as they walked to the practice field. I just crossed my arms and waited, leaning against my car’s trunk.

Ten minutes later, Reese arrived. He parked his car beside mine and hopped out with a big smile. Until he saw my face.

“Oh, shit,” he muttered. He walked toward me, his hands at his sides, palms out, like in defeat. “You heard the rumors.”

“Yes, I did, and I want to know why you lied?”

“I didn’t lie,” he said, looking straight into my eyes. “I told the guys I had kissed you on the cheek. That was all. Then they told other people and exaggerated, and things got out of hand.” He ran his hand through his hair. “I’m sorry. I didn’t think they would tell people.”

Worse than girls. “I didn’t think you would tell others about any of it.”

“I thought we had a moment. Can you blame me if I was too excited about it and wanted to share it with my friends?” he asked, his tone soft, almost pleading. I guess I couldn’t, so I shook my head. “Besides, is it so bad if people think we kissed? Is the thought of kissing me so disgusting to you?”

“No.” I shook my head. “Of course it’s not disgusting. But … I don’t like having lies going around, especially about me. If any guy I greet or shake hands with goes around telling everyone and exaggerating it, I’ll soon have slept with the entire club.”

“I understand.” He nodded. “I’m sorry about that. I’ll set it straight, okay?”

“That’s all I want. Thanks.”

He started taking a step toward me, but stopped. “I was going to kiss you on the cheek again, to prove to you I still meant all I said that night, but I guess it’s better I don’t, right?”

I opened my car’s door. “Right.”

“Wait, Hilary.” Reese held on to the top of my car’s door. “We’re still good, right? I mean, I hope this hiccup hasn’t ruined my chances with you.”

I sighed, not sure what to say to him. Before this mess, I hadn’t considered going out with him, not really. Not when someone else occupied my thoughts. Now, though? Now I was sure I wouldn’t give him a chance. I knew this wasn’t his fault, but he hadn’t done anything to undo it so far. It was hard for me to trust anyone, and he already started with a mishap.

In the end, I decided for half the truth. “I don’t know, Reese.”

***

My hands began sweating even before Sonya called my desk telling me my 10 a.m. appointment was in fitting room four. Until I arrived early this morning and looked at my schedule for the day, I had forgotten the guys were supposed to come today. Thank goodness their attire had been ready for the first fitting since the beginning of last week.

After Sonya announced their arrival, I wiped my hands on my pencil skirt and trudged to the fitting room. I stopped before the closed doors and took a deep breath.

I can do this.

I could, couldn’t I? Gui and I were still friends, right? Maybe things would still feel a little awkward, but soon it would be like old times. I would just look at him, think in the back of my mind that he was too handsome for his own good, and go on with my life as if I had never felt anything else—anything stronger—for him.

I wiped my hands on my skirt one more time, raised my head high, and opened the door.

“Hey, Hil,” Leo said, his voice cheerful.

“Hi, guys,” I said, scanning the crowd as they all greeted me. Leo, Ri, Pedro, and Garrett. But no Gui.

A pain sliced through my heart.

Gui hadn’t come to the fitting. I mean, I kinda of expected it since he was in Florida, but I thought he would take a flight, be here for the fitting, and then go back to Florida.

After lots of how are you doing and how was practice and all that, I showed them their tuxedos and waited while they disappeared inside the fitting stalls. Leo was the first out. He hopped on the podium in front of the mirror, and I marked the few adjustments needed. Then the others came out, but before I had a chance to mark their tuxes, Sonya came in the room.

Like last time with the girls, she had brought in champagne and I almost laughed at the face she made when she walked in and saw all these gorgeous men dressed up.

Another point for my future. I was able to admit they were all gorgeous.

Ri, Pedro, and Garrett got lost in the champagne.

Like a sneaky cat, Leo approached me in the back of the room. “
Tudo bem
?”

I forced a smile. “Sure.”

He frowned at me. “You’re not good at lying.”

I grunted. “Well, to be honest, I’ve been better. And that’s saying something.”

He nodded. “Is it because of Gui?” I lowered my gaze, not sure I should engage in this topic. “It’s okay. You know I know about you two.”

That didn’t make talking about Gui with him any easier. I cleared my throat. “He should have come for the fitting. I can’t have a perfect tux for him without any fittings.”

“He was ready to come last night,” Leo said. “He was taking a flight last night, just to be here this morning.”

A knot weighed down my forehead. “What happened?”

“
Bom
, he heard that you went to see Reese yesterday afternoon at the club.”

“What?” I yelled. The others looked at us, so I turned my back to them and lowered my voice. “How does he already know about that?”

Leo’s eyes widened. “So you admit it? You went to see Reese yesterday?”

“I did, but it isn’t what you’re thinking. Even my mother had heard about the non-kiss. I didn’t have his phone number and I didn’t know how else to reach him. So I went to the club and asked him why the hell he was spreading those rumors.” I knew Hannah had already explained to Leo what had happened that night. I was glad I didn’t have to repeat myself now. “I guess that after hearing the rumors people must have seen us talking and thought we were having some kind of date. I didn’t even leave the parking lot!”

“I get it,” Leo said. “Do you mind if I tell Gui?”

“Does it make a difference?”

Leo nodded. “It does. He’s been kind of a jerk lately. Even far away, he can get on our nerves. Even my father said he got a few calls from the other team’s coach, complaining about his attitude.”

I frowned. “I don’t want to give him hope though.”

“Why not? What are you afraid of?”

“Hasn’t Hannah told you?”

“Actually, no. She said it was your problem, and she had already said too much to me.” I could kiss my sister for that. “So, will you tell me?”

I opened my mouth to lie, but then closed it again. This was Leo. My sister’s fiancé. The guy who was there for her, who helped her heal much faster than I did. I trusted him with my life.

“A lot of things. I’m afraid of the level of awkwardness it’ll be if we give this, whatever it is, a try and it doesn’t work. Of falling in love and having my heart broken. Of finding out Gui isn’t the guy I think he is.”

Leo nodded. “I understand.”

I narrowed my eyes at him. “You do?”

“Unfortunately, it’s all about your past. You trusted someone before, you thought highly of him, you thought he was something, and in the end, he disappointed you.” Disappoint was such a weak word. “I get why you’re so guarded and afraid to trust again …”

Leo seemed to want to say more, but Ri called out, “Hey, you two. Will you stop gossiping?”

Pedro turned to me, his hands in his jacket. “Hil, is this right?”

I took a deep breath and pushed thoughts of Gui away from my mind. Instead, I focused on my progress, on how well I was doing. A couple of months ago, I would cringe before entering a room alone with these guys, even though I knew them all and trusted their girls. I would be on the defensive the entire time, fighting a panic attack every time one of them got too close. Now, here I was. Deep down, my gut was still tense, and I kept revisiting some of the self-defense moves I had learned in class, but I was feeling confident and strong enough to be here without feeling scared or fighting a panic attack. In fact, I enjoyed their company.

I forced a smile on my lips and went to help these four men with their tuxedos.

Gui

I kept thinking I should have gone to Santa Barbara last night, regardless if Hilary was with Reese or not. However, because I had decided to act like a fucking child, I felt bitter and decided to stay in Orlando, even though there had been no game today and there wouldn’t be one until Sunday afternoon.

For the most part, this trip had helped. Because the team was new to me, we practiced a lot, which took a lot of my time and kept my mind busy. But, whenever I had down time and had nothing to do besides go back to my hotel and binge on some series on Netflix or stalk everyone on Facebook—mostly Hilary, though she rarely posted anything there—it was fucking lonely and boring.

I wished I hadn’t come. I wished I were there with my family. I wished I were there to face Hilary and ask her about Reese.