Intercepted (Page 54)

Wine and compliments? He’s so getting laid tonight.

Thirty-seven

The best feeling in the world after a long shift on your feet is the moment when your ass finally takes over for you.

Business at HERS never slowed after football season ended. And since it’s March, Brynn and I are both optimistic it’s only going to keep getting better.

After my showdown with Madison, I’ve made a big effort to be my most professional self at all times when I’m at HERS. Whenever I’m here, I turn my phone off so I’m only checking it while I’m on break.

Tonight, when I turn my phone back on, I have ten unread text messages and four new voice mails from Nay.

“Where the hell have you been?” Naomi’s voice blares out of my phone.

“At work. Is everything okay?”

“You mean to tell me you still don’t have the freaking ESPN app on your phone?” she scolds me.

Oops. I hate cluttering up my home screen with apps, especially ones I don’t care about.

“Is it Gavin?” I start to panic a little because that stupid app has only brought me bad news in the past.

“No, it’s Chris! They released him!”

Oh shit.

I should feel bad for him. Maybe send him a text or a postcard letting him know I hope he’ll be okay. But, karma is in my ear, whispering about what a bitch she is, and I laugh.

“Shut up!” I say when I can breathe again. “I wonder who is more pissed right now, Chris or Madison.”

“Probably a draw. Chris lost his job, Madison lost the key player in her quest for revenge . . . You know. Typical relationship stuff.”

“If only I could be a fly on the wall right now.” I put on my coat and walk out into the restaurant, where Brynn is taking a customer’s order. Paisley is behind the bar. I wave a silent good-bye to them both and push through the door into the cold Colorado night.

Snowflakes fall from the sky, dusting the sidewalks so they look like they’re covered in glitter. Couples cuddled together pass by me, groups of friends bounce on their toes, pulling their jackets tight around them, waiting for the train to arrive. I keep my pace nice and slow while I gossip with Naomi on my walk to Gavin’s condo.

“I know. I bet she broke up with him the minute he told her. It was obvious to everyone around them she didn’t really like him. If he didn’t treat you like dirt, I’d feel bad for him. But as it is, I’m laughing my ass off at his dumb self.”

See why we’re best friends?

“That’s what I said!” I yell and startle the guy with huge ear gauges and no coat smoking outside a tattoo shop. “Sorry!” I say right away when he narrows his eyes at me. I’ve had enough incidents while I’m walking alone to last a lifetime.

“I wonder if Madison is still going to try to stay.”

“Who knows? Ideally the Snow Bitch would return to her ice castle.”

“One can hope,” Naomi says as I round the corner onto Gavin’s street. I spot his building easily not only because it’s his house, but because he keeps it lit like a Christmas tree when he knows I’m coming. Tonight though, there’s a car I don’t recognize parked in the driveway, and after my conversation with Nay, I have a sinking feeling I know exactly who it belongs to.

“Ummm . . . Nay? Madison wouldn’t happen to drive a new white Range Rover, would she?”

“Yeah, I think she does. Why?”

“Because it’s parked in Gavin’s driveway right now.”

“Oh shit,” she breathes out. “I guess that answers our question about her relationship with Chris.”

“Yep, and I think she’s throwing her Hail Mary right now. I’ll call you tomorrow and fill you in.” I end the call and pick up my pace before Nay is even able to reply. Not because I’m worried Gavin will fall for it; no, not at all. I’m worried I’ll miss Madison’s face when she gets shot down . . . again.

I test the door when I get there to see if I need to get my key, but it opens. I walk in and close the door behind me as quietly as possible so I don’t interrupt the voices coming from the living room. I slowly make my way toward them, but I stop just outside the wall and peek my head around.

I wished to be a fly on the wall and I have a feeling this is the closest I will ever come.

“Gavin, you have to understand that I’m trying to protect you,” Madison whines through her crocodile tears. “You aren’t seeing the real Marlee Harper. She’s fooling you.”

Really? She’s back to this? All of the time she spent with Chris and she couldn’t come up with anything better than the “Marlee is a cheater” act? Not to mention, I don’t know why people keep insulting Gavin. Do they think basically calling him stupid is going to sway him to see their (completely fabricated, covered in horse crap) way?

“Madison,” Gavin says. For once I’m able to decipher the one-name response.

“I’m not lying to you. Why do you think Courtney hated her so much? If you would open your eyes, you would see everything so clearly.”

“Courtney didn’t like Marlee because Courtney’s a bitch, which, with my open eyes, I’m figuring might be the same reason you two became instant friends.”

Burn.

Madison’s back is toward me, but Gavin’s windows are like perfect mirrors, and I can see the way her jaw drops open perfectly. I’m so glad I ran that last block. My blistered feet protested, but look at the payoff.

“Listen, Madison. I agreed to listen to you out of respect for your family and the fact that I’ve known you for so long. I wasn’t going to mention how you tried to bring my sister into your bitch-fight. I wasn’t going to say how low it was of you to try and get to Marlee by sleeping with one of my teammates. I was prepared to be the bigger person and let us go amicably our separate ways.” His face is like stone as he delivers his words, and even though I want to love watching Madison getting shut down, I find no joy in how badly Gavin hurts telling her this. “But then you come in my house and attack my girlfriend . . . again. You lie straight to my face because I know you, Madison, and you’re anything but stupid. You know what you’re telling me is bullshit but you keep on going, throwing every bit of friendship we’ve ever had in my face. Spitting on our history. For what? What’s Marlee ever done to you that’s so bad you’re willing to throw our friendship away?”

“Because she isn’t supposed to have you!” She stomps her feet and screams so loud, the glass vase Gavin fills with flowers for me every Saturday rattles on the counter. “I am! I’ve been with you every step of the way, and then she weasels her way right into the spot I was born for! You love me, you just won’t let yourself feel it!”

Gavin stands there stunned.

“Feel it!” she repeats. I watch in horror as she grabs the back of his head and pulls him in for a kiss. But before her mouth reaches his, he pushes her away and moves to the other side of the room.

#UnrequitedLoveFor400Alex #HowAboutThingsISawComingFromAMileAwayFor1000

God. I love being right.

The only sound coming out of the living room is her harsh breathing. Gavin watches her and all of the heat he had has disappeared. His eyes have gone soft and his previously ramrod straight back hunches over.

“I don’t love you, Madison. I love Marlee.” His voice is so gentle, it’s like he’s talking to a scared, injured animal.