A journalist. Of course.
"Not to be rude … but how do you know who I am?"
He's a sports journalist; of course he knows who you are.
"I recognized you from your photo … in the news … after your crash."
I tense instantly.
"I just wanted to say, it was shitty, the way some of the press went after you. You probably didn't see it, but I wrote a piece-not about you per se, but your case and about alcohol addiction and how society views us." He puts his hand in his pocket and pulls out a bronze chip. "Eighteen months sober," he tells me.
I relax a little, knowing this guy is part of the same club as me.
"That's amazing," I tell him.
"Still fighting every day, but you know that, right?"
I nod.
"Anyway, I just wanted to come over and say hi, and if you get a chance to read my article … "
"Of course," I say, smiling. "I'll totally check it out."
"Great." He smiles and then leans in a little closer, lowering his voice a touch. "And I was wondering if … maybe one night you might want to grab a bite to eat."
"Oh!" Shit. "I, um … I'm not dating right now. Still trying to get my life together, you know."
"Right. Yeah, of course." He straightens up and steps back. "Well, we could go out, just as friends."
"Um … " I scratch my cheek. "Okay, yeah, sure."
"Great." He smiles. He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a business card. "Here's my card with my number and email." He holds it out, so I take it from him. "So, yeah … hit me up, and we can go out for a burger or something."
"Yeah, that's not gonna happen."
My neck nearly snaps-it turns that quick-and I see Ares glowering down at Leo.
His eyes come to mine, and they are nearly black. He plucks the card from my hand and crushes it in his palm.
Shit. He's mad.
"Kincaid." Leo nods, clearly aware of who he is-which, of course, he would be because it's his job to know. His eyes go between us, working quickly. "I didn't mean to tread on anyone's toes. I didn't realize you two were an item."
"What? No! We're not an item! That's just … crazy! We're friends. Good friends. He's just being overprotective." Then, I punch Ares in the arm, like we're best buddies, not lovers. Yep, I really did that. God, I'm a total dick. But I can't seem to stop. "I'm actually really good friends with his sister, Missy, and here she is now. Missy!" I grab her arm and yank her toward me.
Missy is now looking at me, confused.
Leo is running a journalistic eye over me.
And Ares … I daren't look at him. But I can feel his anger pulsating next to me, like it's a living, breathing entity.
What the hell is wrong with me?
I don't want to lie-I really don't-but this guy is a journalist, and I can't have him printing things about me and Ares. At least not until I've talked to my dad.
And I'm not ready yet. I just need time.
Because I know what my dad will say when he finds out Ares and I are together. I saw how he reacted to me taking a ride with him, for God's sake.
I know where my dad's priority lies, and it isn't with me.
He will do what's best for the team, and Ares not being with me is that.
I know exactly what he'll say to Ares.
And I'm scared that Ares will listen … and finally see sense and realize that my dad is right.
That I'm not the person he should be with.
And then he'll leave me.
The tension in Ares's truck is killing me.
It's so thick, you could cut the air with a knife and take a slice away with you.
Missy is quietly sitting in the back, tapping away on her phone. And Missy is never quiet.
Ares is a huge, raging hot flame next to me.
And me … I'm burning under the heat.
He's angry. No, he's furious.
Not that he's said a word to confirm this. He hasn't said a thing to me since we left the stadium, apart to bark at me that we were leaving, but honestly, that could have been directed at Missy.
And I'm going to take a not-so-wild shot in the dark here and say he's pissed because of what I said to Leo.
And I get it. Of course I wasn't going to tell Leo that Ares and I were together. But I didn't have to act like a complete dick about it. I made it sound ludicrous-the notion of us being together. In a way, it is because what is a great guy like him doing with a loser like me?
But, from the angry fumes billowing from Ares, he's taken it the totally wrong way, and I'm in for it.
I handled it badly, and I will apologize but not in front of Missy. Because it's not fair on her to make her feel uncomfortable while Ares and I hash our shit out, not that, I can guess, she's feeling at all comfortable now.
I notice that, instead of going into his building's parking garage, he pulls up outside.
My confused eyes swing to him, but his eyes are fixed ahead. Jaw working angrily.
"I'll be home later," he grinds out to Missy.
She takes that as her cue and practically jumps out of the car. I actually envy her. I wish I could leave, too.
"See you tomorrow," she says to me, giving me a look of sympathy.
"Bye." I give her a small smile.
Then, she's gone, jogging inside his building, and Ares is pulling the truck away from the curb.
"Where are we going?" I tentatively ask him.
I get no response, except for his hands tightening around the steering wheel, his jaw like steel.
"Ares … " I push.
"I can't fucking talk to you right now," he snaps.
Jesus.
He's so mad. I've never seen him this angry before. I've seen him frustrated and pissed off but not top-level anger.
I honestly don't know what to do or say.
So, like the little chicken I am, I say nothing and stay quiet, feeling like a convict heading toward her execution.
He turns down the street to my apartment, and that answers my question as to where he is taking me.
I half-expect him to pull over and tell me to get out before he drives off. But he doesn't. He parks his truck up outside my building, turns off the engine, and climbs out without a word. So, I follow.
We walk to my apartment in complete silence.
I unlock my door, letting us both in.
Ares follows me into my living room.
I sit down on the arm of my sofa. He stays standing. Arms folded across his chest.
"I'm sorry I acted like a dick before. That guy, Leo … he's press, and I didn't-"
"Want anyone to find out. Namely, your dad. Yeah, I got that."
Well, if he gets that, then why is he so mad?
"I shouldn't have said the things I said-"
"No, you shouldn't have."
"I don't know why I said them. I was rambling. But I am sorry."
"Yeah, you said."
He's still staring at me with unblinking, burning blue eyes, frying me on the spot. Arms still folded across his chest. Jaw set.
"You're still mad … " I edge out.
"No shit I'm mad. Actually, I'm fucking furious. I am sick of this, Ari."
Panic lances across my chest. "Sick of what?"
"The secrets. The lying. You know how I feel about it, but I've been doing it for you. Now, I'm done. I said two weeks. It's two weeks today. Time's up. I'm not hiding us anymore."
Shit, has it really been two weeks already?
"You said a few. Not two," I counter.
"Are you fucking kidding me right now?" he yells, startling me. He drops his arms from his chest and drags a hand through his hair. "I just don't fucking get it. What the hell are you so afraid of? What do you think your dad is going to do? You think he'll, what? Come between us? That's bullshit, and you know it. I went with it to make you happy, but this? This isn't making me happy."
"I'm not making you happy?"
He laughs hollowly. "Have you been listening to a fucking word I've said? I said, this isn't making me happy-what happened at the arena. Talking to your dad every damn day and pretending like I'm not dating his daughter, that I'm crazy about her! Watching every damn thing I say in front of him in case I slip up. I'm not that fucking guy, Ari. I told you, I don't like liars, and I refuse to be one for you anymore."
"I just need more time … " I push to stand, my legs feeling wobbly.
"Time for what?" he yells, frustrated.
With you. I need more time with you … before you realize the mistake you've made by being with me and leave. And then I'll be alone again.
I stare down at my hands, swallowing down those words, afraid to say them out loud.
"I just don't fucking get it. I don't get you! You know what? Why don't you just fucking call me when you've figured your shit out? Because I'm done."
Done.
My eyes flash up, my chest clenching in panic, just in time to see him walking out the door, slamming it behind him.