False Illusions (False #1) (17 page)

I pull my eyes away from my screen and look at him. “Yes?” I smile.

“I was thinking we should go for drinks this weekend,” he blurts out. “I mean a group of us are going out and you should join us.”

I raise an eyebrow amused. I’m definitely going to have to friend zone him. “Sounds good, I need to make some
friends.
” His smile faltered at friends. 

“Great,” Carter mumbles and goes back to his computer.

Carter was really cute, and even if I was interested Emma already spilled her secret crush for him. I didn’t want to lose my only potential friend out here because her crush is crushing on me.

I sigh and look at the roses that are half dead on my desk. I can’t bring myself to throw them out.  He hasn’t tried to contact me since I reached out to him days ago. I know what I told him, but I didn’t really expect him to listen.

You’re being stupid, call him.

No. not yet.

The rest of the day goes by without any other looks from Carter, thank God. Half of my article is finished, I just need to research a few more things. This will be my first ever printed article and I’m shitting bricks I’m so nervous. I guess that’s why they invited me out Friday night to celebrate, since the paper goes out Sunday. Everyone was going to see it. My parents, Chelsea and Marcus because I know he knows where I am. Then there is Yoel, I want to make him proud the most because he believed in me.

Emma invites me to get dinner with her, Nick and Carter, but I opt out and decide to pick up a pizza on the way home.

As much as I love my new place it’s missing something. Maybe I should get a dog to greet me at the door. I can imagine it now, a cute little Yorkie or poodle. Gosh, I’m so lonely.

Instead of hopping on the next episode as I planned, I took a hot shower and settled in bed. I moved the picture from the living room into the bedroom on the nightstand. Seemed like a better fit there.

I stare at Yoel’s name on my phone, I debate on calling him, but I just can’t do it.

Just do it.

Hitting call I take a deep breath and put the phone to my ear. I can do this.

Meet Me Halfway- Tim Benson

The sound of my phone vibrating on the coffee table makes me tear my eyes off the T.V. screen. Chris and Javi are here with me, so I have no idea who could be calling me since I spoke to my mom earlier.

Snatching my phone I glance at the screen. Holy shit.

I damn near fall on the floor trying to get off the couch to go to the bedroom. They shoot me crazy looks, but I shut the door before answering.

“Hello?” I answer slowly.

I can hear breathing but she doesn’t say anything.

“Baby doll?” I try again sliding down the floor against the door. “Say something, please.”

She breathes hard, then the phone beeps indicating she hung up. Fuck. Without thinking my fingers scramble to hit the call back. It rings and rings and goes right to her generated voice mail. I just want to hear her voice. I hang up, not leaving a voicemail.

I lean back on the door clutching my phone, I don’t know if I should be happy or pissed. Happy she even called or pissed that she didn’t even pick up when I called.

After picking up my sorry ass off the floor I grab my laptop on the bed and go back to the living room where Chris and Javi are still watching a movie.

“Think I can leave early on Friday?” I sit down and open the laptop quickly pulling up the internet.  I was acting on impulse right now and I didn’t care what anyone thought.

Javi frowns. “Sure, why though. Where do you need to be?”

Chris smirks. “Back to New York to get the door shut on his face again. Maybe we should go for back up.”

“I plan on heading home for the weekend to see the wife and kids. Take knucklehead with you.” He nods to Chris who flips him off.

Shaking my head I look for flights that will get me there soon after she gets off, I didn’t want to pop up at her job. The sports reporter would jump on my ass. An idea comes to my head and I send a text to Chelsea. After I purchase one round trip ticket, because Chris was not coming incase I fail and one one-way I say a prayer and close the computer.

This girl always has me taking risks. The belt was supposed to be the biggest fight of my life, but Madison is giving it a run for it’s money. Getting her back might be the biggest fight of all.

Friday couldn’t have come fast enough, but of course the day would drag. I swear I think Javi is making this a painful wait. He wouldn’t let me half ass anything.

“If you want to leave early you need to put in some work, El,” he says as he blocks my hits and side steps.

I’ve been here since six this morning instead of nine when I normally came in. Glancing at the clock it reads one forty-five and I have a plane to catch at four.

I huff out and double jab with a left hook making him stumble back. He knew I wanted to leave and he was fucking with me.

Javi just smirks and claps his pads together. Fucker.

I throw a few more combos at him when Chris slaps the ring floor.

“Stop fucking with him, we have to go.”

Javi holds his hands up. “Okay, I’ll see you early Monday. No half assing.”

Taking my gloves off I nod. Hopefully by Monday all is right in my world.

“Sure thing.”

I hop out the ring and head to the locker room to shower and change. I brought an overnight bag with us to the gym so we wouldn’t have to go back to the hotel and head straight to the airport. He thinks I’m out of my mind to try again, but he has no idea what I’m feeling. I can’t wait until the day he falls in love so I can talk shit.

This would be my last attempt. I know I fucked up, but how long could she really hold this against me?

I know I said I’ll wait, but she had to give me a little hope. She has to meet me halfway.

Just meet me halfway.

Littlest Things- Lily Allen

“Wow, I love your place.”

Emma and I decided to head back to my apartment to change before meeting up with everyone at this place called The Bar Downstairs. The idea of a bar being underground worries me and I make a note not to get too tipsy. Remember last time I got tipsy I fell on my fiancé’s opponent’s dick.

Best dick ever.

Yoel probably thinks I’m crazy after my call last week. I couldn’t even say anything.

“Thanks.” We walk to my room. I start pulling dresses out of my closet. Emma wants to make her move on Carter and I’m going to help her.

Emma’s a cute girl, she just needs a little black dress to seal the deal, and maybe a few drinks for courage. Not Jager Bombs though. Hell no.

My cell rings and I can tell by the ringtone it’s Chelsea.

“Hey girl,” I answer.

“Bestie, How are you?” She’s up to something, I can just tell.

“What do you want?”

She sounds offended. “Gosh, I can’t just see how you are?”

I smirk, throwing down a black dress on the bed and motion Emma to put it on. “Sure you can. Just getting ready to head to the bar with some co-workers”

“Oh cool. What bar?” She asks.

“This place called The Bar Downstairs.” I pull out a short dark blue dress. Did I really want to dress up? Not really. I hang it back up and pull out my favorite grey maxi dress and jean jacket.

“Girl, let me call you back, Dom just got home.” She hangs up. Weird. She never hung up when Dom would get home before.

I walk back into my bedroom where Emma is now dressed. The dress fits her perfect and the flat’s she’s wearing doesn’t give her the look that she’s trying too hard.

What catches me off guard is the picture she’s holding. I never planned to have anyone back here and it didn’t cross my mind.

“I thought you said you weren’t seeing anyone?” She looks up blushing.

“I’m not,” I say biting my lip. “It’s complicated.”

She sets the picture down and nods. “He looks familiar.”

I ignore her statement. “You look good. Carter is going to drool when he see’s you. Let me get dressed and we can head out.”

I change before she can ask any more questions. I wasn’t sure how to explain who Yoel was without sounding like a slut.

Forty minutes later we’re making our way down to the bar. Yep, just like I thought, there are stairs, thankfully I decided to go with a pair of sandals and not heels.

Carter and Nick were already sitting at a table in the corner. I was under the impression others from the office would be joining us, but maybe they would show later. I take the chair next to Nick so that Emma is forced to sit next to Carter.

“Hello ladies, nice to finally join us.” Nick smirks. “Thought we were being stood up for a minute.”

“Nope, you’re not that lucky. You owe me drinks.” I push his arm playfully.

Carter orders us a drink while we talk about the paper coming out Sunday. I was nervous as hell, and the way I drink my next three drinks shows it. Emma assures me if my article wasn’t up to par then Carlie wouldn’t have approved it. That made me ease somewhat.

Nick was being kind of flirty, and when Carter stands up to order another round I quickly join him.

“Nick thinks you’re cute,” he muses when we get to the bar.

I frown. “He’s nice, but-“

“Holy shit, is that who I think it is?” He cuts me off looking over my head.

He looks star struck and his look alone makes me glance back.

Fucking hell. It’s Yoel. His dark eyes lock on me as he walks up. Jeans riding on his hips, black button down hugs his broad chest with the sleeves pushed up his forearms showing off his tattoos.

“Holy shit. Yoel Gonzalez,” Carter blurts out once he is in front of us. “Carter Moore, with the New Yorker. I write the sports section.” He holds his hand out.

At first I think Yoel won’t take it the way his jaw ticks as he moves his eyes off of me to Carter, shaking his hand.

“What’s up man. You mind if I have a minute with Madison?” He looks back at me.

Carter shoots me a confused look, but doesn’t move. “Actually I’m waiting for a drink, but don’t mind me.”