“Fucking feels like it…” I mumble through my fingers. “Bruh, I can’t breathe. Can’t think. It’s been weeks, and I still see her smile every time I close my eyes. Knowing Ash doesn’t want me around feels like a hot blade being twisted in my chest. I’m fucking miserable.”
“Hunt...” He jostles me as he moves into the chair next to mine. “Did you talk about this in your session last week?”
“Damn it.”I drop my hands. “Was I supposed to?”
An exasperated sigh rumbles through his lips. “Yeah, man. That’s the whole point, getting everything off your chest so you can address it.”
“How was I supposed to know that? All this shit is new to me.” After that call with my mom, I couldn’t get myself together for days. I was so desperate, I called my dad’s psychologist to make sure I wasn’t losing it. Turns out, all the shit I’ve been pushing down for years couldn’t be held off any longer, and the remedy isfeelingit. Oh, and I have ADHD.
“Look, space just means she needs a minute. This isn’t about you, Hunt. Hey…” He knocks me with his elbow until I look at him, then places a hand on my shoulder with a pointed stare. A silent conversation passes between us, one that only he and I could ever understand. He saw first-hand how bad it was for me after the divorce, the blame I assigned myself, how scared I was. How scared Iam.“It’s. Not. You.”
Heaving a sputtering breath, I plant my elbows on my knees. “She said she wasn’t ready. What if she never is?”
“You can’t think like that, Hunt.” He sighs. “You know her. Just give her a little time.”
“But what if she doesn’t come back to me, Chase?” The thought alone makes my voice shake. “What the hell would I do? She’s it for me.”
“You have totellher exactly how serious this is for you. No more games.No bets. Help her bridge that gap so she has no space to question how you feel about her. And don’t stop telling her once you finally do have her.”
“She asked for space until after the wedding. I can’t just say all of that after a month of nothing.” I wipe my face and straighten up in the chair. The tears were short-lived, but damn it if I don’t feel a little better. “And there’s still the Trevor issue.”
His eyebrows dip. “What Trevor issue? They’re?—”
“Sorry I’m late!” Trevor comes from behind the wall of mirrors, and my face drops. I knew he was coming, but seeing him when I know he still gets to be around Ashlie pushes a wave of indignation throughout my body. “This new cohort needed a ton of guidance today. I have to run back to the office after this.”
“No worries, Trev.” Chase stands, slapping his hand with some cheesy grade school handshake. “Your tux is in that room over there. I’ll grab Tom.”
He leaves me and Trevor—the loser and the winner, the unpredictable storm and the reliable ray of sunshine—to settle the score. I make no attempts to be cordial, hoping he’ll get the hint and take his ass into the dressing room.
“Hey, bro, uh,” he says, taking a step toward me. “Look, I didn’t know you were the other guy. If I had, I would have bowed out long before I did.”
Confusion scrunches my face. “What do you mean?”He bowed out?Of what?When?
“Yeah, I broke things off after the bar fight. I can’t compete with what you two have going on.”
“We’re not—We don’t have anything going on anymore.”
Now he looks confused. “Oh… You’re not seeing Ashlie?” he asks.
“Not at the moment.You’renot seeing Ashlie?”
“Nope, we decided we’re better as friends. I figured she would have told you…”
I shake my head slowly.Is he fucking with me? I never pegged Trevor as the mind game type, but this would be a good way to do it. Kick me when I’m already down.
“I just wanted to make sure there are no hard feelings.” His hand gestures between us like he’s physically clearing the air.
“So, you’re not dating?” My heart beats a tick faster as I try to keep the hopeful tone from rising in my voice.
The confused look on his face eases into an amicable smile, giving me the last bit of confirmation I need. “Nope. Just friends.”
I laugh, cover it quickly with my hand, and laugh again. He hasn’t been getting closer to her in the last month.I still have a chance.
“Well, since no one’s dating Ash, that only means one thing.” Chase steps into the room with a conspiratorial look in his eyes. “My wedding has unofficially become Operation: Get Hunter and Ashlie together.”
I shake my head. “That’s a horrible name.”
“Yeah…” Trevor trills. “That’s not good at all, man.”
