Millie was ranting.Raving actually. Throwing her arms around. Pacing. She was out of her mind, tears in her eyes, as she apologized for not being there with me that night. It was the first time we’d seen each other in a few weeks. Both of our schedules were so crazy busy.
“I just…” She sniffled, swiping at her cheeks. “You could havediedthat night, Tate. I could’ve lost my best friend in the whole entire world.” She sank onto the couch beside me. I quickly drew her into a hug.
“I was okay,” I told her quietly, not really wanting to talk about this. Besides the fact that I couldn’t handle going into the grocery store, life had continued on as normal. “Fin was there, and he…he saved me, Millie.”
She swiped at her eyes and frowned at me. “Fin? You’re calling him that again?”
A blush stole over my cheeks as I nodded. And then, I began to recount to my best friend everything that happened over the two weeks, the way he held me at the beach, how we shared a bed, the kiss. When I finally had it all out in the open, she squealed and launched herself at me, almost knocking us to the floor.
“Don’t rush into anything with him, Tate. Promise me. I know he’s this big-time up-and-coming baseball star, crushing records, taking over the legacy of Jaxon Dexter! I just…I just don’t want this all going to your head.” She held my hands, making sure she had all my attention.
“It won’t.”
“No, Tate. He has hurt you, and I know he’s handsome. I know he sometimes says the right things, but he hasn’t always done the right things. I’d hate for you to fall for his charm and not his actions. You’ve worked really hard to get to where you are now. Don’t let him swoop in here and ruin your progress.”
“I’m not that same weak girl anymore. I won’t just drop everything for him. I have a career. I have a life. But you’re right, I’ve been acting on my feelings and not logic. I thought you wanted me to be with him?”
“I want you to be happy. If he’s going to get you there then, girl, I am all for it, but if he’s going to drag you down and bring you back to the girl you were four years ago, I won’t allow it. I just won’t.” Millie had been the one constant in my life. Regardless of how low I sunk, she always remained there by my side holding me up, even when I didn’t deserve it.
I wanted to be happy too, but I was so scared of history repeating itself. Popularity broke up our friendship, fame did terrible things to a person, and the bigger his name got, the bigger his ego would grow, and the more cleat chasers who would want him. I didn’t want to fight for his attention.
I didn’t want to chase him like the rest of them. I wanted him to chase me.
“No, you’re right. I’ve been tripping over him. Fucking tripping, like a lovesick puppy.”
Griffin
Hey… I know we just saw each other yesterday, but I’m having a bad day. Can we do dinner?
I frownedat Griffin’s message, worried about him. What could have happened since I left the photo shoot?Did he get into a fight with one of the twins? Did something happen with his team?
Tatum
What happened?
Griffin
Can you come here? I’ll have food delivered. Whatever you feel like eating, kitten. Just need you.
My heart skipped a beat in my chest at his last sentence.Just need you. But despite his sweet words, I didn’t trust him. I’d been burned before, and if things ended between us, it was my career that would go up in flames, not his. As it was, I had gained 28,000 followers since we did the photoshoot, much more than I was anticipating. Girls I had never met were leaving hate comments on my old posts.
‘You don’t love him.’
‘Imagine thinking you can get with Silver.’
‘I’d look so much better with him.’
The negative comments seemed to be never ending, which wasn’t what was driving me nuts. Rather my DMs were out of control, with grown men sending me messages they’d be too afraid to ever say out loud.
‘I know how to treat a woman like you.’
‘Come sit on it.’
‘You. Me. Tomorrow 8pm.’
‘Why don’t you give a real man a chance?’
Being in the public eye was not desirable. Thankfully, there hadn’t been an article about us in a few days. Rumors of Brad Pitt and Angelia Jolie getting back together had stolen the attention of every paparazzi on the planet. But I was scared for Griffin and me to become a topic for the gossip magazines again.
