Dalton left the bathroom first, leaving us alone. This would be the only opportunity I’d have to speak with Ava privately before turning our mics back on.
“Ava, you know I’ve got your back, but this has to end soon. You need to do what’s right here.”
“I know.” She closed her eyes for a long moment, just as crushed as I was. “You’re right. Give me a week, two at the most. I promise I’ll make this right.”
I gave her a nod and watched as she walked out of the bathroom and into the shop. I needed to go out there to face the cast and crew, so I could lie to them too. But there was something I needed to do first.
I pulled my phone out of my back pocket to call Chloe. She had been avoiding my phone calls ever since we parted ways. I had reached out a couple of times, just trying to keep the lines of communication open, but she wasn’t having it. Even though my optimism about being with her again had waned considerably, it was nowhere near gone. But I’d be lying if I said it didn’t hurt. My feelings for her hadn’t changed. I thought about her every damn day, and I had faith that our time would come if I was patient. I wasn’t about to let the media or Ava’s well-intentioned web of lies fuck that up.
As usual, my call went to Chloe’s voicemail. As usual, I didn’t leave a message. But it had been months and, if I had a hope of getting her back, she needed to know what was going on. So, I ended the call and sent her a text instead:
Whatever you see on the show…
whatever you hear…
please know, it’s not what you think.
I’ll never give up on you, Chloe. Never.
Chapter Seven
~Chloe~
For months, I had been trying to get him out of my mind. Out of my heart. I had even stopped all contact with Gavin or any of Matt’s friends in an attempt to separate myself from his world. But no matter how detached I pretended to be, my mind never stopped thinking about him or flashing back to the time we’d spent together. My memories of Matt had become my reason for moving forward. Even though it had been months since we’d spoken—months since we’d been together—he remained the only man I longed to be with. He’d also become my role model for how to live an authentic life…how to create the life I wanted.
Little by little, I was getting there. I was changing. But no matter how much I moved forward, my past could never be erased. I had wasted so much time, years of my life that I’d never get back. The shame of the person I had allowed myself to become was a constant reminder that I wasn’t who Matt needed me to be. Not yet. And with his chance to live his dream, it would’ve been selfish for me to make him give it up just to wait for me to grow into the kind of person he deserved. It wouldn’t have been fair to him and, because of that, I never regretted my decision to let him go.
But when he sent me the text message that said I’ll never give up on you, he made it damn hard to focus on anything else.
And what did he mean, It’s not what you think?
That’s it. I couldn’t do this anymore. Couldn’t avoid him completely. Trying to stay away had only made me more desperate for him. So, I did what any ordinary person would do.
I Googled him.
It was a completely valid thing to do. I mean, I had gone months without looking him up once, so doing a quick, harmless Internet search was long overdue, right? It wouldn’t hurt to just take a peek at what he’d been up to all this time.
Wrong.
I regretted my decision zero-point-two seconds later when I read the first search result.
Mystery Man Revealed: Matt Langston and Ava Davis are in Love!
Of course, I clicked on it. And as I studied the photo, everything changed. The two of them were walking out of some restaurant, hand-in-hand, looking into each other’s eyes with ridiculous smiles on their faces. No sooner had I lifted my jaw from the floor than bile rose in my throat and my hands began to shake. Tears stung my eyes and eventually spilled down my cheeks.
Up until now, the possibility that he’d wait for me remained in my heart. But he’d made a choice—a highly public choice—to do exactly what I made him believe I wanted. He had moved on.
~~~
My phone buzzed me awake at 3:00 a.m. Irritated that I had forgotten to turn it off completely, I fumbled for the phone on the nightstand, preparing to tell whoever it was to piss off…until I saw the text.
Gavin: 911. Logan’s been in an accident.
My sleep-haze immediately disappeared as I quickly sat up and called Gavin back.
“Hey,” he answered simply. He sounded incredibly tired.
“What do you mean he’s been in an accident?” I asked. “Is he okay? What happened?”
Gavin sighed into the phone, “It’s not good, Chlo. It’s a long story, but the gist is that he crashed during a race. Liv’s hurt too, but she’ll be okay. Logan, though—he hit his head hard. They had to do surgery…” His voice trailed off, his labored breathing easy to hear over the phone line. "He’s just not waking up. The doctors said he should’ve woken up by now. They say the longer he’s under, the worse his chances are for recovery. I’m here at the hospital and I just have a bad fucking feeling about all of this. I thought you’d want to know in case—”
“In case what?” I gasped.
The line remained silent.
“Gavin,” I urged. “Tell me.”
“In case you want to pay your respects.”
I closed my eyes tight and pressed my fingertips to my lips. “I’m on my way,” I said thickly.
“Wait, they won’t let you see him yet. It’s too early. Visitors aren’t allowed until eight.”
“Are you kidding me? So, you called me now so that I could sit here and worry for the next five hours?”
“Like I said, Chloe, I didn’t think anyone had told you yet, and I thought you’d want to know.”
I sighed, “Your timing sucks. But thank you. I appreciate you telling me.”
“Not a problem.”
“See you at eight.”
~~~
When I arrived at the hospital, news crews had gathered around the entrance. Network television vans lit up the dark street in front of the hospital, their satellite discs raised high into the air. Reporters spoke urgently into their microphones as cameramen hefted equipment on their shoulders.
I wondered if they were here for Logan—or someone else. A car accident didn’t usually drive this kind of news. Whatever their purpose, it was clear that something significant had happened in the last few minutes.
I picked up my pace, hoping to God that it wasn’t Logan’s condition that they were reporting, because if it was, they had likely just gotten word that he had either had a miraculous recovery or had taken a turn for the worse. Either way, I wanted to get to him quickly.
I almost tripped over myself as I passed Kim Sheldon, a local reporter from Channel Four—not because of my speed, but because of the words she was saying as she looked into the camera: “As you saw only a few moments ago, TV’s American Muscle star, Matt Langston, has just entered Community Memorial Hospital to support a childhood friend who is reportedly in grave condition. However, during what has to be a difficult moment for Matt, his co-star and girlfriend, Ava Davis, is nowhere to be seen. At least, not here. She was, however, seen out partying with friends back in Las Vegas a few short hours ago. It really makes you wonder…is their relationship as strong as we thought? Only time will tell. This is Kim Sheldon, reporting live. Back to you, Chris.”
In a daze, I pushed past the reporters into the lobby, letting her words sink in until I had no choice but to face facts. Matt is here. I’m going to see Matt.
As I entered the elevator and pushed the button for the 5th floor, my skin tingled with the memory of his touch. I barely noticed when the elevator lurched as it began its ascent, my mind lingering on flashbacks of our last night together. With my eyes closed, I could feel his skin against mine, could still smell his scent. God, I’d missed him so much.
The elevator d
oor dinged as it opened. The hallway was quiet, empty except for two nurses behind the desk.
“Uh—hi, I’m here to see Logan Tanner,” I informed the nurses as I approached the desk.
The middle-aged nurse looked me up and down over the tops of her glasses. “I’m sorry, Miss. Mr. Tanner’s mother is with him now. But,” she pointed to her left, “the rest of his visitors are in the waiting room down the hall, around the corner. You’re welcome to join them.”
“Thank you,” I said and, with a deep breath, set off toward the waiting room.
I don’t know why the possibility of Liv being one of his visitors didn’t cross my mind, but when I turned the corner and saw her sitting next to Gavin, I froze mid-step.
By now, Logan had probably told her all about my confession, about how my insecurities and lies had basically broken her heart—but that didn’t mean she had forgiven me. Nor did it make this moment any less awkward. She hadn't noticed me yet, so, feeling like the biggest coward ever born, I quickly backed away—right into the chest of the person I feared seeing more than anyone else.
Chapter Eight
~Matt~
As soon as I heard about Logan’s accident, the folks at American Muscle put me on a private jet, no questions asked. I arrived less than an hour ago and had hoped to avoid any paparazzi, but had no such luck. They seemed to always be one step ahead of me. Cameras and reporters swarmed my cab as it pulled up to the hospital. The moment I opened my door, questions flew out at me.
Matt! Matt, where’s Ava?
Did you know she’s out clubbing tonight?
Trouble in paradise?
What do you think about her partying while your friend is on his death bed?
That last question threw me over the edge.
“Fuck you,” I said, jabbing my finger at the reporters, one by one. “And you. And you. Have a little respect!”
I knew as soon as the words left my lips that I had made a rookie mistake: I had given them exactly what they wanted. An outburst. Drama. And it only escalated the feeding frenzy. Cameras clicked faster. Strident voices blurred together. Bodies pushed and shoved in waves that knocked me around as I approached the hospital’s main entrance.
Realizing that the best course of action would be to shut the hell up, I pressed my lips together and trudged forward through the crowd. Thank God they weren’t allowed inside.
I followed the directions Gavin had given me to the ICU waiting room where I found him sitting with Liv. He had given me the details of Liv and Logan’s injuries and how they happened, but seeing Liv all bruised up with her arm in a sling brought out my protective instincts. I wanted to kill the motherfucker who did this to them.
Good thing he was already dead.
Liv smiled up at me as I leaned in to hug her.
I breathed out a sigh of relief. “After everything you’ve been through, it’s damn good to see your sweet smile, Liv.”
“I’ve got a good reason to smile,” her grin widened as I released her. “He's awake, Matt! He woke up an hour ago!”
“No shit?” I raised my brows and let go of the anxiety that had weighed me down since I’d heard about the accident.
“Looks like you came all this way for nothing,” Gavin joked.
“You know nothing would stop me from being here, man,” I replied. “So? What’s the prognosis? Is he gonna be okay?”
“It’ll be a lot of physical therapy,” Liv said. “But he’s expected to make a full recovery.”
“Jesus, that’s good news,” I breathed, relieved. “Why’s everyone out here? Shouldn’t we be in his room, celebrating? Oh, wait. The nurse must be giving him a sponge bath. Please tell me the nurse is an eighty-year-old midget…”
“His mom is with him,” Liv smiled. “They’re bonding.”
Knowing how tumultuous Logan’s relationship with his mom had been in recent years, hearing this news lifted my spirits even more.
“It’s about damn time they reconciled,” I said as I rubbed the back of my neck, suddenly painfully aware that I hadn’t slept in over twenty-four hours. “In that case, point me to the nearest coffee.”
Gavin gestured toward the hall I had just come from. “There’s a vending area over there with coffee. They’ve also got a cappuccino maker for lovely ladies like you, buddy.”
“Thanks for that, fucker.”
After pouring my coffee—black, mind you—I headed back to the waiting room. Or I tried to, anyway. But the moment I stepped back into the hallway, I jolted to a stop and the world seemed to move in slow motion.
Chloe. At least, I thought it was her… Oh, yeah. I’d recognize that rear view anywhere. Legs for miles, that ass as tight and firm as they come, although it looked even more luscious than usual as it swayed back and forth in Chloe’s signature ‘fuck-me-now’ walk. Only, she was all blonde now, I observed with a scowl. No pink? What the hell happened to the pink?
She was on the move, striding quickly toward the waiting room. My legs finally remembered how to walk and I followed her down the hall until she turned toward the waiting room and came to a hard stop. A millisecond later, she quickly back-stepped, right into me and my coffee cup, thoroughly soaking my t-shirt with the steaming liquid.
She gasped and turned toward me, taking me by the elbows for balance as I grimaced from the scalding hot brew now burning my chest. Her eyes widened in shock, pupils dilating as our gazes met. She glanced back at Gavin and Liv who still hadn’t noticed her, then pushed me away, out of view of assembled group in the waiting room.
“I’m so sorry!” she whispered, her eyes fixated on my chest.
“Damn, Pink,” I smiled. “You’ve always had a way of getting me all hot ‘n bothered, but this is ridiculous.” I cocked my head, “Or…maybe I should just call you Blondie now?”
She didn’t laugh. Instead, her brows scrunched up in confusion. Leaning back against the wall, she rubbed her forehead and sighed, her shoulders slumping in defeat.
“Hey, I’m kidding,” I assured her. “Don’t worry. It’s fine, it’ll dry.”
“I—I’m just not sure I should even be here,” she said, more to herself than to me. “This was a mistake.”
Mistake…the understatement of the century. But the mistake wasn’t hers; it was mine. Seeing her now, in the flesh, smelling her citrus scent and hearing her voice, made me wish I had never let her go. Made me wish I had chased after her the day she walked away from me. Made me kick myself for being a coward and requesting an Uber instead of driving her home myself.
I couldn’t bring myself to tell her that now, though. So instead I asked, “What’s a mistake?”
“This! Being here,” she responded frantically. “I heard about Logan, that he might not—well, that he’s not doing so well, and this might be my last chance to see him, so I just decided to come here without even thinking about what I’d say to Liv if she was here—which, of course, she is. I mean, where else would she be, right? I know she still hates me and she has every right to. And now you’re here, which totally goes against my plan of avoiding you forever, and you’re covered in coffee because of me and—and—”
I calmly placed my hands on her shoulders, squeezing slightly. “Shhh, Chloe, baby, breathe,” I murmured as my thumbs rubbed back and forth restlessly. “He’s okay.”
“What did you say?” she whispered, looking at me as if she didn’t trust her own ears.
“He woke up a few hours ago, and he’s doing fine. He’s going to be okay.”
“Oh, my God,” she breathed, eyes glistening. Bowing her head, a tear escaped.
“Hey.” I lifted her chin so that she’d look at me. “That’s good news, right?”
She nodded, “Yeah. Of course, it is.”
I wiped the tear from her cheek with my thumb. “So these are happy tears?”
She sighed, choosing her words carefully. “If you’re asking if I’m happy that Logan is okay, the answer is yes, of course I am.”
“But?”
“But nothing. I’m happy. Why on earth wouldn’t I be happy?”
“C’mon, Pink. I know you better than that.”
“I’ve been happier. But I’m about as happy as I’m able to be without—” She growled in frustration. “Never mind. Excuse me.” She tried to push past me. Almost made it, too, until I took her wrist and turned her back around to face me.
“Without what?” I demanded, my heart suddenly pounding out a crazy rhythm in my chest.
Yanking her hand from my grasp, she stepped back and blurted, “You. Okay? Without you.”
~Chloe~
I took off running. Or walking briskly, I should say. I had already lost my cool. Already said too much. I wasn’t about to make even more of an idiot of myself by sprinting down a quiet hallway lined with medical staff and visitors.
“Chloe, wait,” Matt called out.
Shit.
Now I was running. So much for discretion. All eyes were on me as I darted down the hall. Why did I have to blurt out my thoughts to him like that? I suppose he always did have a way of getting the truth out of me. Clearly, that hadn’t changed. What had changed, however, was that he loved someone else now. Someone who had been honorably discharged from the Air Force with a college degree and a bright future ahead of her. Someone who loved cars just as much as her father. Just as much as Matt. Someone with the same background, the same interests, and probably the same goals. With all those qualities on top of her natural physical beauty, she was the kind of girl men wanted to be with and women wanted to…be.
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