Making the five minute drive to Bray’s apartment I tried telling myself this wouldn’t be awkward. It was a simple hookup. A hookup I want to forget ever happened.

Pulling into Cambridge Heights parking lot I parked next to Bray’s truck. Luckily it was a single building with a list of the tenants and what apartment they were in. Looking at the list I found Bray.

EDWARDS, BRAYLON   APT. 3B

I slowly walked up the stairs to the third floor. The carpet was old and worn, the walls were yellowed from smoke or maybe it was the low lighting? The air was thick with old smoke, and a hint of marijuana. Kinda creepy.

Looking to the left I saw 3B on the second door. Rolling my eyes at how pathetic I was feeling I took a few steps toward the door and knocked.

“Coming.” I heard a female voice call from inside.

The door opened and a gorgeous blonde stuck her head out. She pursed her lips, looking me up and down. With a bitchy attitude asked, “Who are you?”

I can have an attitude too, bitch.

“I’m Cobie. Who are you? I was looking from Bray. Is he here?”

Blonde bimbo bitch let a sly smile take over her face. “He sure is, but he can’t come to the door. He’s a little wore out from last night and this morning. I guess I was just too much to handle.”

Ugh. Seriously? Peeking my head around her I saw my purse sitting on the kitchen bar. Could this chic be anymore slutty?

“I’m sure you were too much sweetheart, right after I was. I left my purse in his truck last night after he fucked me. And trust me honey, I was done with him and his teeny weeny last night. He is all yours. I just want my purse. So, if you would excuse me that would be great,” I said sardonically.

Pushing passed the girl I grabbed my purse off the counter and smirked at her dumbfounded face as I walked out the door and jogged down the steps.

Me-1

Blonde Bimbo Bitch-0

Oh my fucking God. I knew Bray was a man whore but that was a little much. He has sex with me then picks up some other girl and has sex with her, too. Now I see why my brother never wanted me around him. He was disgusting.

I stomped into mine and Laney’s room. “Guys are douche canoes!”

Laney snorted, “I could have told you that.”

“I’m going to take a shower and wash this nastiness off. Study when I’m done? I have a few hours before my final.”

Laney nodded. “You know it.”

I jerked my shower bag off my desk and went to shower off Braylon Edwards and his dirty dick. 

Gage

Mine. This place was mine.

I wanted to call Jenna. I wanted to let her know I did it. But I wouldn’t call. I wouldn’t put myself through that. She wasn’t mine. This wasn’t her dream, well not anymore. Growing up we always talked about the bar we would open in Fairhope when I was the big football star. But, now this dream was mine. Not ours. Her dreams were with Larkin. And, my dreams…my dreams were with…

Me.

I had no one to share this with. I was alone. I was surrounded by hundreds of people, but still it felt like I was on my own. It felt like I was standing in the middle of an empty stadium screaming at the top of my lungs with no one around to hear.

I had always thought when all my dreams came true they would be with Jenna. And, at one point just a few years ago that was true. Now, I avoided her calls, text, and emails. I had to. I had to distance myself. Jenna was the one girl I had always loved and always would. I would never get over her. She was my one.

But, I wasn’t hers.

Walking to the middle of the large, empty wood floor I sat down. I was the NFL’s leading Quarterback. I had women chasing me. Men wanted to be me. To the outside world I had it all. To the world I was everything. To me, I was nothing.

Lying back, I crossed my arms behind my head and stared at the plain white ceiling. I had three weeks to get this place in shape and have it ready for opening night and Evie’s birthday.

I had a lot to do in those three weeks. First thing, building a deck over-looking the ocean and the large piece of beach I now owned. Jenna and I had it all planned out. With or without her I would bring our childhood dream to life. This place would be turned into an oasis of ocean.

“Gage? You here bro?” Dylan’s voice carried in through the open door.

“Inside.”

I closed my eyes and heard Dylan’s heavy footsteps getting closer.

“Why the hell you layin’ on the floor like a two year old? Shit, are you drunk already? It’s barely noon asswipe.” His voice raising with anger.

Dylan may be five years younger than me but these days he was just as big as I was with a go-to-hell attitude and a no filter mouth. The kid was badass, even if he was my little brother. He had been by my side since Jenna walked away from me. He had sat and listened to me night after night. He had watched me go through woman after woman. He had watched me drink my weight in alcohol. He was a pain in the ass but I was thankful my brother had been around.

Keeping my eyes shut I tilted my head in the direction I heard Dylan’s voice coming from. “Chill. I’m just thinking,” I said.

“About…” Dylan trailed off.

“The bar.” I opened my eyes and sat up, leaning back on my arms.

I could see Dylan visibly relax as he took a few steps toward me. “This place is pretty kickass. I’m proud of you.”

My brother has told me a lot and said many things to me but he has never told me he was proud.

“Thanks, man,” I said, a little shocked.

Dylan grabbed two chairs from a table off to the side of the dance floor and brought them to where I was sitting on the floor. “Get your ass up and sit in a damn chair.”

Using the chair, I pushed myself off the floor and fell back into the cheap wooden chair.

Note to self: order comfortable chairs for this place.

“I know you have always wanted to own this place and play in the NFL. You worked your ass off and you are the top quarterback in the league. Now you can add business owner on top of that. Pretty damn good for only being twenty three.”

Shrugging I said, “I guess. It would be better if I had someone to share it with. This being alone shit is for the birds.”

“Man, she’s gone. She’s happy. When will you realize that? Sitting around being depressed and feeling sorry for yourself is doing nothing.” My brother slapped my shoulder and continued, “If I was in your shoes I would be living it up and embracing the lifestyle you have. You’re only twenty three and sitting on top of the world. It’s not your time to settle down and be a family man yet. Maybe in ten years but not now. One day you will find that girl that will make you realize Jenna wasn’t –holding his hands up he air quoted- “the one” you thought she was. There is a girl out there for you, relax. You have plenty of time to find her. Until then have fun trying them out.” Dylan stood from his chair and shoved it back across the floor before walking out the door.

I wish I could believe him. I wish he was right. But, he wasn’t. There wasn’t another girl out there for me. Jenna was the one, my only. No other girl could ever compare to her. Why even try? My life had become one night after another of drinking too much and waking up to another girl I wouldn’t remember the following night.

Yeah, I’m on top of the fuckin’ world.

“You’re really going to paint the walls dark grey? Won’t that make it dark in here?” My mom asked, her face scrunched up.

Exhaling loudly, I said, “Yes, mom. But, you will see very little of the wall.” I held up a round blue light and placed it on the wall. “These will be coming down the wall. I have blue and green lights and these moss ball looking things to put sporadically on the wall. Don’t worry mom. It will look good. Jenna and I have had this planned out since we were twelve.”