Free The Main Event by Sarah Bale Page A

you. Okay? Is that good enough?” 
  We reached my room and I opened the door. Was I crazy for even letting him in? Our history with hotel rooms suggested maybe I was.
      He sat in a chair and I was glad. I didn’t want him to sit on the bed because that meant I’d have to sit next to him and beds definitely weren’t a good idea.
      “I have an idea as to why you won’t look at me.”
      I sat in the chair opposite of his and replied, “Oh, I’m sure this will be good.”
      “Is it because you still have feelings for me?”
      “Mesquite, feelings were never an issue between us. It was everything else.”
      “No, that’s not true. We were fine until I asked you to move in with me. That’s when everything fell apart. I think back to that moment often and wonder what in the hell I could have done to change the outcome.”
      His admission made my heart ache. I thought about that moment, too. When he offered me the world and I ran.
      “You’re right. That is when everything changed.”
      “Why?”
      “We were moving too fast-”
      “Bullshit. It was everything we both wanted.”
      “That might be true, but it was still too fast. Did we even really know each other?” I shrugged. “And then you got back with your ex and anything I thought I knew about you went out the window.”
      He had the decency to blush. “I am sorry about that. You might not believe me, but it’s the truth. That was a low point for me and I did things I’m not proud of. Getting back with her was on a list of bad choices I made.”
      “You aren’t the only one. I messed up, too,” I admitted with a sigh.
      “With Denver?”
      “No. He wasn’t a mistake. He was everything I needed.”
      “Then why aren’t you together?”
      The question hung in the air between us. It was time for the truth.
      “Because he thinks you and I have unfinished business.”
      “And do we?”
      I nodded. “I think we do.”
      He watched me for a moment and I wondered what he was thinking.
      “I’ve wanted to hear you say that for a while now.”
      “Why?”
      “Because I think we have unfinished business, too. And… I’ve missed you.”
      Hearing him say those words made my eyes water.
      “But I want to do it right this time. We need to take things slow this time.”
      I laughed before I could stop. “That’s going to be like trying to stop a tornado, Mesquite.”
      He chuckled, too, a sound I’d missed.
      “You’re right. But we owe it to ourselves to at least try.”
      “So… What now?”
      That was the million-dollar question. Denver had been right. Mesquite and I still had a lot of things to figure out. And part of that would eventually involve Denver himself.
      Mesquite smiled. “For now I will bid you goodnight. And tomorrow, if I’m lucky, you’ll let me escort you to brunch.”
      “Brunch? Like a date?”
      He nodded. I could handle that.
      “It’s a date then.”
      It was a start.
      At the door, Mesquite stopped. “Goodnight, Jamie.”
      “Goodnight, Angel Eyes.”
      I closed the door at his surprised look and smiled. For the first time in months I finally felt free. My phone buzzed and I went to check it.
      Denver: Sorry for being a drunken dick.
      Denver: I just miss you so damn much.
      Denver: And I want you to be mine.
      And just like that the warm feeling vanished and I was left feeling torn. I missed him, too. A lot. 
      Fuck.
     
     
    January 16
      Sunlight pierced through the small gap in the curtains, sending a beam of unwanted light straight on my face. Grumbling, I got out of bed and tried in vain to close the curtains all the way. I’d slept like shit and wasn’t ready to face the world yet. And I certainly didn’t want sunlight ruining my cave of darkness.
      The events from last night came rushing back and I groaned as I got back into bed. Mesquite wanted a second chance and Denver… my sweet Denver wanted a fair