Free Line Of Scrimmage by Lolah Lace Page B

when they’re young like yours. Sometimes they never recover from it.”
    “I know. I’m not going to see Kari anymore.”
    “Can you really stop seeing her?”
    “I don’t know. I want to. I want to do the right thing.”
    “I know you don’t want to hear this but if you reall y love Kari the way you say you do, you will let her go. It’s not fair to keep her hanging on. She has a life that is on hold because of you. She’s a single mother with a child. She’s in love with a married man she can’t have.”
    “I know. I love her and I should set her free.”
    “Yes you should.”
    “I can’t tell you what to do but I have a feeling you will do the right thing.” 
    “I don’t know if it’s right or wrong. I’m just going to do what’s best for my kids.”
    As much as it pained me. My mother was right. If I was ever going to get my life back on track I was going to have to let Kari go. I was being selfish. I was being unfair. I was putting handcuffs on Kari’s future. I was an ass. One day she was going to regret wasting her time with me. I was not good for her.
    I had a lot to think about on the way to the hospital to pick up Tess. It seemed that all I did was think.
     
     
    CHAPTER 7
     
    The day had arrived. I had my assclown of a brother waiting for me in my car. He was my escape. My plan B if all else failed and I crumbled under the pressure. I didn’t have any options. I had to do the right thing for my family. Mainly for my children, Tess was turning into a cancerous tumor. That was an asshole way of looking at things. I was acting like Mafia Mason.
    So me days I was pissed about her suicide attempt other days I was numb. Mostly I felt guilty for my part in Tess’ anguish, despair and inevitable relapse.
    I entered the living ro om of Kari’s house. She was standing there glaring at me. I know she suspected something. I have been distant lately. I had been an ass. I haven’t seen or talked to her in seven days. Although that may not seem like much, I communicate with this woman every day. She wouldn’t dare call my phone or text me. She only returns the texts and calls that I initiate. 
    Is it possible that she has already distanced herself from me? Has she protected her heart from the unavoidable? Who the hell is going to protect my heart?
    I’m here. I owe Kari that much. I owe her this face to face. I owe her my happiness and she will always have my love.
    I planned to have a strong will but Kari is not Tess. I haven’t rehearsed what I will say. I haven’t come up with any lies to make her feel better. In my mind and body I am resolved to stop this right here and now, no matter what. No matter what my evil twin says about it. I will not continue to wreck my life and the lives of those I love. I can’t imagine my Kari with another man but I can’t go on hurting her and pushing the pause button on her life as if it belongs to me. I love her too much for that.
    Kari’s eyes were on me. She was scrutinizing my every move. This made me nervous as shit. Mostly I’m just miserable. I wish someone had drugged me. I had to do this. I had to end this game before it went into overtime.
    “This isn’t going to work. I can’t see you anymore. It’s over between us.”
    She was silent , motionless, composed. I was waiting for her to Jap out. She just stood there and glared at me like she was Cruella de Vil. A very beautiful Cruella de Vil but Cruella de Vil just the same. Kari could be in the same fog I’m in. Minutes seemed to pass between us before I decided to say something, anything to expedite this finale.
    “Kari?”
    “Yes, Mason.” Her voice was cold, just as cold as mine.
    “I cancelled the Visa.” That was true but I put five thousand dollars in her bank account. It was a severance package of sorts. I felt guilty and I thought I had to do something. I’m not going to tell her I put the money there. Next time she checks her savings account she will see it and maybe she