Free Traded by Lorhainne Eckhart Page A

was hurting, and I needed to hear from him that it was over, but he never gave me that courtesy. Maybe I’m not as ‘take it or leave it’ or ‘love them and leave them’ as you and Troy, but what he did to me, calling the cops, saying I was harassing him…that wasn’t fair. I didn’t harass him. I was devastated that he left, that he wouldn’t call me back. He never said one word about ending anything. He just left when he got his offer. That was cruel and unjustified.”
    “Maybe so, Chris, but he was also a coward, and calling the cops on you was his way of having them tell you what he didn’t have the balls to tell you himself. It was a crappy thing to do, I agree, but you’ve got to be smarter about guys like that. If a guy is really into you, he’s going to call you. He’s going to pursue you, so don’t be giving it away for free. You need to make him earn it.”
    She felt ashamed, sitting in that seat, as he pulled up in front of her three-story walkup. She touched the handle, about to open the door and climb out, but instead she slid around on the dark leather and faced him.
    “Thanks, Myles, really.”
    He nodded, staring out ahead. “I’ve made some decisions as of late. I’m considering retiring.”
    That was the one thing she hadn’t expected. “Oh, why, Myles? Is this because of what happened?” He would know what she meant: the fumble that cost the team their spot in the playoffs.
    “Partly. I have a lot to consider. I’m making just under a hundred thousand a week, and I’ve saved nothing. This is make or break time, Chris. Reality is that I’m likely to be dropped, and everything out there, including the endorsement deals, is drying up. No one’s knocking on the door of the guy who was responsible for fumbling in the playoffs. I don’t have a big college degree like some of these guys, so I’ve started diversifying lately, invested in a franchise. But I’ve got an offer on the table to coach.”
    “What?” She’d never in a million years thought he’d consider coaching. “Where?”
    “University, Vanderbilt. They came to me a while ago. They’ve been holding the position, but they need an answer.”
    “Are you going to take it?”
    He watched her for the longest time and then took a breath. “Yes, and I want you to come with me.”
    She couldn’t just leave, pack up, and go across the country to Nashville. She was building a life here.
    “Come on, Chris. I want you to think about it. You need a fresh start, and you can have it there. How often do you get a chance to start over?”
    She couldn’t answer that. She wanted to say no as she thought of Jake, but then the hurt came with it. There was no way she could stick around and watch him build something with a woman who’d kicked him to the curb. She couldn’t be that girl ever again, pining for a man who didn’t want her. “Can I think about it?”
    “Yeah, think about it. We’ll talk tomorrow. But I’m serious, Chris. Sometimes you’ve got to know when you’re done and it’s time to move on.”
    She nodded, more to herself, because on some level she knew he was right. She slid open the door and stepped out shoving it closed behind her as she waved to him. She fumbled her keys in the lock at the door, and as soon as the door closed, she heard her brother drive away. Her eyes ached, her head was spinning, and she wanted nothing more than to curl up on her bed and have a good cry.

Chapter 15
    Having Jill stay in his hotel room wasn’t what he’d expected, but after she dropped her little bomb on him, he’d been shell shocked. He still was this morning, considering that not long ago, this was exactly what he’d wanted. Now he couldn’t help feeling regret, questioning everything he’d set in motion. He stared at his cell phone as he listened to the shower running. He was relieved to have a moment to himself without Jill hovering. He was starting to question the wisdom of all the choices he’d made.
    If