Free Perfect Match by Kelly Arlia Page B

start.”
    “Weird. You guys seem so opposite.”
    “We are now. Kayla wasn’t always the way she
is now. She was, at one time, very down to Earth. She was funny and
vulnerable. She didn’t have the easiest home life, so she embraced
the wrestling school and all of us became her family. She and I got
close and kind of fell into a relationship. I loved her and cared
about her, but I knew she wasn’t the one I wanted to spend the rest
of my life with. When she got to BRAWL, she went headlong into her
character and hasn’t come back since. I was unhappy with her for
too long. I couldn’t bring myself to end things, because I felt
like she didn’t have anyone else in her life supporting her.”
    “I’ve spoken to her and she claims you were
mean to her and that you cheated on her with all the other
girls.”
    “I already told you that I never cheated on
anyone. I did date some of the other girls, after we broke up. One
was a day after, and she has never gotten over that. I was not mean
to her, just didn’t play into her act. She was once a sweet girl,
and then she went and got implants and became her character. She is
no longer Kayla Wagner, she is Kayla DeVine and I never wanted
Kayla DeVine. She never got over that.”
    “You dated another Goddess?”
    “A few.”
    “But not while you were dating her?”
    “Noelle, I am a man, but not an asshole.”
    “Well, Kayla thinks you are. She sure hates
you,” Noelle warned.
    Jackson got closer to Noelle and gave her a
sexy smile. “I don’t care if she hates me. She’s not the one I am
concerned about.”
    “Oh? Who are you concerned about?”
    He leaned in and was inches from placing his
lips on hers. He wanted to kiss her so much. He thought that she
would let him, but there were too many people here and way too big
of a chance for them to get found out. He knew that would hurt her
in the long run, so he just winked at her and said, “I just got my
best friend back. I don’t want you screaming that you hate me
again.”
    ***
    Noelle smiled and instantly the spell was
broken. He was so good at making her forget that she needed to stay
away from him. She felt better that he cleared up some questions
about Kayla. She had to admit that she was starting to believe that
he did not cheat on Kayla, and she was learning that Kayla would
say anything to hurt someone else. She wondered if she could get
past the fact that he hurt her when they were young and the even
bigger issue - she did not date wrestlers. The thing was for her,
there was a goodness about this man, that she wouldn’t be able to
push aside.
    “Well, we should get back to Chelsey and
Darin.” They walked back in silence, but it was a comfortable
silence. Noelle had a smile on her face and couldn’t stop smiling.
It was finally dark enough to start the bonfire and they could
smell it in the air as they approached the back yard.
    Jackson left her with Chelsey and Darin while
he went to grab them something else to drink. Chelsey looked at her
and raised an eyebrow, clearly wanting to know what the meaning of
their disappearance was. Noelle just smiled and sat down on the
bench beside her. There wasn’t much to tell. She felt like she and
Jackson had a secret moment and wanted to keep that way.
    She wasn’t seated for a minute when the new
guy, Alex, sat beside her. “Where did you disappear to? I have been
looking everywhere for the hottest girl here.”
    “Excuse me?” Noelle asked politely.
    “I haven’t been able to stop thinking about
you since I saw you earlier. You are so beautiful and I would love
a chance to get to know you tonight.”
    “Uh, thanks, but I’m hanging out with my
friends. I’m not really looking to meet anyone.”
    “I know you’re Larry’s daughter. Really? That
rule of his is crazy. Come on, let me take you out another night
then.”
    “Alex, thanks,, but I don’t think so.”
    He kissed her hand as he got, and said, “I’ll
make you change your mind.”
    Alex