Come to the game with me this weekend.

The text from Jordan is a simple request, but the deeper message behind his words is one that scatters my thoughts into immediate chaos.

He wants me to go to Tampa Bay this weekend. To watch him while he plays. To possibly sleep with him in his hotel room at night, but let’s be real—sleep is code for having sex. Which in turn, means we’re going to actually have sex.

We’ve done it before. It should be no big deal. But he’s gone on to have sex with supermodels and I’ve gone on to have sex with…regular guys. Not even enough to count on one hand. Will I measure up?

Does he think we’re moving too fast? Do I seem too easy? I did, after all, grind on his dick until I came on his jeans. Talk about immature.

My cheeks are hot just thinking about last night. Worse, I never, uh, serviced him in return. I’m the most selfish, orgasm-seeking monster on this planet.

“What are you reading that’s got you looking like that?”

The familiar voice startles me and I drop my phone onto the table with a clatter, glancing up to find Cade watching me with an amused look on his face.

He is the last person I want to see right now. Lena already gave me a lecture this morning about how I need to let Cade know that I’m not interested in him beyond being his friend, and I know she’s right, but I don’t want to hurt his feelings.

I also know I can’t string him along. That’s not right. Not at all.

“Nothing really,” I say, keeping my voice purposely casual. I turn my phone over so neither of us can see if Jordan texts me again. I took a late lunch since it’s been so busy today, and I’m in the lunchroom eating a sandwich I packed that isn’t very good. It sits forgotten on the table beside my phone, and I grab it, rewrapping the sandwich in aluminum foil and then balling it up. I’ll toss it in the trash when I leave the breakroom.

“How’ve you been?” Cade doesn’t bother asking if he can sit with me. Instead he pulls a chair out and plops his butt in it, smiling at me. “Crazy morning, huh?”

“Very,” I agree, flinching when my phone buzzes again. My fingers crawl toward the phone like I have no control of them, but I don’t pick it up.

I refuse to look at it in Cade’s presence.

“Can’t believe it’s already Thursday,” he says.

“Same,” I say weakly. More like it’s only Thursday and my life has completely and totally changed in a matter of a few days.

“So.” His hesitation is like a warning, and I know without a doubt he’s going to ask me out. “What are you up to this weekend?”

What is up with the men in my life trying to be a part of my weekend plans? What’s even crazier is that I go from having zero attention from any guy to two of them trying to get all up in my business in a matter of minutes.

“I’m not sure yet,” I say haltingly, which is the absolute truth.

“Want to get together? Check out a movie, maybe?” He’s smiling. His eyes are sparkling. Cade is a very attractive man.

But after everything that’s happened with Jordan, and realizing my feelings for him never really died, I know Cade is not the man for me.

“Cade…” My voice drifts and I sit up straighter. His smile fades, and I know he knows I’m about to turn him down. “I’d like to go to the movies with you, but I’m actually—seeing someone else.”

Making that declaration causes my heart to start racing. The words are out there. I’ve just turned Cade down because I am involved with Jordan. Again. I’m trying my best to fight against it, yet the doubt is there. Taking residence in my brain.

You’ve gone down this road before and failed—sure you want to do it again?

I ignore the negative voice inside my head and focus on Cade. His eyebrows are so far up they’re practically in his hairline. “Well. You definitely move fast.”

I’m slightly offended by his comment—and the tone of his voice. “It happened fast,” I snap defensively.

“Let me guess.” He rises to his feet and snaps his fingers like he just had a revelation. “You’re getting back together with your ex. Tuttle.”

My mouth drops open but then I clamp it shut. Guess he’s more perceptive than I realized. “We’re, um, kind of seeing each other again. Yeah.”

“Right.” He nods, his expression totally shut off. No more friendly Cade for me. “I should’ve known. You two were acting weird around each other Monday night.”

“It was…awkward. I hadn’t seen him in years.” Were we that obvious?

Probably.

“And it’s only Thursday,” Cade points out. “Obviously he knows how to get to you. Sent you the flowers on Tuesday, took you out, and must’ve convinced you that you two belong together. Again. All in the matter of approximately forty-eight hours. Am I right?”

I blink up at him, shocked by the venomous edge to in his voice. Why is he so angry?

Rising to my feet, I cross my arms almost defensively. “We have—history between us. And it’s something we still want to explore.”

Cade rolls his eyes. “Sure. Whatever you say. So you bring me along to that game and play me like a fool.”

I try to withhold my wince. He’s sort of right. And I feel terrible about it. “We didn’t mean for it to happen.”

“I find that hard to believe.”

Dropping my arms, I rest my hands on my hips. “Listen, you don’t need to take your aggression out on me.”

A huff of surprise escapes him. “What are you talking about?”

“I turn you down as nicely as I can, and you’re downright—hostile.” My blood is boiling. Like seriously, who does he think he is? “What gives you the right to start yelling at me?”

“I wasn’t yell—”

I cut him off. “You raised your voice at me and you know it. You’re not my boyfriend, Cade, not that the title gives you any right to talk to me like that. We’ve gone on two dates. That’s it.”

“You led me on,” he accuses, and for the tiniest moment, I feel guilty.

Cade’s not too far off the mark. I might’ve used him on Monday so I didn’t have to go to that game and face Tuttle alone. That was wrong of me.

“Two dates isn’t leading someone on.” I lift my chin, trying to ignore how my body is starting to shake. “I apologize if I made you feel that way, though.”

I am the bigger person for apologizing. That’s what I’m telling myself. He really doesn’t deserve my apology. He should say sorry to me.

Cade doesn’t bother acknowledging my saying sorry either. The jerk.

“Jordan Tuttle is rich. And famous. I can’t compete with that, when he’s showering you with attention and money and gifts. But just know this. I’m a regular guy.” He points his thumb at his chest. “I’ll always be here when Tuttle won’t be. Remember that.”

And with those last words, Cade exits the lunchroom without a backward glance.

Shock courses through me as I pick up my phone with shaky fingers. I see that Jordan has sent me two more texts.

It’ll be fun, I promise.

I want you there with me.

Cade’s words ring through my mind as I try to come up with a response for Jordan. I hate how easily it is for me to doubt him after what Cade said. That’s stupid. I barely know Cade.

And I’ve known Jordan forever.

I can’t afford the plane ticket, is my response.

He texts back immediately. Give me a break, Mandy. I got you.

I smile when the next text appears on my screen.

I got you in more ways than you’ll ever know.

Flirt, I respond.

He sends me a bunch of kissy faced emojis, which is surprising. He was never one to express himself with emojis.

I send him blushy faced ones in return.

“Whoa, what happened between you and Cade?” Lena asks as she rushes into the lunchroom, heading straight for my table.

“What do you mean?” Apprehension ripples through me. I really hope Cade didn’t complain to her about me. He only just walked out of here, so he couldn’t have griped for too long.

“I passed him in the hall and he practically snarled at me when I said hi,” Lena explains, her eyes wide. “He’s always so nice. I didn’t know what his problem could be until I saw you sitting in here.”

“Gee, thanks a lot,” I say sarcastically as I set my phone down with a sigh. I don’t like how shaky that conversation with Cade made me feel, and I’m thankful it was Lena who walked in and not someone else. I need a friend now more than ever. “I was honest with him like you told me to be.”

“Oh.” Lena sits across from me at the table. “I guess he didn’t like to hear what you had to say.”

“Not at all,” I agree.

“What did you tell him?”

“Well, first he tried to ask me out on another date.” I see the flicker of disappointment in Lena’s eyes, but I push past it. “When I turned him down and said I was seeing someone else, he figured out quick who that someone else was.”

“Was he sad?” Lena asks.

“More like angry. He accused me of leading him on.”

“Well, I guess most guys don’t like to be turned down, and when you’re turned down because the woman you’re interested in is seeing a famous football player? That’s gotta hurt a little.” Lena winces.

“Yeah, I guess you’re right, but that still doesn’t give Cade the right to be mean to me.”

“I totally agree,” Lena says.

I hate how the doubt starts creeping up on me again. “I’m not even sure if this is the right thing to do.”

Lena frowns. “What do you mean?”

“I don’t know.” I shrug. “Should I keep seeing Jordan?”

“Do you want to keep seeing Jordan?” I can see the surprise etched all over my friend’s face. She probably thinks I’m insane.

I nod, startled by the sudden lump of emotion clogging my throat making me unable to speak.

“Then you should go for it.” She makes it sound so simple.

“He invited me to go watch his game this Sunday,” I tell her.

Lena’s eyes light up. “Oh, that’ll be fun. In the suite again?”

“No, in Florida.” I suck in a breath. “He wants me to go to his away game.”

“Oh. Wow.” Lena blinks rapidly, her brows shooting up. “That feels serious.”

It’s almost reassuring to hear her say exactly what I was thinking. “I know, and it scares me. Getting back together with Jordan…scares me a lot.”

As soon as I confess this, the relief that hits me is almost staggering. It feels so good, admitting my secret emotions to my friend.

Lena sits up straighter, her expression determined. “So. Is it a good fear or bad fear?”

She’s totally confusing me. “What do you mean?”

“I mean, does the thought of getting back together with Jordan make you feel…afraid? Like in a dark and foreboding way? Or is it more the fear of the unknown.”

Jordan has never scared me in a dark or foreboding way. I always felt safe with Jordan. Now, not so much, only because of the uncertainty of everything that’s happening between us. I know him, but I don’t. I understand him, yet I don’t.

Confusing, right? I make no sense. My emotions are a mixed-up jumble of insecure teenage Amanda and confident, grown-up Amanda.

“It’s the unknown,” I admit. “It could be great, but what if I mess it up again?” Or he could mess it up this time around.

“The only way you’ll know is if you try.” Lena reaches out and grabs my hand, giving it a little squeeze. “Would you rather try one more time? Or have a lifetime of regret?”

“Well, when you put it like that…” My voice drifts and I start to laugh, squeezing her hand in return. “I don’t like regret.”

“Then I guess we know your answer then.” She smiles.

I swallow hard, ignoring the way my stomach flutters with nerves.

I guess we do know my answer.