Secretly
Seventeen
“I feel like Patrick wants to break up with me,” Julie said un-expectantly from the passenger seat. Jon took his eyes off the road for a second to glance at her. They hadn’t talked about last night’s events, not surprisingly, but they were both going to pick Kaner up from the airport.
“Why do you say that?” Jon asked. That was completely out of the blue. If things were going south, he’d have heard about it already.
Julie looked thoughtful. “He’s not really the relationship type, you know? He’s always talking about you and your hook ups, and he sounds so sad. Like, he misses it. And it’s not a bad thing. I mean, I understand. He’s a hockey star, and frankly, I don’t think I’m good enough for him.”
Jon was so surprised by this that he slammed on the brakes a little too hard as they came to an intersection. “Jules,” Jon said, fully looking at her. “He’s crazy about you. And don’t think you’re not good enough for him. Because you are. He’s never been in a relationship that lasted longer than a week before. You’re good for him.”
Jon meant it, too. Nothing happened last night, no thanks to him. He’d been about to kiss her and probably fuck everything up. Really this time. And she definitely seemed like she wanted him to. But when his lips were a mere inch away, she’d turn her head.
And as frustrating as that was, Jon had to admire her will power. He certainly didn’t admire his own. Or lack of will power, anyway.
Julie just looked skeptical. “But he’s always talking about you and your one night stands. I think that’s all he wants right now. And honestly, I can’t listen to another one of his stories about which girl you’re doing this weekend. That’s not really --”
“Pump the brakes,” Jon interrupted. “He says I’m doing a different girl every weekend?”
“Every night,” Julie clarified unhelpfully.
“Why the hell would he--” Jon stammered. “I haven’t had—I haven’t done—Never mind. That’s not true. At all. I don’t know why--”
“Okay, okay,” Julie laughed. “I believe you. Calm down.” Jon sighed with relief. He needed Julie to believe him. He wasn’t some kind of man whore who went around doing girls.
Well, not lately anyway. Not since that almost kiss on Julie’s balcony and that same night with Jackie. He’d wanted to. There was nothing wrong with a good one-night stand to take your mind off things.
Except every time he’d brought a girl back to his place, it’d felt like he was cheating.
Which was absolutely ridiculous.
They’d entered the airport, and were waiting behind a line of cars trying to park.
“It’s just, I don’t think I’m up for it,” Julie confessed sullenly. He’d never seen her so unsure of anything. She looked small and vulnerable in the passenger seat. “I see girls look at me when I’m with him and even though they don’t say anything to my face, I know what they’re thinking: That I’m not worth his time.”
“Julie,” Jon said firmly. “He’d be an ass to break up with you.”
…..
Forty-five minutes later, Patrick sat in the passenger seat while Julie had opted to take a cab home.
Jon couldn’t believe this.
The asshole had broken up with her, right in the middle of O’Hare International.
“Why do you say that?” Jon asked. That was completely out of the blue. If things were going south, he’d have heard about it already.
Julie looked thoughtful. “He’s not really the relationship type, you know? He’s always talking about you and your hook ups, and he sounds so sad. Like, he misses it. And it’s not a bad thing. I mean, I understand. He’s a hockey star, and frankly, I don’t think I’m good enough for him.”
Jon was so surprised by this that he slammed on the brakes a little too hard as they came to an intersection. “Jules,” Jon said, fully looking at her. “He’s crazy about you. And don’t think you’re not good enough for him. Because you are. He’s never been in a relationship that lasted longer than a week before. You’re good for him.”
Jon meant it, too. Nothing happened last night, no thanks to him. He’d been about to kiss her and probably fuck everything up. Really this time. And she definitely seemed like she wanted him to. But when his lips were a mere inch away, she’d turn her head.
And as frustrating as that was, Jon had to admire her will power. He certainly didn’t admire his own. Or lack of will power, anyway.
Julie just looked skeptical. “But he’s always talking about you and your one night stands. I think that’s all he wants right now. And honestly, I can’t listen to another one of his stories about which girl you’re doing this weekend. That’s not really --”
“Pump the brakes,” Jon interrupted. “He says I’m doing a different girl every weekend?”
“Every night,” Julie clarified unhelpfully.
“Why the hell would he--” Jon stammered. “I haven’t had—I haven’t done—Never mind. That’s not true. At all. I don’t know why--”
“Okay, okay,” Julie laughed. “I believe you. Calm down.” Jon sighed with relief. He needed Julie to believe him. He wasn’t some kind of man whore who went around doing girls.
Well, not lately anyway. Not since that almost kiss on Julie’s balcony and that same night with Jackie. He’d wanted to. There was nothing wrong with a good one-night stand to take your mind off things.
Except every time he’d brought a girl back to his place, it’d felt like he was cheating.
Which was absolutely ridiculous.
They’d entered the airport, and were waiting behind a line of cars trying to park.
“It’s just, I don’t think I’m up for it,” Julie confessed sullenly. He’d never seen her so unsure of anything. She looked small and vulnerable in the passenger seat. “I see girls look at me when I’m with him and even though they don’t say anything to my face, I know what they’re thinking: That I’m not worth his time.”
“Julie,” Jon said firmly. “He’d be an ass to break up with you.”
…..
Forty-five minutes later, Patrick sat in the passenger seat while Julie had opted to take a cab home.
Jon couldn’t believe this.
The asshole had broken up with her, right in the middle of O’Hare International.