The Safe Bet (The Game Changers #3) Read Online Free PDF Page B

headed,” Brock said as he buckled his seatbelt.
    My body was strung tight, and I felt like I was going to explode at any second. Why, why, why wouldn’t he just leave me alone?
    Still parked in my spot, I white-knuckled the steering wheel. “She’s not yours, if that’s what you’re thinking.”
    “That’s not what I was thinking. She’s just…it’s like you were cloned.”
    “She’s Jordan’s daughter. That’s Meyer. I’m sure he’s told you about her. Now, will you leave me alone now?” I hated how I suddenly sounded weak. Only he had this kind of power over me.
    “We don’t have to be enemies. Just tell me what I did to make you never want to see me again, because for the life of me I can’t figure it out.”
    When I didn’t answer, he let out a frustrated sigh. Yeah? I know the feeling. I was frustrated with myself as well. I had been for a long time, and I didn’t see any relief in my future.
    “I can’t forget about you, Reagan. If I could, I would have already.” Then he climbed out of my car. Seconds later his truck roared past me, and I was left feeling like I had lost him all over again. Maybe I lost a piece of myself this time. I couldn’t be sure, but I knew something was definitely broken inside of me.
    Later that night, long after I had locked myself away from Brock and Jordan and the drama, the memories returned. I knew it was only a matter of time before the nightmares took over.
     

 
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Chapter Five
     
     
    September 2008
     
    I saw him on a Saturday. He was just like I remembered. Maybe he had a few more tattoos, but otherwise he looked exactly the same. He approached me with his signature smirk firmly in place and a walk that spoke of his confidence. “Well, well, well, if it isn’t little Reagan Anders.”
    “Adam!” I quickly closed the last of the distance between us and gave him a hug, forgetting for a moment that anyone from high school was an unwelcome sight. Adam was the kind of guy who made you forget your troubles. He was just Adam. He had always been different, the nice guy, the one who put everyone else before him.
    “What are you doing here?”
    “I’m visiting my mom. Seattle is in between us, so it’s easier to meet here for a short visit. What about you?” I didn’t want to tell him more on the off chance he would speak to others, one person in particular. I was still in the avoiding stage, and by avoiding Brock, I had to avoid everything else associated with him.
    “I have a bar close to Pike’s Place called Hank’s. I just inherited it and plan to renovate it as soon as I can. Come by and have a drink sometime.”
    The news that he ran a bar had me pausing my escape. “What happened to painting?”
    He shrugged. “It doesn’t always pay the bills. There’s a mural at the bar.” Adam lifted a hand to scratch his jaw then added, “You should really come by, Rea.”
    Rea. He called me the nickname Brock used to call me. There’s no way Adam could know what happened. He wasn’t there. Sure, he and Brock were friends at one time and might still be, but Brock was never one to hold deep conversations with anyone…well, anyone but me.
    I shook my head, trying to escape the memories. This was what I had been trying to evade. Even after all these years, thinking about Brock still pierced my heart in the most unpleasant way. It seemed it didn’t matter how much time passed, the mere mention of his name caused a physical reaction so automatic that no amount of self-help books or psychology classes could make it stop. The churning sensation I was feeling paired with a dry mouth that made it difficult to swallow was only the beginning. I had been through all the defense mechanisms: denial, repression, regression, displacement, projection, reaction formation, intellectualization, rationalization, and now sublimation. I had been moving on with life. Now, it seemed Adam was forcing me to head right back into denial with one