Apex: MM Sports Romance (Faster Book 3) by Victoria Denault

Author:Victoria Denault [Denault, Victoria]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781739002619
Published: 2023-11-16T16:00:00+00:00

18 GABRIEL

Dinner tonight isn’t staged so I decide we’ll kind of wing it. My plan is to wander the strip, check out some of the gaudy, ridiculous sites, and then find some food along the way. I don’t know why, but just the idea of hanging out with Axel has me smiling. I mean, I do know why, and it’s not just because I hope the night will end the way our last date did. Although, that’s definitely got me smiling. It’s just that I really like his company. I think he’s fast becoming a friend. I haven’t really had one of those, except Grady, in a long time. And the friends I have made in my life—mostly from school—have kind of drifted out of my life. It’s hard to hold onto friendships when you’re bouncing around the world for work eight months of the year.

I take my time getting ready, showering, shaving, and putting on extra aftershave. Picking out my outfit takes longer than normal too, which is stupidly simple—a pair of beige cotton shorts and a navy linen buttoned shirt with no collar and the sleeves rolled up to my elbows. And I toss on some navy leather running shoes from my dad's new shoe collection because we'll be walking a lot.

I had sent a text to Axel earlier and he said we’d meet in the lobby at seven, but by seven fourteen I feel like I’m being stood up. He’s nowhere in sight. I text him and he doesn’t answer, but I can tell he’s seen the message on WhatsApp. I start to get annoyed.

I see Grady walk by and he stops. “Hey. What are you doing standing here?”

“I’m waiting for…” I take a beat. “My boyfriend.”

He smiles. “You lose him on the walk from the hotel room to the lobby?”

Right. Of course people think he's staying with me. That's what boyfriends do. I laugh too but it comes out tight and fake because it is. "No. He's doing a work thing and was going to meet me here.”

“Oh cool.” Grady takes a step but stops and turns back to me. “I’m happy for you. Surprised, but happy. You never mentioned him or anything.”

"I know. I just… I wasn't sure where this thing with Axel was going until… we just kind of got there." I run a hand through my hair, hoping my vagueness is acceptable. "And besides, you've been preoccupied with your team and stuff."

He grins a little at the word stuff. He knows I mean his boyfriend Ben.

“Okay well, I’m always here for ya, buddy,” He claps my shoulder. “If you guys are going outside, good luck. I tried to go for a run out there, and I sweated off half my body weight. It’s gross.”

He disappears towards the elevators and then a hotel employee walks by and asks if I need help—directions or anything. I know he’s just doing what he’s told to do—take extra special care of a V.I.P. guest—but I feel more annoyed.

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