Once inside, she took her bag from me and headed to her room. My bedroom door was closed, hiding my guitar and what little I had with me. While Hailey had been in the hospital, I’d hit the nearby mall to pick up some clothes. Nothing fancy. Just long-sleeved T-shirts, jeans, and boxer briefs. I’d also bought workout clothing. Even when I was busy writing songs or on tour, I always worked out. As sad as it was, looks were everything in this industry when it came to the female fans. It was part of the fantasy. Theirs, not mine. But working out helped me deal with my demons, so I didn’t care either way.
“You never did mention where you’re staying,” Hailey said as I hung up my coat.
I gave her a look, the one that said, Guess.
“Sorry, not happening.” She folded her arms across her chest. She was always willing to help people, even strangers, but as soon as she got an idea in her head, there was no swaying her—most of the time. Only, I knew her kryptonite.
“Tell you what.” I glanced pointedly at the foosball table. “One game. If I win, I get to stay. If you win, I’ll find somewhere else to stay.”
The old Hailey would have jumped at that, since she usually beat me. This time a hint of uncertainty clouded her eyes. If what Kayla had said was true, Hailey hadn’t played foosball in a while. She was as rusty as I was. Maybe even more so.
And that was what I was counting on.
The competitive streak I loved so much in her came to my rescue. “Okay. You’re on.”
Chapter 11
Hailey
Before we had left the hospital, a nurse checked up on me. Well, more like checked up on Nolan, who hadn’t arrived yet to pick me up. She wanted to know more about Tyler and Alyssa’s relationship.
I had no idea if she’d been asking because she was a member of the Tylyssa fan club (and yes, I thought the name was stupid too) or because she hoped the rumors about the couple were false, which would give her an excellent chance of hooking up with him while he was in town.
Either way, it reminded me I didn’t have a chance with Nolan. He was way out of my league. Maybe even more so because he’d once been my best friend. He knew all my quirks.
And this was why his staying in my apartment was a bad idea. That, and just knowing he was in the room next to mine, just knowing how much I wanted to kiss him, just knowing how much my body ached to have him touch me like I wanted to touch him…all of this would turn his stay into my own personal torture. The Spanish Inquisition had nothing on this.
I’d planned to stomp my foot like a petulant toddler if it meant I’d get my way. What I hadn’t counted on, though I should’ve known better, was for Nolan to challenge me to a game of foosball.
He knew I couldn’t say no. I should have, given I hadn’t played the game in five years. But if I was out of practice, so was he.
“Okay. One game. I win and you’re out of here.” I wanted to add that he would be on the next plane back to L.A., but I didn’t want to push my luck. I knew him well enough to be aware that, much like me, once he got an idea in his head he’d follow through on it. And if I was completely honest with myself, a large part of me was thrilled I still meant that much to him. He was putting his life and his girlfriend on hold to help me remember.
He might not have wanted to remember what happened the night his mother and sister were murdered, but I wanted to know why I’d been in Westgate and figure out why I’d been attacked. Bonus points if the guy was caught and tossed in jail.
“What color do you wanna be?” he asked.
“Red.” Why break tradition? Especially when tradition usually had me winning.
We got into position. It didn’t take long for me to realize my original belief was way off center. I might have grown rusty at the game during the past five years, but clearly I was the only one to have suffered that fate.
“You’ve been practicing,” I huffed as my player pelted the ball down the field.
Nolan’s player intercepted it and kicked it in the opposite direction. “Actually, I haven’t.”
Before I could react and block the ball, his player sent it flying into the goal.
To win the game.
The stupid sun picked that moment to peek from behind the clouds. Sunlight streamed into the room, highlighting Nolan in its warm, muted glow. Even the angels were conspiring against me.
I silently cursed my goalie for its betrayal.
To his credit, Nolan didn’t burst into a cheer at his win. His mouth, though, couldn’t resist enjoying my moment of defeat. It jerked into that sexy smirk of his. The sexy smirk I wanted to slap off his face.
Or kiss off.
“How about best of three?” Hey, it was worth a try.
Nolan shook his head. “To echo what you said earlier: sorry, not happening.” He laughed, and my traitorous body responded to the deep sexy sound. Only my brain agreed that having Nolan stay with me was a terrible idea.
“Fine.” No one had ever accused me of being a sore loser. “I’m going back to work tomorrow. So you’ll have the apartment to yourself for most of the day.”
“Already? But you just got out of the hospital.”
“I know, but maybe I’ll remember something if I go back.”
He couldn’t argue with that.
“I’m coming with you.”
I barely fought the urge to roll my eyes. “I don’t need a babysitter, Nolan. It’s not like anyone will attack me there. Not in broad daylight. I promise you, I’ll be safe.”