Falling For Her Enemy [Book #5]

Chapter 17

Three weeks later
Harper's POV
I regret it. I regret sleeping with Kai. The look on Landon's face, the things he said, it tore me up inside.

I haven't seen or heard from Landon since that day in his room. We've argued before, but that time, it was different. New feelings were involved.

A part of me wishes he had lashed out in anger. Yelled. Grabbed me. Anything. I was more familiar with that. I could handle that. But the visible look of betrayal, that I couldn't handle.

Shortly after I'd left the guys' place, I had Miles meet me at a local coffee shop. I confronted him about the picture. He didn't deny any of it. He apologized and begged me to give him another chance. I refused.

I wanted so badly to tell him I slept with someone else, but I couldn't even do it. It didn't real right. Not after what happened with Landon.

Hayden was pissed when I told him what Miles did. I intentionally left out the fact that I'd slept with Kai, a member of his rival team. I also chose not to tell him about what happened with Landon. It would just give him an excuse to start swinging at him again.

"Is it too late to add a few hydrangeas?"

I was pulled back into reality upon the elderly customer's request. I smiled and nodded at him. "Not at all. What color would you like?"

"The blue please." I grabbed two blue hydrangeas from the bucket and added it to the boquet in my hand. "Oh, and some whites ones too."

"Sure." I added two of the white hydrangeas before wrapping it in cellophane and tying a pink ribbon around it.

After getting the customer checked out, I headed to the back of the room for my break.

Jules smiled when she saw me. I returned the gesture. She's a real sweet girl. My aunt was super appreciative of the extra help and Jules was overjoyed to be able to work to support her unborn baby.

I grabbed my leftover pizza from last night out of the refrigerator and popped it into the microwave.

My aunt popped her head into the break room. "Hey, Harps. There's a real cute guy out here looking for you."

The moths return and my heart quickens. I leave the pizza in the microwave and return to the front desk.

The moths disappear when it's not who I expected. I fail to hide my disappointment. "Oh. Hey, Kai."

"Damn, I thought you'd be a little happier to see me."

"Sorry." I manage a smile.

He gives me a grin, one more natural and way less forced than mine. "It's cool. I'm just fucking with you."

He looks around the shop, nodding his head in approval before bringing his gaze back to me.

"Are you here to buy flowers?"

He stuffs his hands in the pocket of his jeans. "Nah. I came to check up on you."

"Really?" I question in surprise, adding in a dramatic gasp. "Who knew Kai 'Snake' Jimenez had the ability to feel with something other than his dick?"

He shakes his head, chuckling. "Cute, but I'm being serious."

The smile on my face falters. He clears his throat. "I know you have feelings for Landon. Or at least care about him in some way." I open my mouth to speak. "And don't lie, because you both suck ass at lying." My mouth closes.

My aunt appears by my side just as a customer approaches. Kai steps to the side and continues. "I'm not going to lie, after the night and morning we had, I definitely caught feelings. I mean, that shit you did with your-"

"Kai," I scold through gritted teeth, my face heating up because I can feel my aunt and the customer she's helping looking at me.

"Shit. My bad." An apologetic expression marks his handsome features. He scratches the back of his neck. "Anyway, um, I just wanted to say that I won't get in the way."

I was confused. "Get in the way?"

"Landon hasn't been the same and I know it's because of you. He won't admit it, but he cares about you."

I scoffed. "Please. If he did then he wouldn't have said the shit he did."

"He was hurt, Harper."

"So was I," I shoot back, accidentally raising my voice. I apologize when I see the look on my aunt's face.

Walking out from behind the counter, I realize how unprofessional this looks and have Kai follow me into the break room.

Jules becomes a nervous wreck when she spots Kai. All Kai did was wave and smile at her. Next thing I know, she's scurrying out of the room.

I fold my arms over my chest and resume the conversation Kai and I started. "Listen, I get you're trying to be a good friend, but there's nothing between me and Landon. And even if there was, we're better off as enemies."

Kai's brows knit together. He wants to say more but knows there isn't much else he can say to change my mind. So he passes me a boyish grin and heads out.

I go back over to the microwave to reheat my pizza and take a seat. The first bite wasn't as exciting as it would have been before Kai stopped by.

No longer hungry, I drop the pizza onto my plate and sigh. Lowering my head into my hands, I don't realize I'm crying until something warm and wet pelts my hand like raindrops.

In the midst of all the hate I felt for Landon, I'd starting catching feelings for him. I knew exactly when things started to change for us too. It was at the movie theater. That single exchange between us had changed the entire trajectory of my feelings.

Though I really wish it hadn't. Hating him is a whole lot easier than liking him. Everything is so complicated now. We scream and argue while somewhat acknowledging the sexual frustration we have for one another.

I let out a drawn out groan. Why did my heart have to have a change of heart? Why couldn't it continue to hate Landon Avery like it has been for the last few years? Now I'm not even sure who I hate more. Landon Avery or my heart.