Page 30 of Playing Hard to Hate

TATUM

PRESENT

Mom’s face appeared on my screen, and I quickly answered her video call, a wide smile pulling at my lips.

“Hi!” I exclaimed. I loved phone calls with my mom. She was my best friend, and I could come to her about anything.

She and my dad had worked hard to give me a normal childhood. I spent all of my holidays with them and my older brother Dustin. Family was important to all of us, and I loved how close we all were.

“Hey, baby. You’re glowing. I was a little worried after I saw the news article about that shooting. You were named, Tatum. Are you okay?”

I blew out a soft breath, my light dimming. Her brows were pulled low over her eyes, and I could hear Dad and Dustin murmuring in the background, no doubt eavesdropping.

“I don’t really want to talk about it,” I told her honestly. “If I do, I’ll cry and freak out, and I just…I’m tired of crying, Mom.” She nodded understandingly. “I’m sure the news article covered everything. But I’m okay, as much as I can be right now. Fin was there, and he…he helped.”

“Griffin?” she asked, her brows arching onto her forehead. “I saw his name in the article, that he saved you. But he was there? With you? At your condo?”

I flushed and nodded just as the front door opened. Millie walked in with sunglasses over her eyes, no doubt suffering from a hangover. She threw a wave in my direction before heading straight to her bedroom. I focused back on my phone.

“Yes, he was here,” I said, answering my mom’s question. I grabbed a bottle of water and headed out onto the balcony so I could talk to her in private without my nosy best friend butting in. “We, um…might be together now?”

Mom squealed. I laughed. Dustin poked his head into the picture, frowning at me. “If he hurts you again, he’s got me to answer to,” he said. I loved this about my brother. He was overprotective, but he also knew how to step back and let me make my own decisions, my own mistakes, and my own choices.

I snorted. “I can handle myself, Dustin.”

He grinned at me. “Never have to with me having your back, little sis.”

Mom shoved him away before beaming at me. “All my dreams for my baby girl are coming true,” she gushed. “Now”—she settled in her recliner—“tell me everything.”

I jolted upright in my bed, blinking away the nightmare and looking around my dark room. It had been years since I had a dream like that.

The kind where your wildest dreams come true.

When Mom initially passed away, I used to dream about what our life could have been like had Dad not left. I loved to imagine Dustin as this perfect, overprotective brother. I loved to see Mom smiling.

It was always extremely hard to wake up and come to terms with my reality. I suffered from depression for the first six months. I spent most of the day sleeping because, in my dreams, Mom was still alive.

Millie was ranting. Raving actually. Throwing her arms around. Pacing. She was out of her mind, tears in her eyes, as she apologized for not being there with me that night. It was the first time we’d seen each other in a few weeks. Both of our schedules were so crazy busy.

“I just…” She sniffled, swiping at her cheeks. “You could have died that night, Tate. I could’ve lost my best friend in the whole entire world.” She sank onto the couch beside me. I quickly drew her into a hug.

“I was okay,” I told her quietly, not really wanting to talk about this. Besides the fact that I couldn’t handle going into the grocery store, life had continued on as normal. “Fin was there, and he…he saved me, Millie.”

She swiped at her eyes and frowned at me. “Fin? You’re calling him that again?”

A blush stole over my cheeks as I nodded.

And then, I began to recount to my best friend everything that happened over the two weeks, the way he held me at the beach, how we shared a bed, the kiss.

When I finally had it all out in the open, she squealed and launched herself at me, almost knocking us to the floor.

“Don’t rush into anything with him, Tate. Promise me. I know he’s this big-time up-and-coming baseball star, crushing records, taking over the legacy of Jaxon Dexter! I just…I just don’t want this all going to your head.” She held my hands, making sure she had all my attention.

“It won’t.”

“No, Tate. He has hurt you, and I know he’ s handsome.

I know he sometimes says the right things, but he hasn’t always done the right things.

I’d hate for you to fall for his charm and not his actions.

You’ve worked really hard to get to where you are now.

Don’t let him swoop in here and ruin your progress. ”

“I’m not that same weak girl anymore. I won’t just drop everything for him. I have a career. I have a life. But you’re right, I’ve been acting on my feelings and not logic. I thought you wanted me to be with him?”

“I want you to be happy. If he’s going to get you there then, girl, I am all for it, but if he’s going to drag you down and bring you back to the girl you were four years ago, I won’t allow it.

I just won’t.” Millie had been the one constant in my life.

Regardless of how low I sunk, she always remained there by my side holding me up, even when I didn’t deserve it.

I wanted to be happy too, but I was so scared of history repeating itself. Popularity broke up our friendship, fame did terrible things to a person, and the bigger his name got, the bigger his ego would grow, and the more cleat chasers who would want him. I didn’t want to fight for his attention.

I didn’t want to chase him like the rest of them. I wanted him to chase me.

“No, you’re right. I’ve been tripping over him. Fucking tripping, like a lovesick puppy.”

Griffin

Hey… I know we just saw each other yesterday, but I’m having a bad day. Can we do di nner?

I frowned at Griffin’s message, worried about him. What could have happened since I left the photo shoot? Did he get into a fight with one of the twins? Did something happen with his team?

Tatum

What happened?

Griffin

Can you come here? I’ll have food delivered. Whatever you feel like eating, kitten. Just need you.

My heart skipped a beat in my chest at his last sentence.

Just need you . But despite his sweet words, I didn’t trust him.

I’d been burned before, and if things ended between us, it was my career that would go up in flames, not his.

As it was, I had gained 28,000 followers since we did the photoshoot, much more than I was anticipating.

Girls I had never met were leaving hate comments on my old posts.

‘ You don’t love him.’

‘ Imagine thinking you can get with Silver.’

‘I’d look so much better with him.’

The negative comments seemed to be never ending, which wasn’t what was driving me nuts. Rather my DMs were out of control, with grown men sending me messages they’d be too afraid to ever say out loud.

‘I know how to treat a woman like you.’

‘Come sit on it.’

‘You. Me. Tomorrow 8pm.’

‘Why don’t you give a real man a chance?’

Being in the public eye was not desirable.

Thankfully, there hadn’t been an article about us in a few days.

Rumors of Brad Pitt and Angelia Jolie getting back together had stolen the attention of every paparazzi on the planet.

But I was scared for Griffin and me to become a topic for the gossip magazines again.

Tatum

What about the paps?

Griffin

Hunter and Graham are outside your building now. Wear the hat I gave you, keep your head down, and get in the back seat. You won’t be seen.

Tatum

You sent them without me accepting?

Griffin

Knew you’d say yes.

Tatum

Changed my mind. I’m not interested in seeing you.

Griffin

Get in the car, Tate. I need to see you.

Tatum

I’m not a booty call.

Griffin

*GIF: man wiggling brows*

Not what I had in mind…

But anything can be arranged.

Graham and Hunter were waiting for me downstairs, and I slid into the back seat as instructed. We made light conversation on the hour drive to their place. They mostly spoke to each other, and I scrolled on my phone, answering messages and comments on my recent posts.

“You’re really an influencer, huh?” Hunter asked, knowing it was more a dig at me than genuine curiosity.

“Yup.” I didn’t bother looking up at him. He’d always irritated me. Graham was the innocent one, but Hunter, on the other hand, was the instigator.

“You using Silver to get a bigger following?” This time I did look up. Glaring at him, I fought the urge to tell Graham to pull over, that I’d find my own way home.

“Okay, enough. Don’t do that shit. You’re a prick,” Graham answered for me, punching his brother on the shoulder from the driver’s seat, not taking his eyes off the road.

“Thanks.” I gestured to Graham and crossed my arms over my chest, slitting my eyes further. “Any other questions for me?”

“Uh, nah. We’re good.” Hunter turned back to the front for the rest of the drive, staying conversation-free.

The house they parked in front of was a small, two-story home in a quiet, family-oriented neighborhood.

A Jeep and an SUV were parked in the driveway.

Graham parked by the curb, and I slid out of the car just as Griffin stepped onto the porch, a big grin pulling at his lips.

I ducked my head and ran into the house, not stopping to greet him, so worried I’d be seen.

“You better explain to Hunter that I’m not here to gain new followers, that I don’t need your help to do that,” I told him, taking the hat off and shaking out my hair as he closed the front door behind the twins.

“You said that?” He whirled around on his friend.

“Someone has to watch out for you.” Hunter raised his hands in defense.

“Nah, bro. That wasn’t cool,” Graham commented, brushing past me and heading for the kitchen where he pulled a beer from the fridge.

Griffin turned back to me, ignoring Hunter who stormed past us. “Thank you for coming,” he said softly.