His Heart Knew Before He Did novel Chapter 7

Lydia had never met a man so utterly shameless. She yanked her hand back with an icy glare.

"Coach Vance, you're supposed to be a professional. Watch your behavior."

"It was a joke." Xavier stepped back, scoffing as he furrowed his brow. "Fine, don't then."

He grabbed a shirt from a chair, threw it on, and walked over to the window.

When he looked back, he had a cigarette between his fingers, leaning against the wall and staring at her like nothing had happened.

"Did you find an apartment?"

Lydia ignored the question and cut to the chase. "Coach Vance, rein in your friend. Calling me yours is wildly inappropriate."

Pale smoke obscured Xavier's face, his lazy drawl carrying through the haze.

"Yeah, maybe a little."

Lydia kept her tone flat. "And whether you're messing with me or being serious, I am not interested. You are not my type."

A flash of darkness swept through his eyes.

Xavier hunched his shoulders slightly, taking one last drag before crushing the cigarette into an ashtray.

As the smoke cleared, he narrowed his eyes at her. "Then change your type."

Talking to him was like talking to a brick wall.

Completely pointless.

Impossible to communicate with.

Lydia turned to leave, but he called out. "Wait. I'm off work in a minute. I'll drive you back."

"I don't need it."

"The buses stopped running."

"I'll take a cab."

"A cab back to town is going to cost you over a dozen bucks."

"..."

"Relax," Xavier lied smoothly. "I'm a total gentleman. Just trying to be a good friend."

"..."

"Lydia, you sneaked back home without even telling me. If Carter hadn't mentioned it, I would have thought you were still in the city."

Lydia snapped back to reality, her voice devoid of emotion. "I was too busy. I forgot."

Unused to her coldness, Simon frowned. "You've changed. You used to tell me everything. Why are you acting like this now..."

"Simon," Lydia cut him off, making sure her tone was icy. "You are engaged now. I think it's best we keep our distance."

The words instantly shattered the atmosphere.

After a long pause, Simon pulled a red invitation card from his pocket and handed it to her.

"Lydia, I'm getting married on the fifteenth of next month. I hope you can make it. You know I've... I've always seen you as my sister."

Lydia's heart plummeted into a pit of ice.

Simon had traveled all the way across the province just to hand her a wedding invitation.

"Alright, I'll be there." Lydia's grip on the card tightened until her knuckles turned white. "If that's all, I'm going inside."

"Lydia... I..." Simon hesitated, guilt and shame coloring his face. "I'm sorry. I know how you feel. I've known for a long time... I couldn't bear to push you away when you treated me so well, but I also refused to cross that line..."

"We come from the same background. You can't help my career... If we were together, life would be too hard. Her family comes from untouchable wealth. For the sake of my future, I have to marry her."