Cohen
"What do you mean there's nothing we can do? I can't have her fucking up my life like she has done before. She needs to be fired!"
My patients is wearing thin and so is my energy. Ive been pacing this room since seven this morning waiting for Zach to answer my phone calls. He's lucky I waited till now to talk but honestly it was Ev that kept my phone away or I would've called early this morning.
I'm supposed to be at the gym right now but instead I'm on the phone with my manager and highly pissed off.
"I can't have her playing games with my career Zach!" I continue to spit out.
"Trust me I hate this just as much as you do. But it's kinda hard to come up with a justifiable reason for her to get fired plus she's under contract so something major besides You being upset with her will get her fired. As your manager I will do everything in my power to make sure she doesn't do anything to jeopardize your place on the team." He tells me I can tell he's trying to stay calm for my sake but my calmness jumped out the window when I read the note last night.
Looking forward to having dinners with you soon. Call me if you need anything your new PR -Taylor.
Knowing Taylor she's done this on purpose. She's been nonexistent in my life for the past six or so months and now all of a sudden she wants to come back here to Seattle. There's no need for her to be back since her brother and parents moved away right after we left so why the hell is she back and has to work on the same team as me?
"I wish there was more that I could do Cohen, I really do but like I said she's under a contract so there's not much I can say or do. We just need to be careful on what you say and do to keep your image good. I have your back don't worry." Zach tries to calm me down again but the thought of Taylor being back in my life somewhat and gets to control what I look like to the world has me fuming.
"One more fucking thing she gets to control in my life and we're not even together anymore. Damn it!" I say to myself right before I bang my hand against the guest bedroom wall.
"Cohen you'll be fine don't let her get the best of you man. I'll try to figure out if there's a way for us to keep our distance and I'll make sure if she needs to speak with you she speaks to me and only me."
I sigh feeling the tension building in my temples. All this stress and not sleeping is giving me a headache. I know Zach will do everything in his power to keep her at arms length but I still feel like she'll figure a way around it.
"Thanks Zach." I mumble as I rub my thumb against my throbbing temple.
"Just keep like you've been doing. Keep to yourself and make sure Ev watches what she says and does to, it can reflect bad on you and the coaches already said they didn't want to see a repeat of what happened to you before. It's not going to last forever Cohen." He sighs through the phone.
I know he's right but the thought of her being around makes me want to punch something or someone.
" I'm sorry to cut this short but I have meetings to attend to and I know you have training soon. Go get some rest and stop fucking hitting the wall you need your hand for Christ sakes! If you need anything else call me."
I tell him thanks again and sit on the edge of the guest bed. I throw my phone onto the bed beside me and rub my right hand with my left.
Now Ev is apart of this, she has to watch what she does and say and I fucking hate that. I don't want her to feel uncomfortable at all. I've already been through this in being in the public eye. Paparazzi and reporters are ruthless. The simplest shit can be turned into something so dramatic and severe so quickly.
It didn't take long for me to be painted as something I wasn't just from one photo that could be manipulated and twisted. Now my girl has to deal with that plus my ex wife. She doesn't deserve this.
****
Eight, nine, ten I count breathless as I curl my weight up doing my bicep curls. My music is blasting in my ears through my headphones just as loud as all my thoughts. I set the weight back in its original place and make my way over to the treadmill hopefully running will take my mind off all the bullshit going on.
I step onto the black belt of the treadmill and slowly crank the speed up so I'm half walking and half jogging. I haven't done cardio in a couple of days so I need to start off slow even though I can feel my feet wanting to push me faster. I tap the little grey triangle one more time up to increase the speed. I inhale a large breath and slowly breath out my nose steadying my pace.
I feel like I shouldn't be this wound up over Taylor I know she's doing this on purpose. Ever since the divorce she's been spiteful even with what she was telling my lawyer. Everything was my fault in her point of view. She didn't believe that I could handle the lifestyle and being a loyal husband. I click the little triangle one more time to up the speed.
Not once did I ever look or touch another woman that wasn't her while I was with her. She was my everything and she knew this.
She was beautiful and many men that were around us and on the team would admire her especially in the beginning but she never batted her eye towards them, so I thought. After seeing for myself she was cheating on me and I had left with no communication towards her the rumors and the lies started to spread just as fast as her legs did. I know I shouldn't talk so badly about a woman I was completely in love with but the hatred I feel towards her has no words. She would tip off reporters saying I was sleeping around with my teammates wife's, fiancés, or girlfriends which would lead to my face on the magazines and drama through out the media. She even went as far as to say I slept with my coaches wife and of course he believed her instead of me. I guess that's what happens when her father and the coach are good friends.
I press the button again to increase the speed.
She stole everything from me. My parents wanted nothing to do with me seeing as their son was ruining there name and making them look bad amongst their "friends" and to the world. It was bad for business so I was cut out of their lives. So much drama started with me and the team. No one trusted me,no one would even listen to me I became non existent to them, it showed on the field and started to lose badly. Everything hit the fan when the rumor about his wife and I sleeping together came out. I tried telling him over and over that I have never slept with anyone but my wife but he didn't believe me. It didn't take long for them to decide I was no longer worth it on their team.
I press the button three more times and I'm sprinting. I can feel my calves crying out to me to stop but with every memory flooding back in I push up the speed.
"Hey there Usain Bolt you need to slow it down a bit." I hear a familiar voice say as he pulls out my right ear bud.
"Leave me alone." I grab the earbud from him and place it in my ear. I stare at the tv screen in front of me that's playing some movie I've never seen before hoping he will walk away and let me finish my run.
Dark brown hair and tanned skin take up my vision making me look at him. I guess he can't follow directions.
"What Wyatt?" I huff out pulling my headphones out harshly and throw them into the pocket of the treadmill.
"You're running like you're training for the olympics what's going on?" He questions pressing the small arrow making me slow.
"It's noting just go." I take my eyes off of him and stare back at the tv.
I can see him giving me a pointed look out the corner of eye. I just want to be left alone so I can finish my run and go back home. I've been so messed up I my thoughts I left Ev with no explanation.
God, I keep fucking things up.
My headphones yet again get pulled out by none other than the idiot standing next to me. I don't want to talk about it right now. I don't want to explain my past to anyone. I'm tired of her name coming out of my mouth. She's done enough.
"I will keep standing here until you get off of this and tell me why you're acting weird." Wyatt says still staring at me with my headphones swinging back and forth.
"I'm not acting weird." I defend myself as I turn the speed down to me walking.
"Yes you are. Ever since the restaurant and you got that note. You can tell me what's wrong."
I stop the treadmill and wipe my face with my towel hanging from my gym shorts pocket. I know I can trust Wyatt the same way he trust me with his past. Maybe I could talk to him, I don't want Liam knowing more shit I've been through right now.
"You have beer?" I ask him hopping down to the floor.
"No but we can pick some up and head to mine. I know the girls are at your house planning and doing girly shit."
I give him a nod and go to the locker room to shower and get my bag before I head to my truck to follow Wyatt.We stop on the way to his house and grab a case of beer from the corner store. I know I shouldn't really be drinking since it's not part of my strict diet plan but I don't even care right now.
Less than ten minutes we're in his apartment sitting down in his living room on his couch both of us with a cold one in our hands. He turns on the tv and selects a random channel before setting himself back into his couch, I can see Wyatt wanting to ask me questions but trying to let me start talking first.
I lean back into the couch keeping my eyes on the little beads of water running on the glass of my beer. I haven't opened up about anything to anyone besides my girl and little brother now.
"So you have an ex wife?" Wyatt asks breaking the ice.
"Yeah unfortunately I do." I nod still looking at my beer.
He shifts on the couch so he faces me instead of the tv leaning his back into the corner of the couch and his feet planted on his carpeted floor.
"Did you know she was a PR rep before?" I'm grateful he's asking questions.
"Nah she was still in school when we were together and after our split I didn't care or want to speak to her."
"Damn." He says quietly as he takes a sip of his beer.
I shift myself opposite of him so I can begin telling him what's going on.
"If you really don't want to talk about it I not going to push you but I'm listening if you do."
I take another sip of my beer and begin telling him everything between Taylor and I. I start with how we met, how she helped me with my parents and Liam growing up and starting our lives in the NFL together.
I continue telling him about how I started with the chargers and how we were good but then started to struggle with me traveling a lot. He nods his head in agreement showing he understands and part me thinks maybe he's gone through something similar. I take the last sip of my beer and set it on the table. I sigh with annoyance knowing I'm about to tell him how Taylor shattered me. Completely.
We sit in quietness after I've poured everything out to him as if we were Ev and Avery. We're onto our third beer and and I can feel the room starting to tilt, pretty much the metaphor of my life right now.
I do feel better that I've opened up again to someone that's not part of the situation. After I told him everything I could see the questions going through his mind but I'm exhausted. The weight of everything is weighing on me and the fact that I've brought the woman I love into this drama makes me want to keep chugging beers all night.
"You look like you just got told you only have a couple of days to live. What's going on?" Wyatt tips his head questioning me.
I drag my free hand off my lap and push my hair out my face. "What if Ev can't handle this? What if Taylor messes everything up once again and I'm left with nothing like before. I couldn't handle that again."
He sits up to grab his beer off the coffee table in front of us and leans back still studying my face. "The only way you're going to find out is when you talk to her. After hearing the shit she's been through and seeing her with you I can tell she can handle this. Don't fuck it up for yourself before even talking to her about it."
"Your right. You're completely right man." I reply dragging my hand down my face.
"Just have a couple more beers since it's our day, stop over analyzing and relax man. Everything will be fine." He says I can tell he's on his way to being drunk by his monotone voice.
I stay for a few more hours only having one more beer. We keep talking about random stories that always lead back to either our football days now and in our younger years. The sun has been long gone. I sit up slightly fishing the phone out my pocket of my sweat pants.
"Fuck.me" I groan looking down at my phone.
"No thanks I plan on doing that with my girl. Not you. Not interested what so ever." Wyatt slurs out.
"Ev is going to be so pissed off at me. Fuck." I keep messing up.
I sit up and walk over to his kitchen throwing away my collection of beer bottles from his coffee table. I pick up my keys but realize I shouldn't be driving at all.
"I'm going to get an Uber and go home. I appreciate today man." I come up to the side of the couch Wyatt has thrown his huge body.
"Good go get your girl man." He raises his fist up for me to bump but before our fist meet his hand falls back on to his chest. Well he's drunk, drunk.
I head out the door and stumble out of his apartment and out to the parking lot waiting for my Uber to arrive. The cool air feels amazing against my flushed skin but the world is beginning to spin faster. God please help me.
Less than five minutes my Uber is here and I'm sliding into the back seat, that's the last thing I remember until now.
****
Everly
After I stormed off to our room last night and locked the door I took my leggings and hoodie off throwing them into the hamper and pulled on my favorite fleece pajamas and finished up with washing my face.
It didn't take but less than five minutes before Cohen was jiggling and pounding on the door for me to open it the whole time I was in our bathroom. Once I'm I'm finished I walk back into the bedroom not wanting to deal with him and only getting more irritated with every pound I grabbed his pillow and a throw blanket, right before he could bang on the door again I snatched it open and threw the blanket and pillow at him causing him to slightly stumble back. He tried getting to the door before I could close it but with him being incoherent from the level of alcohol in his system he made it to the door when it slammed in his face. A few more "please baby and don't be like this, let me explains we're mumbled through the door as I got situated under the bed covers. Finally after what seemed like an hour quietness took over and I was able to pass out with tears staining my pillow.
I ended up waking up this morning with a slight headache and still irritated. I didn't even bother getting dressed only brushing my teeth and fixing my messy bun. I open the door and practically fall over but catch myself. I look down to see a heap of a pillow, blanket and a large man lying on the floor. I push myself off the door frame to regain my balance still looking down at him as he slowly starts waking up. He really slept outside the door last night. Remembering I'm still mad Ev, still mad.
My foot hitting his side must've woken him. A low growl comes from the sleeping beauty and he looks up to see me glancing back at him as I turn away and walk down stairs.
****
"Are you going to keep ignoring me or can we talk?"
I keep looking at the condensation running down my glass of orange juice like it's the most interesting thing. Yes I'm ignoring him and as of this moment I don't know what to say or where to begin.
I have so many things to say, so many questions but I'm so pissed at him I just stay quiet.
After hearing a sigh and one of the cabinets open I glance up through my lashes. Cohen shakes the ibuprofen bottle a couple of times before two white pills slide into his palm. He opens his mouth putting the relievers in and takes his Gatorade and washes them down. His brows are furrowed together as he rubs his thumbs over his temples. He probably has a bad hangover but serves him right after what he did.
"Baby are you really not going to talk to me? I've been waiting all night to talk to you." He pleads as he turns his muscular body towards me as I sit at the kitchen island.
"You haven't been waiting all night you've been sleeping." I roll my eyes.
"Well you weren't answering the door what else am I supposed to do?" He raises his eyebrows at me.
"I don't want to talk to you right now Cohen."
"So you can blow up my phone all day yesterday but manage not to want to talk today? I don't understand Ev?" He leans against the counter placing his head in his hands as he keeps his eyes on me.
I'm trying my best to keep giving him the silent treatment but all the questions keep popping into my head.
"Why?"
"Why what?" He questions me back.
"Why did you lie to me?"
He squishes his eyebrows together trying to figure out what I mean.
"I never lied to you Ev. What are you talking about?" He ask defensively. He looks into my eyes and I try to keep the unshed tears back.
"You told me you would tell me anything and you had nothing else to hide. But you left all day and evening without saying a thing to me after being pissed off because of your ex!" I try to contain my voice as I hear it begin to shake.
He makes his way around the counter to me lifting my chin up with his long finger to see him.
"I know I messed up but I didn't lie. I was going to tell you but I was so wound up after talking to Zach that I just needed a break. No matter what I was going to tell you."
"I get that you were upset but how do you think I feel when you stayed up all night, yelled on the phone to Zach then disappeared because of your ex and didn't say a word to me?" I ask looking back down at my orange juice.
A sad sigh escapes his lips and he takes my face into his large hands.
" I fucked up and I'm sorry Ev. I should've talked to you and I shouldn't have come home late drunk like I did."
"I'm just stressed and I'm trying to prevent my past from fucking up my life. I'm trying so hard but it seems impossible sometimes." he continues.I can see the sadness and frustration in his eyes. I knew he was overwhelmed but not to this point.
I stand up and wrap my arms around his muscled torso. I place my chin on his chest so I can look up at him.
"I'm here for you Cohen. When you feel like everything is getting hard and your stressed out I'm here for you to talk to me, we get through things together please don't shut me out just talk to me."
"I love you, you know that?" He says kissing my lips sweetly.
I pull away after a few seconds and look back up at him.
"I love you too, and promise me you won't ever ignore my calls and come home drunk again." I tell him sternly.
"I promise baby." He sweetly gives my forehead a kiss and steps out of my embrace. He walks around me to the chair beside mine to sit in.
I sit back down in the chair turning to face him ready for his well needed explanation. He rubs his hands through his lush brown hair and brings his eyes to look into mine.
When he sets his hand on the counter I take it to mine and run my fingers over his knuckles trying to calm him like I usually do. I stay quiet waiting beside him for him to talk when he's ready. I know bringing up Taylor brings back all the bullshit she put him through and he's still hurting over it.
He turns towards me more and takes a deep breath.
" I really though I got rid of her for good. I left her and wanted nothing else to do with her. I mean I made sure to handle the divorce without even seeing her. I left all my stuff and only brought what I had with me to my brother's. There's no reason why she should be back here at all.
When I talked to Zach he said she got her dad to pull some strings so she could get the job for the team. And with her dad being a business man he made sure she got a good contract with the team so there's nothing we can do to get her to leave." He tells me. The look on his face shows so much frustration and I hate that I can't really help.
"I know you don't want to be around her but I think if you just keep your distance as much as you can you should be fine."
"That's what I was starting to think to but the reason why I snapped is from what Zach managed to find out." He says hesitantly.
"What did he say?"
"Since I have came back a lot of opportunities are starting to open up for me."
"That's great babe!" I know he's been working so hard and this is what he's been wanting since coming back home.
"It is. It's great but Taylor is in a contract with the team and there's nothing we can do about getting her to get fired. All I can do is keep my distance."
"That should be fine since you have Zach and Wyatt around. You'll be fine babe. You got this." I try to encourage but the look on his face makes my stomach fall.
"You are now apart of this with me since we're together. Ev, you have to be careful with what you do and even say. You'll be watched by the media and judged. It's not easy at all and I understand if it's not what you want. I don't want you to feel overwhelmed with this lifestyle I've chosen. I love you too much to put you through it if you don't want to." He tells me gripping my hand, I can see his beautiful hazel eyes full of fear, tiredness and keeping back unshed tears.
I place both my hands on each side of his face and bring my lips to his.
"Cohen, I love you. I'm not sure what I'm getting myself into completely but I know that I want to do this with you. I'm here for you and with you." Tears slide down my cheeks feeling my heart swell for the love that I have in front of me.
Kyle never put my needs first. It was always his unlike Cohen.
"God I'm so blessed to have you and love you." He grips my head with his hands and leans down to connect our lips passionately.
"I love you too Cohen."
_____________________________
A/N
Sorry for the late update I've had some writers block. I really try to update every 5-6 days.
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