Best Two Out of Three

Part 15

Wednesday, July 29, 2020
Daily's Place – Jacksonville, Florida

"Is that a hickey?"

Alex slapped a hand to her neck, her entire face burning bright red at the wide-eyed look on Britt's face. "Jesus, Britt," she glared as she stood from her seat in hair and makeup. "Just put me on blast."

"Um, it's right there for everyone to see," she returned. "What, you didn't want them to cover it up?"

Alex just gave her a look as she pulled her hair over to the left side of her neck, concealing the love bite from view. To be honest, she'd forgotten it was there. When she'd told Cash to make her his last night, he'd taken it a bit literally. Not that she'd minded; he'd left his mark elsewhere, too. Britt just couldn't see it.

"Leave her alone," Callie defended as she sat for her makeup. "Alex and Cash are in looooveee."

Alex froze at her sing-song teasing. "Stop," she muttered as she leaned against the wall and looked down at her phone, busying herself with Twitter. The last thing she wanted to think about right now was the "L" word.

"What?" Callie innocently asked. "I'm happy for you! I miss the days when Adam and I couldn't keep our hands off each other."

"Uh oh. Trouble in paradise?" Britt asked.

Alex and Callie both shot her a look for that one. "No," Callie returned. "He's just been... I don't know. Distracted the last few weeks."

"Well that fight last night between his tag partner and his new BFF probably didn't help," Britt remarked. "I can't wait to see how he and Kenny manage to defend their titles after that."

Alex and Callie exchanged a silent glance. Somehow, word had gotten around about Kenny and Cash's fist fight at the hotel bar the night before; and Alex just knew everyone assumed it was about her. She'd felt it in the judgmental eyes and whispers that had followed her all day. It was enough to send a person into hiding.

"They'll be fine," Callie insisted with a roll of her eyes. But it seemed like she was trying to convince herself more than Britt. She nudged her chin at Alex in effort to change the subject. "Don't Best Friends have a match tonight?"

"Yeah," Alex confirmed. "Them and Jurassic Express versus the Inner Circle. Actually, I should probably head up to Gorilla; we're on first."

She pushed herself from the wall; but she didn't go anywhere. Her eyes had connected with Matt Jackson's as he rounded the corner—and he was making a beeline right for her.

"Can I talk you?" he asked. No, not asked—told. It caught Alex completely off-guard.

"Yeah..." she hesitantly returned. "Sure."

He didn't even wait for her to finish speaking before he turned and marched back down the hall from where he'd come, giving her no choice but to follow. She shot Callie an annoyed look before hurrying after him. There was only one reason Matt would want to talk to her, and his named rhymed with "Lenny."

He led her around another corner and down a deserted hallway, making sure they were well out of earshot of anyone. He didn't waste any time. "Alright, I'm just gonna cut to the chase," he said as he whirled around to face her. "You need to put Kenny out of his misery."

Alex's brow lowered. "Excuse me?"

Matt let out a huff and ran a frustrated hand through his hair. It seemed like he'd decided to have this confrontation on a whim and didn't really have his thoughts in order. "He's in love with you, Alex," he said. "I know you know that; he told me and Nick about what happened last week. And after what happened last night, I'm sure you also know that he's still holding onto hope that you two have a chance. So please... just tell him it's over so he can move on."