Chapt. 20

Claire's blaring phone drug her out of a dreamless sleep. She refused to open her eyes and her hand blindly canvassed the bedside table in the hotel room. When her hand finally fell on the vibrating siren from hell she picked it up and blindly swiped at the screen until it shut up. She mumbled something that was supposed to pass for a hello and hoped that it had made it to the other end of the line as that.

"Well good morning to you to beautiful," Joe's low and throaty laugh broke through the last sluggish bit of sleep that she was holding onto.

She still refused to open her eyes, she much preferred to keep them closed and picture the man on the other end of the line, his smile and those eyes… oh those eyes. "Good morning Joe," she said and actually heard the smile in her voice this time.

"I'm sorry I woke you, I can call back if you'd rather."

"No, no it's okay. What time is it anyway?"

"It's eleven thirty darling. You must have had a long night."

She groaned, louder than she meant to, when the thought of the night before came flooding back into her mind, like an unwelcome visitor. "You could say that."

"Want to talk about it?"

Could he be any greater? "Stephen just showed his ass last night. He burst into my office and just started yelling at me that I was making a fool out of him for moving on basically."

"What a jackass. I mean it's not like he has any room to talk about that ya know?"

"I know. It was emotionally a long night more than anything I guess." Claire intentionally downplayed the whole encounter from the night before. There was no need to upset the situation, especially since it had finally died down.

"So, I called because I got some news yesterday when I went into work."

"Oh?"

"Sure did. Our debut, the Shield's, will be next month at the Battleground pay per view. Out in Texas. I'd really like it if you could be there. I mean, we are your babies basically," he laughed.

"Ahhhh Joe! That is wonderful! Of course I'll be there. I wouldn't miss it for the world!" She was sitting up in bed now and awake. "I hadn't expected it so soon. Steve hadn't mentioned it at all."

"I won't lie, I'm beyond stoked. My family will be there, which is nerve wracking as all hell, but damn it I feel like I'm there. I made it finally ya know? Thank you. You played a big part in this."

"Oh no sir, the powers that be wanted to move you up, they just wanted me to give the character something more."

"Well then thank you for something more. When are you home? I'd love to take you out to dinner, to celebrate."

"I'll be home tomorrow morning and I would really enjoy that."

"Great! I'll text you later? I have to get into the trainers office for a good once over, but I can't wait to see you again."

"That makes two of us. See you soon Joe."

Hanging up, Claire sent out a group text to the three members of what was now to be known as the Shield congratulating them on their call up. She did this with everyone who she worked with, so it was normal. She didn't want to break her habit just because Joe was under her skin. She didn't expect to ever hear back from anyone and that was okay to. She took pride in those she had the chance to work with and wanted them to know that she was celebrating their call up to the big stage with them.

After she sent the texts she thought about the night before and all that had gone down with Stephen. Then she let her mind go back to a few weeks ago, that day in her Tampa office when he had ended it all. How he had he changed so damn much in such a short time? Or was it that she was finally seeing him. When he ended it he had been so sincere though, he had really made her believe that he still loved her even though he couldn't be with her. And then there was last night.

Without thought she dialed his number. She listened as it rang and then she heard the distinct click of the call connecting.

"Ello?"

God it annoyed her to no end that he never could say a whole damn word. Had it always she wondered? Probably. "I have a question and I damn sure think that I deserve an honest answer."

"Ah damn it, I really should start to check the caller id before I pick up. What do you want Claire?"

She took a deep breath. She had called him. Now was not the time to chicken out and to lose her resolve and strength. "Two weeks ago you ended us with all of these sweet, loving words. You led me to believe that you loved me still and that we just weren't right anymore, but god damn it Stephen you made me think you still loved me. You still let me believe that you were this wonderfully amazing and faithful man. What in the hell happened in the last two weeks?"

She heard him exhale sharply on the other end of the line as she waited, holding her breath and second guessing all of this. "Aye good Lord, woman you don't let things rest do ya? You just can't let it go and let it be. You want honest? The truth hurts Claire, are you prepared for that? Truth is I fell out of love with you ages ago. I stopped wanting you in my life ages ago but I was used to you and to us just like you were. Then I needed a real woman who had heat in her blood and who still had a passion for me. I moved on long ago Claire. Now, I'm angry that I stayed so long and wasted so much time on someone who was nothing more than a cold, cold fish. Here's the thing though ya see, you're still not over me and I know it. You still wear that ring. If you were really moving on, it'd be off of your finger. You killed us Claire. Know that." And he hung up.

Claire sat on the bed in the same spot for ten minutes easily. She stared at the phone as it lay on the bed, determined not to cry, not to hurt at the mean and cruel words. She proved to herself that her determination wasn't worth a damn. She cried. Hard. Alone. How could anyone want her if all that he had said was true?

Not knowing what else to do, or was it that nothing else felt right just then, she text Joe. One long text telling him everything that Stephen had said to her. She hit send then sent Nic a text telling him that she needed to see him in fifteen minutes, could he please come. Hitting send she sat the phone down and stumbled to the shower, knowing that he would be there for her when she was done in the shower.

Ten minutes later, Claire had her hair wrapped in a towel and another towel wrapped around her body as she walked back out into the bedroom. She knew that she needed to get dressed, she knew instinctively that Nic would be there in a few short minutes, just as she'd asked him to. Still wrapped in the towel she slipped into a pair of lacy black underwear before dropping the towel to put on the matching bra. Scanning her bag for clothes she snagged a black and aqua chevron print maxi dress and slid it over her toweled head, smoothing it as the fabric skimmed down her body. It was one of her favorite maxi dresses, she loved the racer back style of it the modest v-neck. She stayed barefoot as she took the towel off of her head and ran curling gel through it, not in the mood to do battle with the springy spirals on her head. Just as she was wiping her hands on the towel, she heard the knock on the door. Nic. Claire would have loved to of thought that she could have faked a convincing smile for her friend, but knowing that the tears were pushing too hard for that to be a possibility. Taking a deep breath, she opened the door.

"Hey kiddo, you wanted to se…" Nic's voice trailed off as he took one look at her. Her eyes were puffy, she had been crying, but why. She was trying to look like she was okay, putting on that brave face, but he'd known her far too long. He stepped in and closed the door, locking it behind him, and immediately pulled her into his arms. Her head found his chest and at the moment he had made contact with her, her tears had begun to flow, accompanied by soft but wrenching sobs. His hand rubbed over her curls and he kissed the top of her head. "Shhh," he whispered, lifting her and carrying her to the bed. He sat her down on the edge of the bed and took a seat beside her, pulling her back close to him. "Claire what happened?"

She sniffled and swiped at her nose as she tried to get her emotions in check. Finally she was able to tell him all about the talk she had with Stephen earlier, all of the mean and cruel words that he had flung at her, all of the pain he had caused. Her tears had yet to cease, though they had turned silent. She was numb it seemed but yet there was that dull ache she couldn't get rid of located in her chest where her heart was.

Nic rested his hand beneath her chin and tilted her head up to face him. "Listen to me, he is a moron. You are the warmest, kindest, most beautiful woman I know. All of the things that he said to you, all of that shit was nothing more than solid lies. Not a single word of it was anything near who you are. God Claire, you are amazing, you just need a man who can see it, embrace it, and help you to grow it even more than you have til now. You need a man who isn't intimidate by the greatness that is you." He felt his heart breaking knowing that he could be that man but she didn't see past a friendship with him. Her bottom lip was poking out, a pout on her face that she didn't intend, but was there nonetheless. He let his thumb brush it over once, then twice. "Claire, throw out all of his words. Forget what he said because he is a liar." He kissed her forehead, a gesture that was not uncommon between them and he longed in that moment to kiss her lips. To kiss that pout away, even if it was insanely sexy, fraying the edges of his control, making his heart beat violently in his chest. He moistened his lips with his tongue as he considered hers pressed firmly on his and he was almost tempted to just make it happen. No, he couldn't, she didn't need it right then for one, and two, he didn't want to make things weird.