I laughed as I hung up with Marcie, but the look on Nick’s face sobered me quickly.
“Hey, Nick! What can I do for you? We’re not scheduled tillnext week.”
He closed the door behind him, his brow furrowing. “Annie, what’s going on? I haven’t heard from you in two days.”
My stomach clenched. I’d been blowing him off, and he was calling me out.
“Um, yes? I’ve been really busy.”
“Too busy to text me back for two whole days? You had me worried.”
I took a deep breath, sighing it out. “It’s not personal. I haven’t seen anyone. I told you I had to travel this week. I’ve had to go to games and see prospects. I just got back last night.”
A muscle in his jaw ticked. That heartbreak that I feared was already in his eyes. “You know you can call me anytime, Annie.”
I lowered my voice. “If I call you at certain hours, you might be with the guys. I can’t risk it.”
“Look, I made time for you. I came straight from the airport. If this is what it takes, I’ll make the sacrifices. You know I’ll cook for you and be there when you get home—”
I rubbed my temples. “I can’t ask that of you, Nick.”
“You don’t have to ask, Annie. It’s what someone does when they care about you. I’ve missed you, and I want to see you.”
“We can’t do this here,” I whispered. “I have to work late tonight.”
“Then come over after. It’s closer. I don’t care how late it is. You know I give good foot rubs.”
“Nick.”
“Annie, work can’t be your entire life.”
“Easy for you to say. All your bills are paid.”
Nick’s brow knit further. “Do you have money trouble? This should be a pretty good job, right?”
I swallowed hard.
“Angel, you can tell me. I’m not going to judge you. You know I’m on your side.”
I rolled my lips. “I, um, we wracked up a lot of medical debtwhen my mom was sick. A lot of it went to collections and gained a bunch of interest. It’s lower than it’s been in years, but yeah, still a lot to pay.”
His eyes moved over my face. “Those phone calls?”
“Bill collectors.”
He thought for a second, tracking the stacks on my desk. “And your dad?”
I nodded. “Is still putting my siblings through school. I volunteered to take it on after I finished law school.”
Nick cocked his head to the side, not mad, just bummed. “Annie. You could have told me.”
My voice was hardly louder than a mouse’s squeak. “You’re my client. I didn’t want you to think you had to do certain things so I could get paid.”
“Annie, I’d wear fucking clown shoes for an endorsement deal if it meant you didn’t have to deal with this. How much do you have left to pay?”
I hung my head. “This is exactly what I mean. You don’t need to get wrapped up in this. It’s my personal business.”
“Yeah? Well, you’re my business.”
