“Yeah. Drive me to get coffee, though.”
Annie walked me through all that her boss said. Paxton had told his mom that we bullied and hazed him by making him say gross things about Annie. And Paxton had seen me texting her with affectionate words in the message chain.
I grunted in the driver’s seat, doing my best not to interrupt her when I was getting more outraged by the second. “That’s not what happened. He was being so awful about you, and I told him to watch his mouth. Then he started again with it later, and I told him I’d make sure he didn’t get a spot on the team if he kept it up.”
Annie tugged at her temple. “Nick.”
“I know I should have kept my mouth shut so you could close the deal. I’m really sorry I ruined it for you. I just couldn’t let him talk about you like you were a piece of meat.”
She took a ragged breath, her hand clenched into a fist. “I appreciate you sticking up for me, I do, but this is my livelihood. This is how I help my family. Sometimes I have to put up with things I’d rather not, but I can’t support my family and fight the patriarchy at the same time.”
“No one should have to put up with that for money, Annie.”
She threw her hands. “You’re right. They shouldn’t. But that’s life, Nick. We don’t all get to be the white man with all the power and the connections and the old boys club. The best I can do is get my bread buttered by assholes like Paxton Marshall sometimes. Play the player to win the game.”
“Was he rude to you directly?” I asked, grinding my teeth.
“Not terribly. He just gave off frat boy energy. Did you really text me in front of him?”
I winced. “I did. I was worried that he’d done something gross to you and I just wanted to protect you. He sat next to me as I was finishing the last text. But I can delete all the texts and so can you, and he won’t have any proof. His word against ours.”
Annie wrinkled her nose. “Nick, Paxton isn’t part of this anymore. He signed with someone else. We’re not getting a teenager involved in this mess. He has no reason to talk to us.”
“Right. You’re right.”
She chewed her thumbnail. “The only thing left in my arsenal is denial. If I can convincingly prove we never existed, I might be able to save my job.” She stared out her window, her next wordswobbly. “I hate that it’s come to this, Nick.”
I took her hand as I pulled into the coffee shop drive-thru. I assumed we wouldn’t risk going in together somewhere. “If that’s what you need to do to get your job back, I understand.”
“But what about us?”
“Angel, you know I’m fine to keep hiding. Forever, if we have to. I’m not going to let you go that easy.” I drew her hand to my lips, kissing the back of it. “I won’t show up at your office unannounced anymore. I can go more low-key. We’ve gotten a little sloppier as time has gone on.”
“It’s just hard to be like this, Nick. It hurts that we have to keep sneaking around, and now even more so.”
I nodded. “I know. And it’s not my right to tell you to keep me. Especially because this is my fault.”
She gave me a morose smile. “You meant well. That kid does suck.”
“Right? What a little shithead! I hate guys like that. They’re everything that’s wrong with sports.”
“Well, he won’t be the last,” she said. “Paxtons unfortunately grow on trees.”
“I’m about ready to get an ax and become a damn lumberjack,” I said, getting a small laugh out of her.
We gave our coffee orders, going quiet as we waited in the line of cars. We made small talk on the way home, neither of us knowing how to act. When we were outside her house, I turned off the car and rotated to look at her.
“I understand whatever you decide, Annie. You need to do what’s best for you.”
She nodded. “I just need to think.”
“Let me know how I can help.”
“Okay. Give me some time to work on some ideas.” She patted my cheek and gave me a tender kiss. “No matter what I decide, know that this . . . it’s been . . . if it’s been a mistake, it’s a beautiful mistake.”
I studied the golden flecks in her evergreen eyes for as long as I could, and then she was gone.
Chapter 41
