She taps the envelopes impatiently. “Your address, Mia? Can we update the records, please?”
I stare at her quietly for a moment and I can sense the ring of smug satisfaction floating around her head like a halo.
“My bad,” I say. “I should have updated it earlier.”
I write my new address on the lavender sticky notepad on her desk in black marker.
2090 Hanaway Drive
Alpine, New Jersey
The look on her face is priceless.
She knows exactly who lives there.
I pick up my envelopes off the desk and walk to the door.
“Have a great day.”
I exit her office with my head held high, but all the while I’m simmering underneath.
Why did Rush buy her those fucking purple flowers?
Tonight is the night I’m going to get all the answers I need.
Thirty-One
MIA
Our schedules aredifferent now because we’re in preseason, so after a strenuous practice, Rush can leave if he has no other meetings or therapies. I, on the other hand, have to stay to work with the players on my rotation.
When I arrive home, Rush has already set the dining room table and warmed one of our gourmet dinners. I guess he had the same plan in mind because we desperately need to talk.
“Grab a shower and we can have dinner.”
“Cool.”
The soothing water gives me a moment to regroup and consider what I’m going to say. This thing with Miranda is eating me alive. It’s making me question why I ever thought it was a good idea to take a job at the same workplace as Rush, and it’s also making me consider how Rush is a much more complicated person than I ever knew.
I loosen my ponytail and let my waves free. I lotion my body then put on my fluffy green robe that I basically pulled out of a mean woman’s hands during a Black Friday sale. A very proud moment, if I do say so myself. My knee is killing me, so I grab my cane out of the bedroom and head downstairs. Stress is a trigger for inflammation in the body and the last few days have been tense.
We’re having gluten-free lobster mac and cheese, green beans and grilled blue fish for dinner. It’s delicious, but every swallow feels like it’s two seconds away from getting stuck in my throat.
“So I thought we should talk,” Rush breaks the ice.
“Okay.”
He chews and swallows a few of his green beans, takes a deep breath and starts.
“Bird, I can feel you pulling away from me and I don’t know why.”
“You’re feeling is way off the mark.”
“Then explain it to me. Did I do something wrong?”
“No.”
“Then what’s going on?”
