“Yeah. Okay, sure, yeah. I’ll talk to you later, then.”
After saying goodbye, he lowers the phone slowly, staring at the black screen for a second before dropping it back into the cup holder.
The silence in the car has teeth now.
“Everything okay?” I ask. The words are like ash in my mouth.
Louis doesn’t look at me. He adjusts his sling mechanically. “Yeah. Just some contract stuff. Boring shit. Nothing to worry about.”
Liar.
I saw his face. I heard the tone. That wasn’t boring contract stuff. Whatever his agent told him has him upset.
My anxiety surges again. I want last night’s version of Louis back. The guy who made me feel comfortable. Like I belong. Like I’m not a guest in my own life.
“I, uh…” I swallow hard. “I got a text from Carson. He wants me in his office ASAP. Says it’s urgent.”
Panic bleeds into my voice. I wait for Louis shoot me a reassuring grin and make a dumb joke to cut the tension. But he doesn’t. He stares straight ahead at the gray road stretching out in front of us.
When he does respond, his voice is weirdly distant and detached. “If Carson says it’s urgent, don’t make him wait. You should go straight there after I drop you off.”
I blink, stung. “Lou? What’s going on?”
“It’s fine, Tanner. Nothing to worry about. My shoulder’s aching a little, that’s all.”
More lies.
He shoots me a smile, but he’s not fooling me for one second. Something’s going on, and for some reason, he can’t, or won’t, tell me what he knows.
He pulls his phone out again and starts scrolling, effectively ending our conversation. The connection we built over the last four days snaps. Just like that.
The rest of the drive is a blur of rain and windshield wipers. I spend the whole time spinning out. Overthinking and analyzing every variable like it’s an Olympic event.Does he regret the trip? Did the call scare him? Is he pushing me away because I’m in some kind of trouble?
I feel sick.
We pull up to my building, not far from the practice rink, where Carson will be waiting for me. The rain’s coming down harder, hammering against the roof of the SUV. I pull into a parking spot, but he stops me.
“You should just pull up to the front door. My place isn’t far; I’ll drive home from here. You should go see Carson right away.”
I nod, doing what he asks, and we both get out of the car.
I can’t stand this anymore, so before I grab my bag from the back, I stop him before he slides behind the wheel.
“Louis, wait.”
He turns to look at me, raindrops clinging to his eyelashes. He looks exhausted again. Like the last four days of rest and relaxation never happened.
“Do you—do you know something?” I shouldn’t ask him. Even if he knows anything, it’s probably just a rumor. But I don’t know any other way to ask him what’s going on without sounding like I’m begging. And I don’t beg.
He looks at me for a moment before shaking his head, his eyes dropping to his shoes. “Nah, kid, I don’t know anything. But you should go meet Carson. He’ll tell you what’s going on.”
“Right. Sure. Here,” I say, handing him the keys. My hand brushes his, and he flinches.
Actually flinches.
“Thanks for driving,” he says. It sounds like a line from a script.
“Are we… are we good?” I ask, hating how small my voice sounds.
