I think back to the way Aidan examined my face, searching for injuries, and how he seemed so pleased with himself when he had to stay longer at my place so we could craft an appropriate statement.
He wasn’t pleased with himself for getting in a fight. He was pleased that it gave him a reason to be around me. And sure, we’re friends now, so spending time together shouldn’t be a problem. But spending timealonetogether definitely has me needing to remind myself why nothing can happen...because when it’s just the two of us, he’s a different person.
But I can’t tell AJ any of that.
“What if I get him to promise that he won’t do anything stupid on the road this week?” I ask.
AJ’s laughter is deep and almost sultry. She reminds me so much of my former boss, Petra Ivanova. Petra is one of Lauren’s best friends, and the biggest badass I know. Which is saying something, given that I know AJ.
After I graduated from NYU, I moved to Park City, where Lauren and Petra were both living, to be Petra’s personal assistant at her event planning company. She eventually ended up hosting a TV show in LA, then moved the show to New York so she could be with her now-husband, hockey player Aleksandr Ivanov.
The only reason I would consider saying yes to AJ’s request is that we’re playing in New York and I might be able to catch upwith Petra. In fact, if there is anyone I could tell about this whole situation with Aidan, it’s Petra. She would keep my secret and it would be so nice to talk to someone removed from the situation.
“I really need you to be there to make sure this doesn’t go sideways for him,” AJ says. “His contract is up at the end of the season and I’d like to keep him. But, if he can’t rein in the fighting, I won’t renew his contract.”
That stops me in my tracks. “Doesheknow this?” I ask.
“He sure does.”
Damnit. He knew that fighting Carter would get him in trouble with AJ, and he did it anyway because he was protecting me. Now, the guilt weighs on me and I feel like I owe him this.
“Fine,” I say with a sigh. “Just for thisonegame.”
“Excellent,” AJ says. “He won’t even be playing in the following game, so that buys us some time.”
I don’t fully understand the rules around these preseason exhibition games, but I know that there are usually no more than eight veteran players participating in each game.
“The following game is at home. Let’s make sure this is figured out before the nextawaygame.” My tone is a tad flippant because being at a home game is no big deal, but giving up multiple days to travel for away games is.
“Will do,” AJ says. “And truly, thank you for doing this.”
“It’s no problem.”
“We both know that’s not true. I’ll make sure you get time and a half for the trip since it’s outside your contracted hours.”
“I appreciate that,” I say, thinking how maybe, once my business is solid and I’ve saved a little money, I can finally move out of the condo I spent the first decade of life in. Dad and I moved out to the house he still lives in, in Brookline, after Mom left, but he held onto the Boston condo and rented it. And then I returned to Boston and needed a place to live.
As convenient as it is to live on Newbury Street, I don’t like to be a person who relies on Daddy’s money. I don’t think I’ll feel truly grown up until I’m entirely self-sufficient.
Morgan
Hey, any chance you’re free Wednesday night before the game to have dinner with me? I’ll be in town with the Rebels.
Petra
You traveling with the Rebels doesn’t even make sense to me, so obviously we need to catch up! I’ll make a dinner reservation for us close to the arena.
Chapter Twenty-Six
AIDAN
NerdGirl
We need to come to an agreement about something important...
I have to travel with the team for the New York game because AJ thinks I can “keep Renaud in line.” I’m not your goddamn babysitter, so could you please agree to behave yourself on this trip so I don’t have to travel to the next away game?
Aidan
