I didn’t respond.He’d just told me he had a video of my parents’ funeral, coached me back from a panic attack, and now was asking if I wanted ice cream?
“What?Don’t all girls eat ice cream when they’re sad?”
In spite of all that had just happened, my lips tugged up at the corners in an almost smile.“I think that applies to broken hearts.”
His gaze was somber.“Yeah, and yours has been shattered.”
My throat thickened, not because of his words, but the glint in his eyes.The one that told me just how deeply he got that.“You’re not alone.”Those three words replayed in my head, and a warmth spread through me.How was it this man, who I had known less than a week, was becoming so important to me?
Nineteen
Forge
Oz had sent me a list of games to adjust the odds on, according to the current trending factors, and to move the line where the money was coming in, but I’d not done any of it.I’d been making up shit to do with Elsie to keep her distracted and because I was fucking terrified she’d stop breathing again if she was left alone.I’d remained calm to help her, but,Jesus,that had scared the hell out of me.
Glancing at my phone and the newest text alert from Oz, I knew I had to handle this before he started calling.Elsie was chewing her bottom lip as she studied the balls on the pool table.It was her turn, and she was determined to sink one.I wasn’t opposed to having to help her again.I liked getting behind her, but keeping my erection from rubbing her ass wasn’t easy.She didn’t need that today.She needed a friend.
“Everything okay?”she asked, lifting her gaze from the table to me.
“It’s Oz,” I admitted.“I have to start preparing things for tonight.Move the line, adjust odds, that kind of thing.”
She placed her stick on the table.“Okay.Want some help?You’re going to beat me at this anyway, so I might as well call it quits.”
I had been holding back on her just so the game wasn’t over too soon, but she didn’t have to know that.
“You want to?”I asked.
She nodded.“Yeah, it’s fun.Number nerd remember?”
I smirked.She was so far from a fucking nerd.“All right, let’s go get this done.”
“Where do we go for this?”
“My room.I’ve got a desktop computer in there with two motherboards, four monitors, and two keyboards.”
Her brows shot up.“That sounds intense.”
“You should see Oz’s setup.It’s double that.”
“Wow.”
I motioned for her to go first because if she led the way, I could look at her ass.When we walked into the great room, Winslet was sitting on the sofa with a cup of tea, which she’d been drinking a lot of lately because of her nausea, and Halo was sitting on the floor, helping Hawks put together a Lego set.They both looked our way.
“There you are,” Winslet said, smiling at Elsie.“I went looking for you earlier.We’re going to take Hawks out to swim after lunch.Want to join?”
No.She was helping me.I started to answer for her, but stopped myself.She didn’t have to help me.She may want to swim.She wouldn’t be alone with them.
“Oh, I’m going to help Forge with adjusting odds, moving the line, prepping the spread for tonight’s games.”
Winslet’s eyes widened.“You understand all that?”
“I like numbers,” Elsie replied.“I’m a finance major.”
“Impressive.All right, go crunch numbers, but if you need some fresh air or get tired of all that, you are welcome to come on out and join us.”
“Thanks,” she replied.
I was feeling pretty damn smug that she’d chosen me over them, but I was tamping it down.I didn’t need those two reading anything into this.
