“But they just got you.”
I shrug one shoulder, unable to explain that.
Obviously, they had their reasons, but what I can bring to the team isn’t enough to overlook my extracurricular activities.
“It’s stupid. I know it’s stupid. I shouldn’t have said anything.”
Trying to forget that I brought it up, I turn away from her and march toward the door.
“Come on, we need to feed you,” I shoot over my shoulder, waiting for her to join me.
It takes her a few seconds, but eventually, she pushes from the wall and walks into the diner.
After explaining that we want takeout, we’re directed to a couple of barstools at a counter that overlooks the kitchen.
I watch Bea as she hops up and immediately reaches for the menu. Her eyes widen as she takes it all in, and I smile, knowing that I did the right thing.
Whatever crappy cereal bar she has in her purse was never going to be enough.
She places an order for a breakfast burrito before adding a strawberry milkshake to drink while we wait for it.
Too distracted by her to look at the menu, I order the same, although I make my milkshake chocolate.
“Copycat,” she teases.
I shrug. “It sounded good.”
“I’m starving,” she confesses, and the second I raise my brow in an “I told you so” kind of way, she rolls her eyes at me.
We sit side by side and slurp on our milkshakes as the chef makes our breakfast.
When we get to the bottom of our glasses, we keep slurping, trying to outdo each other with the noise like we’re a couple of little kids.
The laughter that follows feels so freaking good.
“Two breakfast burritos to go,” the server says, passing over two perfectly wrapped parcels.
“Thank you,” we say simultaneously as we reach for our food. After helping Bea from the stool, which she’s adamant shedoesn’t need, we walk out together, and I then help her back up into my truck.
And this time, I might accidentally grab her ass. Whoops.
28
BEATRICE
“Hmm…” Sienna mumbles the moment I step into the salon. “I think you and I need to have a little chat,” she says before she starts waving at the man who just dropped me off.
He wanted to come in, but I managed to convince him not to.
Sienna might be fully aware of the turn my life has taken, but I’m yet to confess to the others, and suddenly being escorted to work by the hockey player they know I hooked up with will get them talking.
I’m going to need to confess soon. We’re going to need to start making plans for when I’m not here. I’m probably going to need to hire someone to take over my clients, along with a million and one other things. Honestly, it’s all too exhausting to think about right now.
“Nothing to talk about,” I mutter as I march past her, hitching my purse up higher on my shoulder, my finger wrapped around my half-eaten burrito. It was incredible, but way too much for me to stomach this early, even if I was ravenous.
“Pfft, nothing to talk about my ass,” she shouts, her footsteps racing behind me. She doesn’t say anything more until the door to the staff room has closed behind us. “He picked you up anddropped you off this morning. Did you spend the night with him?”
Sienna’s eyes are alight with excitement.
