“Yeah,” I reply and pause for a second. “Listen, I found a place.”
“What? What place?” He looks completely baffled.
“I found my own place to live,” I tell him and his hazel eyes look instantly devastated. I move my eyes to the carpet.
“Why?”
“It’s time,” I reply, trying to sound confident. “You and Conner are settled. And I can’t live here forever.”
He doesn’t say anything to that. He doesn’t have to, because I can tell by his face that he’s upset. There’s nothing I can do about that. If I stay here a minute longer, it will just get worse. Donna made it clear Devin and I aren’t on the same page about our friendship.
As I start down the stairs, he reaches for my hand. “When are you leaving?”
I feel a flutter at the feel of his long, powerful fingers around my wrist. My brain fights to remain calm. I have to figure out an answer.
“Friday,” I blurt out. It’s only two days away and hopefully I can find a place by then, even if it’s just a hotel room. “It’ll be great. You can have your place back to yourself.”
“I don’t want my place to myself.”
“Then invite Luc and Rose to live with you for the rest of the season. He’s going to need a place too and he’s your family,” I rationalize and try to smile lightly like I don’t have a care in the world—like I don’t feel sick about leaving him, which I do. “But I have to warn you that Luc and Rosie are loud in bed.”
I pull my wrist from his grip and continue down the stairs. There. Done. Everything will be better now.
Chapter 38
Devin
When I walk into the dressing room to get ready for the game, my eyes scan the room until they land on Luc. They’ve given him a locker directly across from mine. He’s sitting below the nameplate, “L. Richard,” and pulling on his Under Armour. His number on the Vipers was 4 and I see it’s still going to be 4 here—that means Dmitri Kortin, our rookie who was wearing it, offered it to Luc because he’s a veteran. I smile at Dmitri as I pass him and tap him on the shoulder. He nods and smiles.
Luc’s jaw is set in a hard line and he’s got his brow pinched together like he’s concentrating really hard on something. I walk over to my locker and hang up my suit jacket. Then I head toward him as I start to loosen my tie. He glances up and nods, his face still stern, but I can’t help but smile. I can’t wait to play with him.
“I just did twenty minutes of pregame interviews with everyone fromWake Up, BrooklyntoHockey Night in Canada,” I tell him, not hiding the amazement in my voice. “Hockey Night in Canadaflew their asses out to Brooklyn, Luc. And it’s not even a Saturday or a play-off final. You’re big news.”
He shakes his head and shrugs. “They’re all eager to see me fail here like I did in Vegas.”
I smile lightly at that. “It’ll be fine. You’re skilled, Luc. Forget the past and play the way you know you can.”
He nods and continues dressing. I walk back over to my stall and get ready. The PR coordinator for the team, an uptight woman with frizzy red hair named April, comes in and tells Luc to sit next to me when he’s tying up his skates. The NBC Sports crew wants to get footage of us together. Luc just nods curtly and switches places with Loops.
“Are you feeling confident with the plays?” I ask because I know Coach gave him a playbook yesterday.
He nods. “Can we talk about anything but hockey? Just for a minute?”
He’s bordering on terrified. I can see it in his dark eyes. I try not to frown in concern. I can’t make this worse. I have to talk him off the ledge. I glance around the room. The TV crew hasn’t come in yet and the other guys are busy with their own pregame chatter. I hold Luc’s eye for a second and then reach down for one of my skates.
“So I’m sleeping with Callie.”
I glance back over to him and his jaw is hanging wide open. “You’re fucking kidding me, right?”
“Nope. Not only are we sleeping together but I’m kind of, well…how should I say this?” I pause and shove my right foot into the skate. “I think I really like her.”
“Callie? Caplan?” he questions, and I nod and chuckle.
The camera crew comes in and starts setting up. He shakes his head and reaches for his skate as they start to film. We glance at each other again. There is no sound on this. It’s one of those B roll locker room pieces they’ll splice in as the announcers blab on about Luc’s debut as a Baron.
“Dude,” Luc mumbles barely above a whisper but with a smile on his face for the camera’s sake. “That’s the worst possible thing you could do right now.”
I tug on my skate laces, glance up and smile. The camera is sweeping by us now and then the light above it goes off. They’re done.
