“Oh.” He bit his lip. “Do I need to take care of you too?”
Jonah’s head snapped up as Banks made an outraged noise, and even Vanya stiffened. He took a step forward. “He’s notneeding a babysitter. He’s amazing goalie. You even know who this is?”
Tucker looked surprised as Jonah turned his head and smiled at Vanya in a way he had never—and probably would never—smile at me. My stomach burned with an envy I didn’t want to acknowledge.
“Thank you, Vanya, but most people don’t know who I am.” He turned back to Kellen. “I play for the Boston Legends. They’re the parahockey pro team. These guys”—Jonah thumbed over his shoulder—“they’re with the NHL. Tucker’s my coach, not that it matters. Anyway…” He cleared his throat. “I need things a specific way in my house, and I don’t think my dad would be good with that. He wasn’t when I was growing up, and he definitely won’t be able to learn it all now.”
Kellen looked at us, then back at Jonah. “You can’t see at all?”
What the fuck was wrong with this guy? Never mind those were basically the questions I’d asked. But now, hearing them this way, I realized what a fucking asshole I must have sounded like to Jonah and Tiago.
Shit.
Jonah just shrugged. “No.”
“And you…make enough to pay for all of his services?” There was something in his voice that told me this was a bad idea. That there was something wrong here. It was in his eyes—the shifty way he was looking around, like he was assessing the place for more than just dangerous, sharp edges that could hurt Peter.
If he knew Jonah couldn’t see—if he knew that Jonah had money—Peter was in trouble. It was obvious now, in his body language. He was stiff and jittery and looked like he wanted to bolt at any second.
I didn’t like this. I had to stop it.
“I think I need a word with Jonah,” I blurted.
He turned his head and frowned. “I’m in the middle of an interview.”
“I know.” I walked over, grabbed his arm, and hauled him to his feet. “Come with me. Right now.”
“Dude, what the fu?—”
I ignored him entirely and yanked him down the hall, accidentally knocking him into the corner of the wall. He shoved me off and rubbed his side.
“You can’t just fucking drag me around like that,” he hissed, leaning in close. “What is wrong with you?”
“I’m sorry,” I said quickly. And I meant it. “I’m sorry. But you can’t hire this man.”
“Why the fuck not? Are you an expert now?”
“No,” I said, exasperated. “But this guy’s going to rob your dad bl—uhhh…”
“Blind?” Jonah sneered.
I passed a hand down my face. “I’m sorry,” I said for the hundredth time. “I didn’t mean it like that, but yes. I don’t know another phrase for it in English. I don’t mean this in a cruel way, Adams. But it’s in his eyes, okay? And I don’t know if you can see it?—”
“Why do you keep saying that!”
I stared at him. “I told you I was trying not to fucking assume anything about you, okay! God, I know I suck at this, but I’m doing my best.”
He scoffed. “You know what—uhg, never mind. Just…” He raked a hand through his hair, clearly frustrated. “You seriously think he’s going to take advantage of my dad?”
“Yes,” I said, lowering my voice. “I do. I think he’s probably a legitimate caregiver who was looking for something easy. I don’t think your father will be safe.”
“Fuck,” he murmured. He scrubbed a hand down his face, then squared his shoulders. “I’m going to take your shoulder,and you can guide me back to the couch without knocking me into a goddamn wall, and then I’ll handle it.”
“You won’t hire him, yes?”
He closed his eyes and breathed in through his nose, out through his mouth. “No. I’m not going to hire him. But it’s annoying you give this much of a shit.”
“Someone has to,” I said, but this time, I wasn’t sure I meant it the way I did before. This time, I thought maybe what I believed before today was entirely wrong.
