“Something like...$10 million?” I know he's one of the best-paid defensemen in the league; he's gotta at least be close to double digits.
“Ten point five with a firm no-move clause, thank you very much.” He's usually such a humble guy – it's nice to see the flare of pride in his eyes at this.
“And you have...onegame day suit?”
He cringes, caught out.
“Dude. We don’t even have towearsuits anymore. You have more leeway than any hockey player in the history of the game and you are wearing…a black suit.”
“Tell you what. I'll let you take me suit shopping ifyou'lllet me take you to look at some real apartments.”
“The hotel is fine!”
“I hardly think I need to take fashion advice from someone who falls asleep staring at a microwave oven. Hey guys, did you know Carter'sstillliving out of a hotel room?” He has a gleeful look ofmischief on his face, clearly happy to have shifted the attention off of himself.
“You spend too much time in hotels already, Jamie! You need a place you can really relax.” Lindy, not usually one to join in on chirps, sounds dumbfounded.
He's got a point.
“You talk to Ethan, Jamie. He knows every building downtown – he'll help you find a place, yes?” Alexei seems genuinely concerned about my living conditions. Then again, having seen his place, living in a hotel must seem about half a step up from living in my locker stall.
My eyes go to my seatmate. “Tell you what, if Ethan lets me help him pick out a few new outfits, I'll let him show me some apartments. Deal?”
The boys howl at this. With their eyes on us, he hardly has a choice. “Deal.”
CHAPTER TWELVE
ETHAN
It seemsthat Jamie has a helper somewhere in the organization, because my suit bag goes missing on our flight to Chicago later that week.
“Oh no, Cap! Guess we'll have to do that shopping trip sooner rather than later!”
I see a distinct smirk on Alexei’s face, and I have a feeling I know who to blame for my missing suit.
Luckily, we have the morning off before our night game, so Jamie and I grab a rideshare downtown.
“You're lucky you lost your suit onthisflight. Chicago’s got some good stores.”
“Oh, are we still pretending my suit was 'lost'?”
He smirks at me.
“At least Alexei didn't do it last week in Miami. Then you would've been stuck in a white linen suit and a Hawaiian shirt.”
I shudder at the thought.
We approach a discreet store, a wooden door tucked awaybeneath an awning. As we enter, the smell of wool and wood polish hit me. It smells expensive. I look around, expecting to see bright colors; instead, what I see is sedate, even conservative.
Jamie sees me eyeing the clothes. “Not quite white linen and patterns, but I think we'll find you something here.”
As he winks at me, an older gentleman comes from the back of the store.
“How may I help you gentlemen?”
“I called ahead. Jamie Carter. We're here to help my friend find a few new suits.”
“Oh, yes. Give me one moment.” The man walks over to the door and locks the deadbolt, turning the sign in the window to 'Closed'.”
