Total pages in book: 88
Estimated words: 88895 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 444(@200wpm)___ 356(@250wpm)___ 296(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 88895 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 444(@200wpm)___ 356(@250wpm)___ 296(@300wpm)
“Splendid!” Father exclaims.
“We knew you would,” Dad warmly agrees prompting me to divert my attention back to my flat mate.
“Interview for what?”
“A job.” Bending his legs to let his arms dangle over his knees is accompanied by his explaining, “They talked to me about my situation over lunch when they were in town visiting for family night. They found out my work sitch was a little grimmer than I wanted to let on, and your dad gave me the much needed ‘life isn’t over after hockey’ talk mon propre père didn’t while your father said he’d make a few calls to some of the private institutes in the state and see if they had anything.” An almost shy grin slides onto his face. “Dyr College right here in Dalvegan were not only willing to see me but hire me to be an assistant scout for their hockey team as long as my drug test comes back completely clean.”
“And it will,” leaves me alongside a sharply pointed finger of my tennis ball holding hand.
“Yeah.” He snatches the ball out of my hold. “I’m good.”
“Congratulations!” Father shouts from his end of the phone.
“Major stick taps.” I deliver a hard but friendly pat on the back. “Glad you’ll be putting those puckhead skills to good use.”
“Thanks, bud.” One throw is all he executes prior to meeting my crystal gaze again. “But your father’s right about the relationship shit he just said.”
“Really?” Grabbing the round object is instant. “This from the pigeon who fired a fucking bottle rocket at our relationship like a bloody month ago?”
“Yeah.” An innocent shrug bounces his suit covered shoulders. “I wanted to know if the shit between youse guys was a season thing or a career thing and considering the lengths you two went to to prove to the other one it’s the latter, I think it’s safe to agree with your old man about not giving up because you’re currently benched.”
My grip on the ball mindlessly tightens.
“Truthskies?” His voice shifts to a more serious tone. “Hockey has an expiration date, Frosky. Love doesn’t have to.”
Chapter 27
Tanner
This afternoon is apparently just full of shit I do not need.
First my downstairs neighbor complaining that my ball bouncing woke up his overly chatty cockatoo, then my car having a flat, and now running into the person that should be put in the box for her constant unsportsmanlike conduct as well as her delay of game tactics.
“Frossskkyyyy,” Audrey happily sings during my exiting of the elevator. “I wasn’t expecting to see you here.”
Keeping my composure is an award-winning feat. “Please know that the feeling is mutual.”
“Aw,” her giddy bounce in place informs me she has no idea what I said wasn’t a compliment, “you are the charmiest.”
I thoughtlessly twitch a glare.
“So…” she tugs the white t-shirt I’m wearing underneath my open coat, “now that you’re single-”
“I am not single.”
“But-”
“You think your very fucked up stunt was enough to simply end me and your sister?”
“It should’ve been.”
“And yet it wasn’t.” My backing away not only creates space, it causes her to pout. “More importantly? Even if it were, I would never choose to be with you, Audrey. You are not my type.”
She proudly plops a hand on her hip and snips, “I’m everyone’s type.”
“And that is the problem.”
Bewilderment doesn’t hesitate to be seen in her expression.
“You mold and manipulate yourself to be whatever or whoever you convince yourself you need to be in order to please the world around you rather than just who you are; although, if I’m being completely honest, I do not believe even you know who you really are because you spend so much time being who you think everyone else wants you to be.”
Her nude painted lips fold together to suppress whatever emotion has been stirred.
“I have no interest in someone like that.” An innocent shrug bounces my frame. “I never have.” On a slight lean forward, I reiterate my point, “And I never will.”
Audrey’s mouth noticeably begins to tremble, yet she continues to remain silent.
“You need to respect that, my relationship with your sister, and maintain your space regarding non-work-related purposes or I’ll file a restraining order, which will make holidays together quite uncomfortable.”
“Frosky!” Margot calls from where she’s reviewing something on her tablet at the front desk. “In.” She cuts me a firm glance over her shoulder. “Now.”
I nod my understanding and maneuver away from the gawking woman for the GM’s office.
Unsure of whether to sit or stand when I stroll inside, I linger near the back of the room, beside the leather couches, like a soldier waiting for an order.
“Sit,” is hissed through gritted teeth prompting me to drop my ass on the nearest piece of furniture.
Huh.
This is probably how Bear feels, isn’t it?
“There,” she instructs with a sharply pointed finger to one of the seats directly on the other side of her desk.