“Then please just be done with the macho posturing.”
“I’m allowed to think for myself.And it’s a little strange, that he’s back and hired you.I think he might regret letting you go.”
I shook my head.“That’s not it.You don’t care about hockey, but a lot of people do.One worker tried to record his phone call with his sister.Another wanted to take selfies with him.So his team hired me.But that’s all it is.His family issues might be over, but mine aren’t.He knows that.”
“He’s got money.”
I rolled my eyes.“All the more reason for him to be looking for someone without all this baggage, right?”
Maybe it wasn’t nice to throw Erik’s words back at him, but he couldn’t walk away, with hardly a word since, and then come back and get all dog in the manger-ish.
We went to a chain restaurant with a kids’ menu, and Arne did most of the talking.At the end of the evening, I dropped Erik off at his hotel.
I stepped outside the car so Arne wouldn’t hear.“So, are you coming to see Arne play?”
“I told you I’m tied up till the weekend.”
“He’s got a tournament.If you’re free anytime on Saturday, you could come see him.”
His jaw firmed.“Text me the details.I’ll be there if I can.”
I forwarded the information about the soccer games, but I wasn’t going to tell Arne till Erik actually set foot on the field.
I didn’t sleep well.Erik’s arrival had brought up more problems.Was he going to spend time with Arne?Would Justin be different in the morning?Erik had stepped over a line, coming to his house, and I’d understand if Justin was pissed about it.
I got Arne off to school while I mulled things over before driving to Justin’s.When I got to his house, he was sitting in the kitchen with a cup of coffee, reading something on his phone.
“Good morning.”I dropped my purse on the counter by the coffeemaker.
He nodded.“I can’t remember, since he called yesterday and you were gone early—did I tell you my agent is in town and wants to meet up this morning?”
Yesterday had taken a turn.“I don’t think so.”
“He’s only here for a day.I’m trying to figure out how long it would take to get where he wants to meet.”
I stood behind him so I could check the information he was looking up.“It had to be in downtown Vancouver, right?”
He nodded and shifted slightly so we weren’t so close.I stepped back.That hurt, a little.
“If we leave in a half hour, that should give us lots of time.”Rush hour traffic should be winding down.
“Um.”He wouldn’t look at me, so I took another step back.“I thought I’d just get a rideshare there.He’ll be talking business and team stuff, so there’s no need for you to just sit around.”
Damn it.He’d just given me a car to drive so I could take him to things like this.Obviously, Erik had upset him.“I’m sorry that Erik?—”
He met my gaze then.“This isn’t about your ex coming by.I swear.But it is likely to be long and hella boring.”
I wasn’t sure I believed him.Oh, probably this thing would take a while.But there’d been tension between Erik and Justin, and that had to be a factor.
“I can do some things around here.Make up the bed, do some laundry, maybe vacuum.”
“Fuck, Mia, you’re not my maid.”
“No, I’m your PSW.And this is what we do.What you can’t.And I’m not sure you’d be able to handle fitted sheets right now.”
He finally shrugged.“I’ll go up and change and get out of your hair.Help yourself to anything here, and I’ll let you know when I have some idea when I’ll be done.”
I opened the dishwasher, which Justin had run since I left yesterday, and he headed up the stairs.He was gone soon.