Total pages in book: 118
Estimated words: 113072 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 565(@200wpm)___ 452(@250wpm)___ 377(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 113072 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 565(@200wpm)___ 452(@250wpm)___ 377(@300wpm)
I sigh. “Sure. Thanks. I’ll let him know this happened.”
“Chin up, Zoe. We don’t let the assholes win.”
“I like your style, Bernie.”
When he smiles at me, his mustache twitches.
Darcy and I watch the Legends dominate Montreal from row G, while we drink soda and devour a plate of nachos. Meanwhile, I fill my notebook with ideas for my players.
On the one hand, I’m excited to see the team playing so much better than they were in January. Their win-loss record is greatly improved, and they’ve climbed up to second in their division.
But it hurts me to admit that Montreal needs Chase, too. Their offensive plays could use more flash and creativity—which is his specialty.
During the first intermission, I google their coaching staff. They already have a full-time skating coach, unfortunately.
I also field angry texts from my mother. And as I read them, I think of what Chase said this morning. Tolerating assholes isn’t working for me anymore.
Mom: I can’t believe you fired Bruce. It’s short sighted! Nobody else will want you now!
Zoe: Do you realize how mean that sounds? I won’t regret firing Bruce. Not even for a minute. You can keep taking his calls if you want to, but I’m done.
Mom: It’s like you’ve lost your mind since you went to New York. It’s HIM, isn’t it? He has control of you again. You acted like an idiot the minute he showed up in your life. I never should have hired him.
I make a sound of rage just as Darcy plops back down in her seat, a beer in each hand. “I got you this, even though you said you didn’t want it.”
“They cost ten bucks!” I yelp.
She sets it into the cupholder beside me. “But I get paid a real salary, and you look like you need it anyway. Why are you clenching your phone like it personally offends you?”
Because sometimes it does. I look down at the screen again and see that my mother is still typing something that is unlikely to be an apology.
Maybe it’s time to swing back.
“All right,” I announce to nobody in particular. “This ends now.”
Zoe: Stop it Mom.
Zoe: Just stop.
Zoe: I don’t need to listen to you question every choice I ever made.
Zoe: Chase is twice the man that Bruce ever was. Maybe I should have listened to you about Bruce. But please consider that I married him partly to get out of your house.
God, it feels good to admit that.
Zoe: You and I are going to take a break now. I don’t want to hear your critique of my life, just like you probably wouldn’t like to hear my critique of yours.
Zoe: This week I fired my agent because he wasn’t working for me anymore. And now I need to fire my coach, too.
“Hey,” Darcy says, touching my sleeve. “Are you okay?”
“Yes.” I stash my phone. “Yes, I really am.” I pick up my beer and touch the glass to hers. “Thank you. I appreciate you more than you know.”
“Oh, I do know,” she says. “Now maybe Chase can score a goal, and we can appreciate him, too.”
He doesn’t get a goal, but he skates like wildfire and bags three assists. And the Legends win 5–3.
“Maybe he couldn’t score today, because he already scored,” Darcy suggests at the buzzer.
“You shut up.”
She snickers. “Heading over to his place now?”
“No.” I close my notebook. “The man needs a full night of sleep, and they’re leaving in the morning for Carolina.”
“You’re going to tell him about the locker thing, right? Otherwise he’ll just hear about it from one of the other gossips. Sharp was steaming after you told him.”
“Good point. I’ll get that over with.”
“Sort this out soon, m’kay?” she says, grabbing her jacket. “The suspense is killing me, and I hate cliff-hangers.”
“So sorry to inconvenience you. How about I get us a rideshare home? My treat.”
“I’ll take it.”
When I get home to my apartment, there’s an envelope under my door. It’s my second rent check, returned with a note. Bill already paid. There’s also a photo of a canceled check, drawn on a strange account: The estate of C. J. Merritt.
I text Chase a picture of the canceled check. What the hell?
He replies a bit later, when I’m already lying on my living room mattress.
Ah. I’m glad they credited the right account.
You paid my rent???? Without asking?
Okay I should have asked. But I thought you’d say no. And I didn’t pay it. A dead person did.
How thoughtful of him. But Chase!!! Not cool.
I got that money from a relative that I despise. I never asked for it. The check had been sitting on my kitchen counter for a week. Then you told Darcy you couldn’t pay your rent, so I thought it was the perfect solution. I didn’t think they’d show you who it was from though. Oops.