Whatever I owe you, I will double.”
Jaxon grins. It looks like it doesn’t belong on him. Like he rarely does it. I can relate. I cannot remember the last time I’ve smiled. “No offense, but you’ve already paid me enough. I’m sorry we couldn’t figure it out sooner while she was out of the country. Would have loved to have messed with her there, make her think she couldn’t return.”
I smile. Anything to make her pay for this makes me happy, even if it’s only a thought.
“Thank you. Again.” A huge breath falls from me and my body temperature drops ten degrees. Finally. It’s done.
“I’ll let myself out. Know you got a plane to catch.”
As he heads that way, the door opens, and Viola enters. “Oh.” Her eyes widen when she sees me and then she notices Jaxon. “Oooh. Well, aren’t you a big boy.”
“Never skip a bowl of Wheaties,” Jaxon says, and Viola’s eyes pop wide. He tips his head toward her, gives me a low wave and heads out the door Viola has just entered.
“Who was that?” she asks. “And I apologize for being late. I wasn’t feeling well last night, so I took cold medicine. Slept in.”
“Are you sick?”
“Oh. No. Nothing. Just a cold. Or allergies. I’ll be fine though.” She coughs into her hand and I frown.
“Are you okay being sick around Angelo? I can find someone else for this trip?”
“No no, Mikah.” She coughs again and gives me a weak smile. “I will be fine, I’m certain of it. Besides, if it is a cold, Angelo has already been exposed to my germs, and he’s healthy so he should be fine.”
“Are you sure?” There’s no way I can’t get on this plane, and I need to get going. I spent too long waiting for Viola before I started packing. And then Jaxon. Which reminds me. I shake the paper at Viola. If she says she can watch Angelo, I trust her. “Look at this.”
“What is it—oooh—” She grins up at me. “She signed it?”
“Yes. Finally.”
Her face lights up like a Christmas tree. “Well, that’s wonderful. You can call Paisley again.”
“Maybe. When I get back. I must go.”
“Oh. Right. Of course. Okay.” She folds the paper and hands it back to me, her bright happiness diminishing. “Well then, play hard, skate fast, you know… all of those things. Angelo and I will be just fine. I promise. And call when you must.”
“I will.” Viola laughs at me because I call all the time. When I wake up. Before a game. After the game. Before I go to bed. Nothing changes except that Angelo has pooped again or eaten, but I like knowing his day when I’m not here.
I throw the rest of the things in my bag, slide into my suit coat and spend more time than I have, holding and kissing Angelo and telling him how much I love him, before handing him to Viola.
My gaze holds on Paisley’s door as I pass it. If only I had the time to go to her, I would.
But I will make things better and somehow, I will get her back.
As soon as I return.
Chapter Thirty-One
Paisley
* * *
If my obsession was borderline stalkerish before Mikah and I met, I’ve now passed unsurmountable levels of psycho. I check my door before I leave. Peer through my peephole when I hear a noise. I’m aware of how well he played on his first home game because yes, while I didn’t go, I watched from home even though I don’t understand anything, and he moves so fast on the ice I can barely keep track of him.
And I shouldn’t have gone out earlier. I should have stayed inside until the voices in the hallway vanished. Curiosity killed the cat and all that.
Except this time, curiosity stomped all over my still shredded heart.
One glimpse of Mikah holding Angelo and the pain of him shutting me out and then not answering the door the day after when I tried to talk to him revved into overdrive.
Which pathetically explains why I’m shoving my face into a carton of cookie dough ice cream, research for my paper and another class spread in front of me. I’m pretty sure they’re stuck together with melted ice cream.
I’ve become the girl who falls apart when a boy breaks her heart, and there’s still a stupid tiny part of me who knows there’s something else going on. Adding insult to injury, I feel like I’ve lost a whole new