I had to keep moving forward as head steward.
The meets could be over by Sandstone on Wednesday. There was no need to have days or weeks between times. We’d only waited so long between others because of me—and Sascha recently.
Three dots appeared, and I waited for his reply.
When it didn’t come, I jotted down notes on enterprise development, trying to tune into the lecture. This degree was important. I couldn’t waste money paying for a re-do semester. Maybe I wouldn’t set up my own business as I’d once thought, but I had a whole heap of businesses in the grids to manage.
The lecture finished.
I managed a second lecture on business research methods.
I checked my phone.
No reply. Sascha was probably caught up or having a day off without our usual Sunday grid announcement on the cards today. I’d give him an hour.
Wade walked in after knocking. “Hey, beautiful. Ready to go?”
“Thanks so much for doing this on the weekend.” I gathered my things and locked the office door behind us.
“I have no social life anyway,” he said. “This is more important.”
We set out to meet the next stewards on the list. The questions were different this week.
Why is Rhona so angry?
How are things between you two?
She’s a Thana. We hate seeing her so upset.
Would we have lost the grid if you didn’t forfeit?
None of the questions were easy, but I seized the opportunity to answer them in this private setting, thankful to get a chance at all. I was happy to notice the change of scent with a few who’d been on the fence about me.
“Who’s next?” I asked.
Wade exhaled. “Are you sure you want to visit anymore? How do you not get angry with that bullshit?”
“Because they deserve to know the truth. Or as much as I can give them.”
“It’s not a guilt thing, right?”
I gripped the wheel. “Maybe there’s an element of that. You know how much I love being lied to. I hate doing that to others. Mostly, I just want to do the right thing by them.”
He peered out the window. “Did you notice none of the stewards have asked how the shot Luthers are recovering?”
That hadn’t escaped my attention. “I can’t decide if that’s callousness or fear of showing sympathy—or if they want to show me that sympathy for Luthers isn’t okay after my forfeit.”
“It’s so fucked up,” he said. “If the game was just Grids, things would be so much easier.”
Yep.
Which was why I had to get the meets done. Sascha hadn’t made a peep. He always texted back within minutes.
He was ignoring me on purpose.
“Just here on the left.” Wade pointed.
Parking, I strode to the front door. A man no more than ten years older than me opened it before I could knock.
“What do you want?” He crossed his arms.
Wade spoke over my head. “Do you know who you’re talking to, Mark? Have some respect.”
I rested a hand on his arm. “Mark, Wade is introducing me to the tribe. Do you have five minutes for us to better know one another?”
Whoa, only Valerie put out this much dislike. She generally made the effort to keep it from her expression too.
“I’m busy,” he replied coolly.
I smiled. “No problem. I’m sure you’re hard at work for the tribe, and I commend you for that. Is there a time that suits you for me to return?”
He looked me up and down. “I’m busy every day, Head Steward.”
I blinked as the door slammed in my face. Okay, then. “I think he likes me.”
Wade was scowling so hard at the wooden entrance I worried it might burst into flame.
“Come on,” I said. “Not here.”
We’d barely pulled out of the driveway, when he slammed a fist on the dash.
I slanted a look at him. “We knew that would happen with some stewards. Put his name on the list and forget about him.”
“He’s such an asshole. I hate that guy.”
“History?”
“We kissed in secondary school. He freaked out after and was a dick to me for years along with all his friends who had no idea what happened.”
“You never told them?”
“I have a heart.”
“You do. And I love you for it. Even if I find you grossly unattractive.”
Wade lifted his head. “How unattractive?”
“I found a mouldy onion in my fridge and for a second thought it was your face.”
He squeezed my hand. “At least one thing is right in the world.”
No kidding.
I pulled up in front of my cabin. “You go ahead. I’ve got to call Sascha.”
Wade obeyed—after gyrating his hips.
Things would