Page 108 of Revenge Puck

“Christian?” she repeats. “No, he’s not the walk-in.”

Turning around to face her, brow furrowed in confusion, I ask, “Then who were you yelling at?”

“Preston.”

“That’s…no,” I say, shaking my head in disbelief. “He’s in D.C. The team left last night.”

“I don’t know about all the travel logistics, but Preston Lawrence is here right now. He wants to talk to you.”

“Oh. Wow.”

I was not expecting this—for him to show up here when there’s no game in town. He should be at home, getting ready to try to win the series with his team tomorrow night, not wasting time on me.

“Do you want to run out the back or…” Audrey trails off, leaving the decision to me.

“Is your client still here?”

“Mrs. Bailey is sitting under the dryer.”

“Then I guess you should probably send him back here.”

“Are you sure?”

Am I sure? Taking a deep breath, I let it out slowly, searching for that answer. “Yes.”

“Okay then. I’ll be out front, so if you need backup just yell for me.”

“Thank you,” I tell her.

I finish up the last towel, then turn off the light and shut the laundry room door. When I step into our little waiting area, he’s standing there taking up all the space. His eyes roam up and down me as if he hasn’t seen me in months when it’s been less than twenty-four hours since he gave me the boot.

“Hey,” he speaks first.

“Hey,” I reply softly. I shouldn’t be happy to see him or hear his rumbly voice, not after how badly he hurt me the last time I saw him when he was throwing shit and angry, telling me hewas done with me. “What do you want? Your hair doesn’t need a cut yet.”

“You think I came all the way here from D.C. for a haircut?”

I shrug, since I have no clue why he’s in town.

“I miss you,” he says. “I missed you within seconds of you leaving the locker room. And I owe you an apology.”

“Oh?”

“I need to apologize for blaming you for my temper. It wasn’t your fault I blew up and went after Christian. I did that way before you and I ever met.”

“I became a distraction and not a fun way to torment your enemy. There’s nothing to apologize for, Preston, especially not in person when you should be getting ready for game six. You could’ve put all that in a text.”

“That’s not…yes, it was fun tormenting Christian. But my anger at him was more about me. I blame myself for letting him near my sister, getting her pregnant, and then taking away his chance to redeem himself with her and as a father.”

Wow. That is definitely a change in his tune.

“I’m glad you’ve finally realized that. Is Maya going to tell him about Finley?”

“No. I am.”

“You are?” I ask in surprise, my eyes widening in disbelief. “Before game six of the championships? That’s messed up, Preston.”

“No, I’m not going to tell him to throw him off his game. I swear. I just can’t keep it from him any longer out of spite. I would want to know if…He’ll probably slicemythroat with a skate when he finds out I kept Finley from him.”

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