Page 75 of Breaking Point
“Smooth, Crawford. Very smooth.”
Clicking my tongue, I steer us toward the center of the carnival where the food stalls are. “Hungry?”
“Famished.”
Nestled atop a stack of hay at the back of the food stalls, hidden from the rest of the carnival-goers, Bella sits beside me with a tray of fries in her hand and a hot dog resting on her lap. While I on the other hand have a large feast spread out beside me on napkins—two large fries, a burger, and two hot dogs.
Bella’s eyes looked like they were going to pop out of her head when I relayed my order. I had to remind her again that I’m an athlete, that the amount of training and exercise I domakes my stomach a bottomless pit. Part of me feels as if I should be offended, and yet the majority of me loves that when she looks at me, she doesn’t just see ice hockey. I can’t remember the last time I met someone who looked at me as nothing but a regular person.
After swallowing a handful of fries, she asks, “What about pets? Did you have any growing up?”
“Lots. More strays than anything.” My lips tip up into a smile. “I used to beg my mom to let me keep animals, and I mean every type of animal,” I deadpan. “Lizards, snakes, birds, cats—I adore them and their innocence. Especially dogs. We as humans don’t deserve them.”
“No, we don’t.” She plops a fry in her mouth. “Any past pets in particular I should know of?”
I think about it, considering that maybe I should create a slideshow about them all because anyone I date would know how much I adore animals. “I would say my childhood German Shepherd, Baine. He was practically my best friend for ten years. Scratch that, he was.”
Warmth fills Bella’s eyes. “How come you don’t have any pets now then?”
“I can’t with my schedule. I travel far too much so it seems cruel to get an animal if I know I’ll be gone half the time. Instead, when I’m not traveling or away at games, I just volunteer.”
“Volunteer?” she asks.
Nodding emphatically, I shovel a bite of my burger in my mouth, swallowing quickly as I explain, “There’s an animal charity I’m heavily involved in, and whenever I have days off, I’m usually volunteering. They get all walks of life. Not only cats and dogs to rehome, but they’re a rehabilitation center that also raises funds for animals like turtles, horses, cows… Honestly, you name it, they’ve helped it.”
“That’s phenomenal!”
Everything around me might have crumbled but that was the one aspect I didn’t allow to falter.
“What about you? Have any pets?”
Bella shakes her head. “My childhood dog passed before I leftfor college and after that, I didn’t want to get a dog with the hours I worked.”
“What was your old job like?”
She groans. “Torture. Pure, unadulterated torture.”
Biting another chunk off my burger, I motion with my hands for her to go on.
“Well, I knew my layoff was coming. Tech was overhired, the design team included, and once AI joined the party there wasn’t as many jobs as they originally created. I saw it coming for about a year, and all the while as each of my colleagues dropped off, I had to pick up their workload with no pay raise.” She chokes on a laugh, but it doesn’t hold an ounce of humor. “That, and my boss was a grade A ass. Truly, I think he was a sadist. He used to leave the blinds open and allow the office to watch as the people he fired begged for their jobs. He allowed work office harassment to occur?—”
“Wait, what?” I cut in, something in my chest tightening. “Did something happen?”
The way she darts her gaze away is all the answer I need.
My jaw clenches so tightly I’m surprised I don’t snap a molar. The swift rush of anger that floods my veins startles me. I’ve never been quick to anger—ever. I’m usually the one cooling those around me; it’s why I used to be such a good captain. I was the level-headed one before Drew died. And yet, right now, I’m anything but.
“What happened?” I demand.
Bella’s head whips to me at the wrath in my voice, her eyes tracking over my tense form. She shakes her head. “It doesn’t matter.”
“Of course it matters.”
Biting her lower lip, she’s silent for a moment before ever so softly admitting, “One of the men was only hired because his father owns the company, and at the last Christmas party, he cornered me and tried to force himself on me. One of my female colleagues had dealt with him before and when she saw him trailing after me down a hallway she followed.” She shutters. “I’m lucky nothing happened.”
“Please tell me he was fired.” The small shake of her head has me cursing. “Pricks.”
A faraway look enters her eyes. “Don’t worry, I got my revenge in my leave.”
