Page 90 of Breaking Point
Valenti nods along. “I like to hear it. I like to hear it.”
I shake my head, laughing. “Go on, get all your questions out now. I can practically see them in your eyes.”
Ellington leans forward, the first to break. “Why did you start working as his assistant?”
“Jesus Christ, here they go again,” Cindy mutters into her wine.
Bella’s lips part in shock before she answers, “Because I was fired from my last one and his was the only well-paying job.”
Valenti’s eyes cut to mine. “She’s truthful, I like it.”
“It’s not a job interview,” I remind him.
Ellington holds up a hand, silencing me. “Why were you fired?”
Valenti sits back, pointing the top of his beer bottle at her. “Ooh, that’s a good question. Did you steal from the company?”
“What? Of course not. I worked in tech as their designer and they were too trigger happy on hiring people.”
Valenti frowns. “That’s…boring.”
Bella chokes out a laugh. “I’m sorry my firing story isn’t more entertaining.”
“Past boyfriends?” Ellington asks, truly taking on the role of questioning her seriously.
“In college.”
“Criminal record?”
“No. I doubt Lucy would’ve hired me if I had one.”
“Too true. The woman is as ballsy as they come.” He slumps back, pondering. “What about hockey? Are you a fan?”
That silences everyone around the booth.
Bella’s cheeks warm. “Honestly?No, I’m sorry.”
Valenti hoots in triumph before high-fiving Ellington. “We have a winner, my friends!”
Cindy rolls her eyes before leaning over to Bella and whispering, “They just don’t like puck bunnies moving into the circle. You passed their test.”
Bella’s eyes widen as her head whips back to my teammates, now onto an entirely new topic. As soon as they get into one of their heated debates, I tune them out.
O’Connor holds up a finger. “I would like to state for the record that I did not ask any questions.”
“Noted,” Bella teases.
As a server walks past, I quickly stop her and order a Coke, suddenly feeling awkward to be the only one without a drink in my hand.
Bella peers down at her drink before returning those big brown eyes to me, her brows furrowing in concern. “Should I be doing this in front of you? Are you okay? I’m more than happy to pour it out.”
Without waiting for a response, Bella turns to Valenti, who’s frowning at Ellington, and slides her glass of wine toward him. “Here, some sweetness to brighten up your sourness.”
Ellington chokes on his beer as O’Connor bursts out laughing.
Bella sits back once more, nestling within the confines of my warmth, a pleased smile stretching across her face before she pulls out a pack of gum and plops one in her mouth.
Dropping my head, my lips brush the shell of her ear, and with such delight I note how the move elicits goosebumps down her arms. “Thank you,” I whisper.
