Page 61 of Ice Darling
“I’ve always respected you, Renthrow,” he says in a raspy voice. “You were like the dad of the team.” He stops and squeezes his eyes shut. “I get why McLanely would do this. And Kinsey, well, he’s always been about himself. But you?” Watson’s eyes fill with hurt and disappointment. “Guess I was wrong about you all along.”
“Watson!”
The goalie stomps out of the room, and the door slams shut behind him.
Max runs a hand down his face, his eyes on the floor. “Well…that went well.”
“Maybe they’ll come back.”
“They’re not coming back.”
“You’re probably right.”
Max sinks into the desk and nearly upends it, but it manages to hold steady.
I walk over to our manager. “Now what?”
“Now…” Max falters, “we mourn the team I just destroyed.”
Chapter Twenty-One
Cordelia
Lunch is so amazing that I almost want to peel off my steel-toed work boots, tuck myself under a tree, and doze off.
Instead, I shift fixing Renthrow’s car higher on my priority list.
“Where are you going?” April asks.
I studiously avoid eye contact as I pack my tools. “A client.”
“By any chance, is this client…super buff with a beard and a small, adorable daughter who loves Hello Kitty?”
“Huh. I don’t think I know anyone like that.”
April wiggles her finger at me. “You scarfed down Renthrow’s food and then sat there with a dazed look on your face for about ten minutes. It’s so obvious who you’ve been thinking of.”
“Why didn’t you guys go out for lunch again?” I grumble, stuffing a battery meter into the box. “Weren’t you supposed to eat out with Gunner and Chance?”
“Max called them early. Something came up at the stadium,” April says.
“Something like what?” I bat my eyes.
“Ah-ah. You’re changing the topic.”
“He’s a paying client,” I inform April. “And he needs his car to take Gordie around.”
April smirks and tucks a lock of her silky brown hair behind her ear. “Okay.”
“This isn’t a personal decision,” I explain further. “And you said when I took this job that client work was up to my discretion.”
“You’re over-explaining, Delia.” April laughs.
“Makes her seem guilty, doesn’t it?” Rebel chimes in from across the bay.
I spin around to face my other boss. As usual, she’s dressed from head to toe in pink. “I’ll be back soon.”
“Take your time,” Rebel calls, her voice full of laughter. “And tell Renthrow we said hi.”
