Page 20 of Playing the Pucking Game
Shit. Linc has good coffee.
“Why?” I finally ask once I’ve savored my first taste.
“Why?” he echoes. “Because everyone deserves to start the day with good coffee.”
“Well, yeah. That’s a given. But I could have just come out here and made my own. Why go to the effort of making it earlier, putting it in the fridge, and ordering creamer?”
He laughs in disbelief, his hand lifting to rub the back of his neck.
“You have no idea, do you?”
“I’m too tired to talk in riddles, Storm,” I warn before taking another sip.
Damn, it’s good.
“You had a shitty night, and I can’t imagine today is going to be much better. I just…wanted to help, I guess.”
“Hmm…do you do this for all the women who spend the night here?”
Pushing his empty mug back a little, he rests his threaded forearms on the counter. He laces his fingers together, and it makes the muscles ripple and his veins become more pronounced.
I clear my throat and force my eyes back to his.
“So, what’s the plan for today?” he asks, completely ignoring my question.
I shrug one shoulder.
“I don’t even know who I need to call for information. The fire marshal?”
“And your insurance company,” he suggests, making me grimace. “If your things need replacing, then—what’s that look for?”
“Fuck’s sake,” I groan, tipping my head back and closing my eyes.
“Parker, please tell me that you had renters’ insurance.”
“Yeah, of course,” I say, looking back down but staring past him and into the living room. “I just…didn’t renew it the other week when it ran out.”
“You’re shitting me.”
“Do I look like I’m fucking shitting you? With the stress of the interview process, the holidays, I just…fucking hell.” I drop my face into my hands as pain and guilt war within me.
I can’t afford to replace everything I own.
I have some savings, and sure, my new position comes with a pay increase, but still…I don’t have a multi-million-dollar contract and more money than I know what to do with, like the man staring at me with disappointment etched into every feature of his face.
Oh god. Mom and Dad are going to be so disappointed in me.
Rett too.
“Parker,” Linc says, his voice closer this time.
I jump when his warm fingers wrap around my wrists, dragging my hand away from my face, stopping me from hiding from my massive fuck-up.
“There’s no point dwelling on something that can’t be fixed. Are you sure the policy ended?”
“Yes,” I whisper weakly.
“Okay, so let’s see if we can determine the extent of the damage. It might be okay. They could have stopped the fire before it got to the back of the building. Everything might be safe.”
