Page 121 of Thrown for a Loop
“No.” I close my notebook. “The man needs a full night of sleep, and they’re leaving in the morning for Carolina.”
“You’re going to tell him about the locker thing, right? Otherwise he’ll just hear about it from one of the other gossips. Sharp was steaming after you told him.”
“Good point. I’ll get that over with.”
“Sort this out soon, m’kay?” she says, grabbing her jacket. “The suspense is killing me, and I hate cliff-hangers.”
“So sorry to inconvenience you. How about I get us a rideshare home? My treat.”
“I’ll take it.”
When I get home to my apartment, there’s an envelope under my door. It’s my second rent check, returned with a note.Bill already paid.There’s also a photo of a canceled check, drawn on a strange account:The estate of C. J. Merritt.
I text Chase a picture of the canceled check.What the hell?
He replies a bit later, when I’m already lying on my living room mattress.
Ah. I’m glad they credited the right account.
You paid my rent???? Without asking?
Okay I should have asked. But I thought you’d say no. And I didn’t pay it. A dead person did.
How thoughtful of him. But Chase!!! Not cool.
I got that money from a relative that I despise. I never asked for it. The check had been sitting on my kitchen counter for a week. Then you told Darcy you couldn’t pay your rent, so I thought it was the perfect solution. I didn’t think they’d show you who it was from though. Oops.
This explanation only partly soothes my ire, though, and I call him.
He answers immediately. “How am I supposed to sleep here? My bed smells like you.”
“You’ll manage. And you’re not off the hook yet. Chase, thereare a lot of people in my life trying to manage my choices. Please don’t be one of them.”
He hums thoughtfully. “Zoe, I apologize for not asking. That wasn’t cool, and I won’t do it again. I just thought my dead relative’s paltry estate might ease the way while I watch you take over the world.”
“Good save,” I whisper, and he laughs. “How did your secret lunch go?”
“Pretty great. My buddy said nice things about his team’s management. It’s a viable option for me.”
“That’s great news,” I lie.
“Hmm,” he says. “Are you eager to send me to Canada?”
I hesitate, wondering how honest I should be. When I picture him packing up his apartment and moving to Montreal, I want to cry. I couldn’t even get a work permit there. Not easily.
“Zoe. Just level with me. I know this is all brand-new. You and me. Well, old, but really new. But we wasted a lot of time already. So the idea of moving to Canada is suddenly less attractive than it was a couple weeks ago. Tell me I’m not overreacting.”
My heart leaps. With a full twist. “You’re not overreacting. I hate the idea. But Montreal isn’t our only obstacle. Nolan Sharp has madeno indicationthat he’s willing to sign me again. In fact, the last guy quit in frustration. So if I can’t keep a job with the Legends, then…”
The sentence just hangs there, where neither of us is willing to finish it. But in truth it might not matter where Chase goes, if I can’t get a job in New York.
“Right.” He lets out a breath. “You deserve a good job, too, with a team who appreciates you. Just like I do. Wherever that takes you.”
Silence descends once again as this sinks in for both of us. Until this morning, I was gung ho about sending out another round ofemails this spring to try to leverage my Legends experience with another team. I got this far, damn it. I can’t stop now.
But the pull I feel toward Chase is as strong as ever.
“We’re worrying about this way too soon,” he says suddenly. “I can’t even negotiate with Montreal until July. Sharp will push me to sign with him sooner, but Bess can stall.”
