Page 77 of Married As Puck
She trembles visibly and snaps out of her daze. I catch a glimpse of her misty eyes. She looks up and blinks rapidly and I wonder if I imagined it the first time.
“What do you want, Mrs. Gray?” she asks with a tight-lipped smile.
“I’m leaving the office, so I came to make sure that you don’t need me to do anything before I leave.”
She sniffles. I’m not mistaken this time. “Are you okay, Mrs. Randolph?”
“You see, that’s what I’d like you to do. I’d like you to mind your business.”
The intensity in her eyes makes me stagger backwards slightly. I get the message.
“Goodnight, Mrs. Randolph.” I dash out of her office just as another sniffle reaches my ears. I have the urge to go back in and insist until she confides in but according to Julia, for all that she has put me through, maybe life was paying her back. No, that’s a cruel way to think. I caution myself as the elevator dings.
My mind goes back to the message I received earlier today. I don’t even know how Jack got my number, but I’m going to meet him anyway. I want to know what his deal is with Cameron since Cameron has refused to tell me point blank.
I still don’t get why he’s not as open with me as I’ve been with him. I told him about my life in foster care, something I don’t talk about to anyone. The least he could have done that day was tell me something about himself too. I want to know why he’s closed off and overly independent. I want to know why he acts as though the entire world is full of thorns and the only safe space is the rink. I want to know the reason behind his trauma. I want to see the parts of him that he has kept hidden from the whole world.
I hail a cab absentmindedly and repeat the address to him. The cab pulls up in front of a bookstore, which is an unusual place for a meeting. I wonder why he picked this place. I take a deep breath to ease the nerves that are creeping in. I hope I didn’t make a bad decision by coming to see him alone.
The door to the bookstore squeaks like a dying rat once I open it. My eyes scan the room until they spot him, leaning against one of the shelves in the back.
I walk towards him.
“Mrs. Gray,” he says, like the name itself is ridiculous. “Or should I say… Ms. Sparks?”
My stomach twists hard but I force my face to remain neutral. “What do you want, Jack? How did you even get my number?”
He nods, “Straight to the point. I like that.”
He pushes off the shelf and takes a step closer until he’s right in my face. His voice drops like he’s letting me in on a joke. “I know about your little secret.” My heart skips a beat. What’s he talking about?
“I know about the marriage and the entire arrangement that got you into it.”
“You don’t know what you’re talking about.” My voice doesn’t shake, thank God. My palms are clammy though.
“Oh, I know enough,” he says with a grin. “And I know what it’ll do to Cameron if people find out. He’ll lose his sponsors, a good number of his fans and the image he has struggled to maintain will be gone in a flash. And you? You’ll be chewed up like the rest and lose the little relevance you had.” He pauses then adds. “Unless…” He drags it out dramatically. “You make a deal with me.”
I narrow my eyes on him.
“A deal where I get what I want,” he says, “and in return, I keep my mouth shut. You scratch my back, I scratch yours. Everybody walks away happy.”
I take one slow step back. Just enough space to breathe, though my heart’s hammering wildly in my chest. My mind races with how bad this can get if it gets out. No, this is what he wants, and I won’t give him the satisfaction.
I look straight into his blue eyes like I’m not falling apart inside. “Do your worst.”
His smirk vanishes and his face contorts in rage. “What?” he asks in disbelief.
“I said, do your worst,” I say it again, louder this time. My chest is heaving, and fear is crawling all over my skin, but I won’t give him the satisfaction. “If you think I’m going to beg, or cut deals, or let you corner me then just know that you’ve picked the wrong woman.”
He smirks again. “Brave words. We’ll see how long you last.”
I don’t answer. I turn around and walk out.
My hands are trembling, my pulse won’t slow down, but I just keep moving. Cab line’s up ahead.Don’t look back.
I slide into the backseat of an empty one and mumble my address to the driver. I lean on the window with only one thought in mind, Cameron can’t know about this. He has enough going on with him already. I’ll keep my lips sealed and hopefully he doesn’t try anything before the match day.
It’s game day, so I’m at the stadium where fans are cheering on all sides and the match is in full gear. I’m wearing the team’s white jersey paired with black cargo pants and sneakers. I’m the image of a supportive wife.
