Total pages in book: 88
Estimated words: 83461 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 417(@200wpm)___ 334(@250wpm)___ 278(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83461 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 417(@200wpm)___ 334(@250wpm)___ 278(@300wpm)
“The food,” she says weakly.
“We’ll get it later,” I say, pressing a kiss to her temple. “Much later.”
CHAPTER 28
Ava
The maître d’ leads me through the restaurant to the table where Shelley Royce awaits. She sees us approach and stands, moving from her chair to greet me.
Holding out her hand, we shake as she says, “I’m so excited to meet you in person. Granted, Zoom makes our meetings so much more intimate than just phone calls, but it’s important for us to have real face-to-face time.”
“I agree,” I say with a laugh. “I’m so glad you could make time on this trip.”
Shelley looks past my shoulder, back to me with a slight frown. “Where’s your boyfriend? I thought he was joining us?”
My stomach tightens, and I have to fight the disappointment that fills me. I manage what I think is a bright smile. “Cannon unfortunately had to work late.”
“Oh, I’m so sorry to hear that,” she says and motions to our chairs. “Oh well… there will be other times, but this gives us girl time. No business tonight. This is about hanging out and having fun.”
I sit adjacent to her and unfold the napkin on my lap. “Girl time it is,” I say with a forced smile. “Good thing for us Cannon’s schedule can be a bit hectic.”
Which is true, except for the fact he told me he could come to this dinner. I’d given him plenty of notice, he checked his calendar, and he said he would come. He made time in his schedule for me.
Then he dropped the bomb this morning as he was preparing to leave for the arena.
“Hey, listen,” he said as he rinsed his cup in the sink. I was at the kitchen table, my makeshift workspace at his condo, creating some new website content. I turned to face him, tense from the tone of his voice. His back was to me when he said, “I’m not going to be able to make dinner tonight.”
I didn’t ask why because I already knew, and it had nothing to do with working late.
Although that was the official explanation he offered.
In reality, he started withdrawing somewhat after the visit with Connie two days ago. It rattled him hard, and after he made me come against the door, he hauled me off to bed and fucked me. I tried to bring up the subject, but he shut me down swiftly.
Since then, he’s been a little off.
A bit distant.
Quiet.
We still talk, but it’s about things we’ve already talked about before and there aren’t any laughs. I don’t know how to fix the tumult that Connie caused because he won’t open up about it and my best hope is that he’ll get out of his own head and back to the way things were.
But I’m not sure I can forgive his bailing on dinner. These plans had been solid for days, and I’ve come to understand his pregame day schedule well. Dinner tonight is completely feasible, and the only reason he’s not here is to prove some misguided point to himself that his career is still first.
It’s almost as if Connie’s attack merely reinforced in him that he’ll be the way he wants to be, just to prove to her that it’s a viable lifestyle.
What he doesn’t understand is that I don’t mind sharing him with his career. I’ve told him that time and again, and I don’t know how to make it any clearer. So, instead of us cherishing those small moments we have, he’s pulling away, and it makes me sick to my stomach.
“Ava?” Shelley says, and I blink out of what had been a deep dive into my feelings about Cannon.
“I am so sorry.” I laugh nervously, because as much as Shelley makes the work environment fun and casual, this is a business dinner. I need to get my head in the game. “What was the question?”
“I asked what Cannon does for a living.”
“Oh.” I try to figure out how to best explain. It’s not something that has come up during our workdays yet, and I suppose it’s because most of our conversations are done via email. When you work remotely, there’s no time for water-cooler chitchat. “Cannon is the head coach of the Pittsburgh Titans, and they have a game tomorrow. So he got stuck doing some more prep and couldn’t make it tonight.”
Shelley’s jaw drops. “You’re dating the head coach of a professional hockey team? And you never thought about bringing this up?”
Smiling, I shake my head. “I know it’s a big deal, but it’s also new and… complicated. Plus, it’s not just some bomb you drop in a conversation.”
“Complicated?” she asks, but the waiter appears and asks for our drink orders. Shelley grabs the wine menu, not sparing me a glance. “Do you like red?”
“I do.”
She peruses the menu, then orders a bottle that sends the waiter’s eyebrows up in appreciation. I think that means it’s expensive.