“What do you want, Fi?” I ask with a defeated sigh when she comes to a stop. “I know I’m a disappointment, but I’m trying to fix it, okay?” I glance down at her again. It’s freezing, and I try not to smirk when I see her hardened nipples through her tee. “And where’s your coat?” I remove my own, and she watches me quietly, pinning me with her emerald-green eyes, while I drape it around her shoulders.
Damn, she looks good.
She glances at the people walking around us and pulls me to the side so that we’re not blocking the sidewalk. “What’s going on, B?” she asks, stepping closer. She wrinkles her nose. “And when was the last time you showered?”
“Sorry,” I mutter. “It’s just that I forgot to pay my water bill this month, so it was shut off a few days ago…”
And it’s not a money thing. I really did just forget because I’m a hot mess. Despite my dad cutting me off, I still have plenty of money from hockey; I’m just not so good at playing adult while I mourn the loss of my career.
I expect Fi’s judgment or pity—those are the two looks people give me these days—but her eyes soften with empathy, and she grips my sleeve and leads me back the way we came.
“C’mon,” she says with a tug.
“Where are we going?” I must sound shocked because she laughs.
“We’re going to get your bills sorted.”
“What?” I follow like a lost puppy, my eyes tearing up. I want to say it’s a response to the cold February wind, but really her kindness is making my heart hurt. “You really don’t have to do that. I’m a grown man.”
“Really?” Fi snarks. “Could’ve fooled me.”
Ouch. I walked into that one.
I realize her intent when we reach the pub again, and I stop short. “No. Nope. Bastian will literally kill me if I go back in there. He punched me in the mouth a couple weeks ago,” I say, fingering my lip where it split.
“You probably deserved it, B.”
I cross my arms. “I amnotgoing back in there.” .
“Oh? Well, we’re fixing this little billing snafu either way, so we can either do it here or at my place I share with Sebastian. Your choice.”
“You guys are living together?” I blurt, my stomach clenching with something akin to jealousy. “Are you an item or something?” I definitely don’t rememberthattidbit on her social media.
“Don’t be ridiculous. He was nice enough to offer me Marcus’s room temporarily. Plus, I’d never. He’s Charlie’s brother.” She starts walking again, pulling me along.
I smirk as I follow her inside. “He wants to fuck you.”
“We’re just friends, B,” she says tolerantly, pointing at a table by the fireplace.
“Whatever you say.”
Before I can sit, Fiona steps forward and cups my cheeks. My breath catches as my eyes drink in the three small brown dots that overlap each other like Mickey Mouse just below her right eye. I used to tease her about it in college.
“You need help, B,” she says softly, drawing my gaze back to hers.
I take a deep breath. “I know.”
“Let me help a little.”
I give her a small nod and move back before I do something stupid, then sit down, glancing around anxiously. I’m not really sure how the rest of the staff feels about me right now, but Brett walks by and nods, so I relax a little.
“Just give me a minute,” Fi says before she walks over to one of the waitresses. I think her name is Jen or Jenny or something.They have a brief exchange and then Fiona runs into Seb’s office and reappears a minute later with a laptop. She sets it down on the table and opens it, and I peek around her at the door.
“Relax, B. Seb is doing inventory in the back. He should be distracted for a couple hours.”
I give her a doubtful look.
“So, what’re we working with here?” she asks seriously. “Are you broke? Do we need to get some extensions on your bills, or are you just disorganized? Please tell me you haven’t pissed away your entire NHL bonus on booze.”
