“Yup. I guess now that it’s out there, I can’t really deny it.”
“And how is authoring as a career?”
It’s as loaded a question as her stare is. A warning flickers in the back of my brain, but I’m not sure what it’s warning me against.
“I do okay. I work hard, but I’m finally starting to see some traction with my royalties. It’s taken a while.”
When Savannah points to her nose, Athena snakes out a lizard tongue I had no idea she had holed up in her mouth and licks the tip of her nose. To be honest I’m not sure if I’m impressed, horrified, or turned on right now. As though sensing my surprise, Savannah giggles.
“How long have you been publishing?”
“Coming up on three years.”
“How many books?”
Savannah’s head bounces back and forth between Athena and me like she’s watching a ping pong ball in a game of table tennis. But she stays quiet, sipping on her cocoa and making yummy noises with each taste.
I didn’t think my girl could be more adorable, but sitting here bundled up in an oversized sweater, hair falling freely around her shoulders, cheeks pink and cradling a giant mug of cocoa with both hands…damn. If I wasn’t already a goner for the woman, I’d fall for her right here and now.
Athena clears her throat before rolling her eyes at me like my getting lost in her best friend’s beauty is an interruption to her day. “How many books?”
“I’m about to publish number ten, I think? It’s all a blur. I have a signing at the bookstore next week now that my name is out there. Frieda said there’s been a lot of buzz and people requesting a meet and greet. I can’t really say no.”
“Better that than your puck bunny entourage grows with book bunnies.” Savannah grins.
“Book bunnies aren’t a thing.”
She raises her eyebrows like she knows something I don’t. After a giant sip of my drink, I think I might be in the clear from the de la Peña inquisition.
“And you make a decent income?”
No such luck. The questions from Athena keep coming.
She arches her eyebrow like she’s judging the contents of my bank account from across the room. “Your car is a piece of shit, J.”
“Why don’t you come right out and ask me what you want to ask me.”
Savannah shifts next to me, but still says nothing.
“You want to know whether I’m solvent enough to take care of our girl, ask me. Otherwise, don’t talk about my piece of shit car. She’s a family heirloom.”
That makes both girls laugh.
I sigh. “Sorry. I just…” How to tell a rich person that not everyone is wealthy? “I don’t like spending money unless I have to.” I clear my throat, washing away the dryness coating my mouth with another gulp of the rich, creamy hot chocolate.
“We’ve never had a lot of money. My parents, well, they declared bankruptcy a number of years ago, and we had to move in with my grandparents. They’ve never really recovered. They tell me they still live there for my grandparents’ sake, but I know it’s because they’re afraid of losing everything they have all over again.” I snort. “Hell, my grandparents have a better social life than I do. They’re barely ever home.”
Athena’s face has lost all trace of humor. She might have come from money, but I know she knows the value of a buck. She works hard, and unlike at least one of her brothers, she doesn’t throw her family wealth around or rub it in people’s faces, despite her fancy car and lavish penthouse apartment.
“I drive a shitty car so I can save every penny I make. I work in the bookstore because I don’t like relying on my author royalties. And I study to have a college degree to fall back on if I get injured playing hockey, or don’t make it to the big leagues. I do okay, but the market could change, or the industry could change, and I could be out on my ear before you can say ‘one click.’” I drape an arm around Savannah and give her a squeeze.
“I know I’ll need a new car soon, I just want to drive the old one into the ground first. Ultimately, if it wasn’t for my hockey scholarship and living at the hockey house, I couldn’t even afford to go to college.” I shrug, and my mouth is dry again. There’s an awkward silence hanging over us, so I keep talking just to fill it.
“I don’t want that for my kids. I want better, more. So I work my ass off, at school, at the bookshop, at hockey, at my writing… I guess I’m covering all my bases in case something goes wrong along the way and I need to pivot.”
Athena’s staring at the inside of her mug like she’s evaluating it. “That’s…” She huffs out a breath.
Savannah sniffs and sweeps her fingers across her cheek.
