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“That doesn’t mean shit. There are nine other candidates on the list I intend to meet.” Even though I’ve allowed myself to get side-tracked today, I need to stick to my plans. The clock is ticking. On Monday, I’ll officially have seven weeks to find a wife and get married.
“It’s good to hear you still plan to meet the girls on the list, but seriously, what are you going to do about River? All you told me was that she was working at the club to take care of some bills. Clearly, she needs serious money if she was in that auction.”
“Her aunt’s sick and in debt.”
The humor recedes from his face. “I see. How sick is she?”
“Extremely. She had a stroke and has heart problems. I know she means a lot to River. She told me once that her aunt is a like a mother to her. I think we all know someone who stepped up like that in our lives.”
I have a fantastic mother, but she couldn’t do it all because my father screwed us over for his new family. The person in my life who stepped up for me to help me to be where I am today is my grandfather. I can see Luc is thinking about his person, too—his uncle.
Luc was orphaned when his parents died in a boating accident. His parents left him their fortune in the sports world, and when he retires from hockey, he’ll have part ownership of the New York Gladiators, the NHL team owned by his family, but his uncle took him in and raised him like his own.
The background of having a family member step up to take care of you when your parents either couldn’t or wouldn’t is one of the things Luc and I have in common. It was the bond that made us friends when we first met.
“Do you know if the money she got from the auction will pay off the debt?”
“It won’t.” By my count, Gina still owes the loan shark a lot of money.
Although he still looks concerned, the cunning smile returns to his face. “Are you going to help her?”
“She doesn’t want my help.”
“And you’re going to leave it like that?” He raises his brows.
“I can’t force her to take my money, Luc.” I remember how humiliated she looked when I tried to offer her the money at the café.
“Oh, please, you just bid on her in an auction. Men like us always find a way to get what we want. You just have to find the right price.”
“I know, but there’s a reason why you let sleeping dogs lie.” Says the guy who did a deep dive into River’s business.
“Sure, but you can’t deny that River is the girl who got away.” He sounds confident, as if that’s the solid truth. It is.
Not even I can deny it, and the memory of why she got away dulls my mood further. “You know what happened.”
“I remember all too well, and you know what my thoughts are about what happened.”
He understood my decision to break up with River, my decision to keep the secret for the part I played, and my guilt, but he thought I was too hard on myself.
Of course, I felt the opposite.
The only thing I accepted was that trick. That’s as far as my compassion went toward myself. The shame of being in a position to be tricked made me see that I didn’t deserve the girl.
“It’s been eight years, Jericho Grayson, and your ex is fucking hot. And she’s inneed. That right there, my good man, isa good excuse. The past doesn’t mean you’re not allowed to help her or…” He pauses and gives me a sly grin.
“Or what?”
“Enjoy the next two nights. It’s two nights, bro. Even if that’s all you get. Food for thought.” He stands. “In other news, I have ten more girls for you. I’m just waiting on them to return their NDAs before I’ll give you the list. They’re the back-up plan.”
I’m relieved he’s switched things back to business. “Alright, thanks.”
“See you next week in Arizona?”
“For sure.” Knight and I have business in Arizona next week, so we promised to attend Luc’s game.
He dips his head for a final nod, then leaves.
As soon as the door swings shut, I return my gaze to the computer screen and think about all I found out about River.
