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I tore a hand through my hair. “I fucking built that company!”
He blew out a breath. “I know. I think J sent me all around the fucking world lately not to get new contracts, but to get me out of Seattle so he can stage a coup. You need to get there and stop it.”
I rubbed my forehead. “There could not be a worse time for this.”
“Yep, that’s usually how it works.”
Leaning my arm against the cool window, I looked out onto Taylor Ridge. “I’ll see what I can do.”
When I disconnected, I felt a strange feeling slide through my gut. Jamarion and I were like brothers when I started this company. We were roommates in college for three years, dammit! We built the company together. So, what brought this on? Greed? Jealousy?
I dialed Jamarion’s number, but the call went to voicemail. Deciding not to leave a record of my anger, I just asked him to call me. Fat chance of that, but what else could I do? I had a game tonight. I couldn’t just leave. I had a multi-million-dollar contract to play with the Cavaliers. By next week, we’d be heading to Calgary. I could take my company jet to Seattle, straighten some things out, then fly up to Calgary to meet the guys. It was less than a week from now and the best I could do.
When I rejoined the guys, the tape was done and Molly was giving her pep talk.
With one hand on her hip and one on her cane, she looked focused and fierce. “It’s all about the execution, guys. Shout out to each other with opportunities, keep the heat on the puck, and stay north of it. Then keep in front of Milo and protect him in that D-zone. I don’t give a fuck about the stats and neither should you. Just play a game with good, clean execution and even if you don’t win, you won’t be ashamed of how you played.”
Coach stood beside her. “Mollinshka is right. Clean play. Few penalties. Execute. Pass. Communicate. Then when I have interviews after game, I don’t feel like fool.”
The guys chuckled, then whooped as we filtered out.
Calder hung back to talk to me. “Everything okay, Pierce? That sounded intense out there.”
I must have been louder than I thought I was. “Yeah, just need to stop by Seattle before I head to Calgary next week. Some business to take care of.”
He clapped me on the back. “Hope it all works out.”
I nodded, but still felt that knot in my stomach. Dominic was right. Something was wrong.
“Want to come to lunch?” Chris asked. “My beautiful fiancée is with the girls at Manacetti’s Bistro. Maddy was craving Italian.”
I furrowed my brow. “Is Phoebe there?”
Chris shrugged. “Not sure. Joy said she was with the girls. It’s usually all of them.”
Pulling out my phone, I checked for messages. None. When I called Phoebe, the call rang out.
Kiley came up to Ilya and gave him a hug.
I shoved down my pride. “Hey, Ky? Do you know if Phoebe’s at lunch with Joy?”
Molly danced up to me. “Nope. She’s not.”
I felt my face contort. “And how do you know that?”
Molly smirked. “Because she texted me about fifteen minutes ago. She found something.”
I narrowed my eyes. “Where is she?”
Molly leaned on her cane and wedged her hand on her hip. “What makes you think I’ll tell you?”
I felt a bead of sweat drip down my back. “She didn’t go back to New York, right?”
Molly pressed her hand to my arm, which only minimally slowed my heartbeat. “No, she didn’t leave. She’s at the public library.”
I swallowed hard, gave a little nod, then took off running to my truck. I was so fucking tired of thinking Phoebe was on a plane back to New York every time we had an argument or disagreement of any kind, but it was somehow a default in my head. She had her own place. She didn’t need me. It was obvious she didn’t need what I had to offer. She always lived on her own terms and went wherever she chose. And now that Kiley had given her a car, she didn’t even need me to drive her places.
When I pulled into the library parking lot and found the little gray sedan in the lot, a little tension eased in my chest, but not enough to stop me from racing inside.
