Page 29 of The Heart Stealer
My stomach shudders as I think about the fact that I should probably be calling the restaurant and grocery store I worked for. I’ve gone radio silent on both of them, and I actually had a shift at both places today. Morning as a checkout girl, evening as a waitress.
Shit.
Will they call Theo asking where I am?
It’s not like they can call my phone.
“So, I know I need to start apartment hunting at some stage, because as much as I complain about the guys, when they’re gone for away games, I’m rambling around in that mammoth house all by myself, and I hate that too.”
“So, what do you ultimately want then?”
“An apartment with like one or two really cool people who will let me be myself, aren’t high maintenance, but also have some standards when it comes to cleanliness.” She pauses, her expression openly pleading. “Seriously. Move to Nolan and live with me.”
I let out this awkward-sounding laugh and focus on my own drink. Although my throat is swelling so fast, I’m not sure how I’ll swallow any of it. Grabbing the straw, I poke it up and down through the ice while Mick sighs again.
“I’ve scored myself a part-time job at Champ’s Sporting Goods. Ethan doesn’t love it, because it puts extra stress on my workload, and sometimes we don’t get to see each other, but he’s playing hockey all the time, and it’s only two shifts a week, so I’m totally managing. At least we get to share a bed any night he’s not away.”
“Yeah, but if you move out, you won’t get to do that anymore.”
A sad look flashes over her face before she pulls her lips back into a smile. “We can sleep over at each other’s places. And if I have an apartment, it’ll be somewhere else we can hang out when Hockey House gets too full. I just… can’t afford it yet.”
“What about your dad? He’d probably hook you up.”
“He’s already paying my tuition. I don’t want to ask for even more. I have to find a roommate, but thanks to my Sig Be Sisters can go fuck themselves scandal, I don’t really have any friends.” She’s trying to say it as a joke, but I can see it’s hit her kind of hard. The way her mother practically disowned her for embarrassing the stepfamily was brutal. “You sure you don’t want to move to Nolan and rescue me?”
I laugh, yet again, wishing I could. But… is Nolan far enough away from Fontana?
Nerves twitter through me just as Mikayla’s phone starts ringing.
She checks her screen, then glances at me. “It’s your mom.”
My stomach drops into my pelvic region while Mikayla answers with a bright smile. “Hey, Joey. How’s Jamaica, mon?” She puts on a terrible accent, then starts laughing at herself.
I force a smile, swallowing hard when Mikayla’s expression drops.
“Uh… in touch?… Ye-ah… Her phone?” She glances at me and mouths, “Where’s your phone?”
I wince, closing my eyes before reaching out and flicking my fingers at her.
She passes her phone to me, and I force a little cheer into my voice. “Hey, Mom.”
“Baby girl.” She sounds surprised, which she has every right to be. “Where are you right now?”
Oh, her voice. An ache blooms in my chest. What I wouldn’t give for one of her hugs right now. I just want to rest my head on her shoulder and cling. She’d rub my back and make those comforting noises while I sobbed and blubbered about what a jerk-face, asshole, dickweed I moved in with.
But I can’t say any of that, can I?
Because she would freak out, and she’s miles away and there’s nothing she can do to help me.
So I keep it casual, like driving through the night to get away from Theo is seriously no big deal.
“I came to visit Mick.”
“In Colorado?”
“Yeah.” I cringe.
“Oh my gosh, why didn’t you tell me?”