Page 81 of Worth the Risk
I’m all too thrilled when we land twenty minutes early, and Uncle Bennett convinces the flight attendants to let us deplane first. I have no idea what he told them. He could have offered up my firstborn for all I know. But we were allowed to quickly move up the aisle and onto the jetway before anyone else. A cart awaited us to whisk us to the terminal, where an Uber was ready.
The fifteen mile route from Sea-Tac to downtown Seattle may have only taken twenty minutes, but I swear it felt like an hour.
“Do we have a plan?” Uncle Bennett asks.
“I texted a physical therapist with the team. She’s snagged a couple team passes so we can sneak in and try to find Luca.”
He clears his throat. “Uh, which physical therapist?”
I stare at him, my eyes narrowing with recollection. “Elsie. Remember? You introduced us months ago.”
Uncle Bennett’s face reddens. “Uh, yeah. Yeah, I uh, I remember that. I didn’t know you kept in touch with her.”
“Not incredibly often, but yes, we’ve kept in touch. You ready to tell me about her yet, Coach?” I tease.
He emphatically shakes his head. “Nope.”
I roll my eyes. “Something clearly happened between y’all.”
“I’m not discussing this with you, kiddo.”
“You act like you’re so much older than me. I’m still an adult.”
“Yeah, well, she’s basically not, so nothing can happen there.”
“Why not?” I ask, thrilled to have this nice diversion from the anxious turmoil in my stomach.
“She’s still a kid, Han.”
“I’m fairly certain twenty-five is considered an adult in most states.” I pause, sarcastically putting my finger to my chin, as if in deep thought, before continuing. “No, wait. She’s an adult in every state, Uncle Bennett.”
“She’s still a decade younger than me. And we work together.”
“Worked.”
“What?” he asks.
“You worked together. You no longer work together.”
“Shit. I forgot I got fired,” he grimaces. “We’re here. Where is Elsie meeting us?”
I quickly text her, and she gives me detailed directions to what entrance she’s stationed at. When we arrive, she’s not alone.
“Who the fuck is that?” my uncle growls.
“Not sure,” I murmur. He’s taut with animosity. He’s staring at Elsie with feral desire. Obsession. Even I’m surprised with how quickly he stalks up to Elsie and grabs her head, taking her lips in a deep kiss.
I look at Ben, the intern working with Elsie, and he chuckles as he shakes his head. Ben is gay. Obviously, Uncle Bennett doesn’t know that. Was this a setup to get him to recognize what he’d lose if he didn’t get over this age thing? I don’t know. Whatever it was, it worked.
“Here,” Uncle Bennett says, breaking off the kiss to shove a visitor badge in my hand. “Go. I’ll be here.”
It’s my turn to chuckle. Evidently finally realizing he wants Elsie trumps my need to get to Luca.
“Come on, girl. I’ll take you to where the Zamboni is,” Ben tells me as he puts his arm through mine. “You ready to make an entrance?”
“Huh?” I ask him, confused.
“Elsie assumed you wanted to make an entrance. We’ve got you on board the Zamboni between the second and third periods.”