„That`s very nice of you, but I still think it would be best if I meet with him before.”
„There is no time. The team owners want this settled as soon as possible. It`s in Max`s best interest for you to start work immediately so he can start his physiotherapy and get back in shape soon. He`s always miserable when he isn`t playing .”
„Alright, if you think so. When do you want me to start?”
„Tomorow.”
Say what now?!
„Tomorow? That`s very soon.”
„I know, and I realize I`m asking for quite a lot, but as I said, the sooner, the better. We will, of course, assist you with anything you might need but I`m going to have to insist you move in tomorrow. As I said, the owners want this resolved, and Max wants to start his recovery, and to achieve that, you need to start now.”
„Well, if you want me to start tomorrow, I`ll have to start packing right away. I have to talk to my brother and my best friend and tell them I`m moving in with my new boss.” I`m freaking out a little, and I`m sure I sound just as hipper as mister Hoggins.
„About that, I`m sure you understand you can`t tell anybody about Max`s problem and why you`ll be staying with him.”
„Not even my brother? He`s a police detective. He won`t tell anyone. And my best friend is a kindergarten teacher and the most discreet person I know.”
He just shakes his head.
„I`m sorry, no one can know. It`s non-negotiable, I`m afraid.”
I blow out a breath.
„I hope you don`t mind if I say this sucks. Like really, really sucks.”
„I know, but I`m sure you`ll manage just fine. I have the utmost faith in you.”
Well, that makes one of us.
◆◆◆
„I`m sorry, you`re what?”
I try to finish packing my bags while telling Gwen, my best friend in the whole world, about my new job while purposely leaving out quite a bit of information.
„I`m moving in with my new boss.” I try to say it like it`s the most normal thing in the world, but she`s not buying it.
„I got that, but why are you moving in with your boss? You`ve never done that before.”
„He`s a football player, and he got injured, so now he`s in recovery, and he needs someone to stay with him in case he needs help.”
It`s the only story I could come up with even though I know it isn`t a very good one. I `m dreading having to tell my brother, the freaking detective, but I`m hoping his love for the Wolves will make him less suspicious than he would typically be.
„You`re not a nurse, why would you need to live there? I don`t like this Soph, what if the guy`s a pervert or something?”
„It`s fine, don`t worry. He doesn't like a lot of people in his space, and his injury doesn't require a nurse, so this is the solution his team`s owners came up with.”
She doesn't seem too convinced, and when she gets her phone out, I know what`s coming. Google.
„What`s his name?”
I sigh, knowing full well what`s going to happen.
„Max Kingston. He`s a linebacker for the Denver Wolves.”
She types into her phone, and as soon as she sees his picture, her eyes go big.
„Are you out of your mind?” She holds her phone to my face as if I don`t already know what the man looks like. The first thing I did after leaving Hoggins` office was google Max Kingston, and after seeing his picture, I knew this had the potential to be a total clusterfuck.
You see, every woman has her kryptonite, and by that, I mean we all have a type of guy that we are unavoidably attracted to. For me, it`s the brooding ones. The ones who look a little bit mean and unapproachable. It`s fucked-up since I`m innately a cheerful, optimistic person.
Max Kingston is, physically speaking, the personification of my kryptonite. Dark hair, indigo blue eyes, a sexy beard, and a mean look on his face. Also, he `s freaking huge. Good old Google said he `s 6 ft 4 and weighs two-hundred and forty pounds. Total.Kryptonite.
„You can`t live in the same house as this guy. You`ll end up sexually assaulting him in a week. At most.”
„Your confidence in me is humbling G.Like, you should totally write my references.”
„Oh, please, you know I`m right. I`m telling you, Soph, I have a bad feeling about this.”
„You know, I thought Sam was the one who was going to give me a hard time, not you.”
Predictably, at the mention of my brother`s name Gwen goes into her Sam-spell. She`s been in love with him for the last three years, ever since I first introduced them, but unfortunately, my brother doesn't seem to be aware she`s of the female species. The truth is my brother is what one would call a serial dater, and the women that he persues are more of the bombshell variety whereas Gwen is a marry-her type, so she`s resigned herself to the role of friend. She`s cute, petite, and dresses how you`d expect a kindergarten teacher to dress. She also uses the word fudge instead of fuck and likes to bake cookies. My brother would best be described as a GQ model with a badge. I used to hate the fact that he`s prettier than me.
„Is Sam coming over?” She sounds both hopeful and panicked, and I wish for the hundredth time that my brother would get his head out of his ass and see her. Like really see her.
„No, he`s working tonight, but I`m going to have to call and tell him, and I`m not looking forward to that.”
„Yeah, he`s not going to like it.”
„What`s he gonna do, ground me? I`m a twenty-six-year-old woman. I`m the one at the sail. I`m the master of my sea.”
„Did you just quote Believer by Imagine Dragons?”
„Yes I did, I`m an intellectual like that. Don`t be jealous.”
„I`ll try. Why are you taking
