Morning breath; what morning breath?
His hand is doing interesting things to my left breast when the doorbell starts ringing. Loudly.
At first, we try to ignore it, but whoever`s at the door is determined, so we`re forced to end our make-out session.
„I`m going to kill whoever`s making all that noise ”
He certainly looks like he wants to kill someone.
He gets up and puts on a pair of shorts and a t-shirt before going downstairs. I contemplate staying in bed and waiting for him, but that all changes when I hear Hoggins` voice.
We decided last night that we would come clean to Hoggins and the team owners about our relationship. It`s the only way, and, honestly, I wouldn`t feel comfortable getting paid to live with my boyfriend. I`ll have to look for another job.
I go to my room and put on some yoga pants and a loose t-shirt before going downstairs.
As soon as I walk in the living room, I know something terrible has happened.
Max looks furious, and Hoggins is clearly upset. Could this be about us being together? I mean, I know it`s not precisely professional of me to get involved with the guy who`s assistant I`m supposed to be, but it`s not like Max is married or anything.
„Miss Grant, I`m glad you joined us. I`m afraid something rather unpleasant has happened, and I would like to talk to you about it.”
Hoggins is a lot more distant and professional then he`s ever been before. What happened to can I call you Sophie?
„It would seem that someone has tipped off Sports Magazine about Max`s problem with the Fentanyl. They`ve written a very unflattering article about him that has a lot of non-truths but also a lot of accurate information about his medical history.”
Oh my God, no! I look at Max, and my heart breaks when I see how angry and hurt he seems. He tried so hard to keep all this a secret, and now somebody went and told the press.
„Do we know who it was that told the magazine? Can`t you sue them or something? Or maybe the magazine, can`t you make them take the article down?”
„We can`t force them to take the article down, freedom of the press and all that. As to who it was that tipped them off, they say in the article that it was a woman close to Max.”
Both Hoggins and Max are looking at me in a not very friendly way. They can`t possibly think it was me. Max wouldn`t believe that, would he?
„It wasn`t me,” I say to Max because I don`t give a shit what Hoggins thinks.
„The only other female that knew about this was Ema,” Max says, and I almost don`t recognize his voice. He never used that angry tone with me before, not even in the beginning when he didn`t like me very much.
„Well, then one of the other people who knew must have told another woman because it wasn`t Ema, and it certainly wasn`t me. Sunshine, I would never do that.”
„Sunshine?”
I hear Hoggins` questioning tone, but I ignore him. As far as I`m concerned he`s not even here, he doesn`t exist right now.
„They know about my physio and about the treatment I took. They know a lot of information that only someone very close to me would be able to tell them”
I can`t believe this is happening. Just ten minutes ago, we were in bed together, and now he`s accusing me of betraying him in the worst possible way.
„Think about this for a moment. I didn`t even tell my brother or Gwen about the Fentanyl, why would I tell a magazine?”
He seems to hesitate for a bit, and hope springs in my chest that I can get through to him. I know if he takes a moment to think about it, he`ll see reason.
Unfortunately, Hoggins won`t keep his nose out of this.
„You must admit this all looks damning for you ,miss Grant. You seem like the most obvious suspect.”
„With all due respect, mister Hoggins, would you please shut the hell up. You don`t know me or the relationship Max and I have.”
The little man purses his lips like an old, disapproving prude.
„I think I can guess the kind of relationship you and mister Kingston have, and I must say it`s very unprofessional of you.”
„That`s enough, Hoggins, don`t go there. My relationship with Sophie is not the issue here, and quite frankly, it`s none of your business.”
Finally, I can see my Max coming back. For a moment there, he felt like a total stranger.
„I might not be my business, but this problem with someone leaking sensitive information about one of my clients is.”
„I didn`t say anything to anyone. I haven`t even told my family or best friend, let alone some magazine.”
I`m starting to feel angry at not being believed, especially since I haven`t given anyone any reason to suspect me. How can Max even consider I`d do such a thing?
Max is silently looking out the window, his back turned to us, and I want to go to him and shake him, slap him, yell at him to get his head out of his ass and stop acting like an idiot.
„I think it`s best if you moved out until we get all this sorted out, miss Grant.”
I see Max`s back stiffening, and I think he`s finally going to turn back around, say something, but that doesn't happen. He remains quiet, his back turned away from me, and I don`t think I`ve ever felt so humiliated in all my life. It`s like the last couple of days have never happened, like the almost two months we`ve spent together were nothing. I feel abandoned and insignificant, and I`ll be damned if I let a man, or anyone for that matter, make me feel that way.
„That`s the first sensible thing you`ve said today, mister Hoggins. I`ll pack my bags and leave as soon as possible.”
My face must show how I feel because,
