Page 22 of Rolling with My Bosses

Did her dad get hold of her when she went on the break? Maybe he fired her.

She’s going to have to face us and explain. Perhaps I’m being dramatic. Not talking to us for part of a day isn’t exactly ghosting.

We wait outside of the arena where her team practices. Teammates file out. Some of the women notice us. Some look like they might be interested in our type. We’ve changed out of our work clothes and are sporting our jeans and leather jackets. Our motorcycles are twenty feet away, an easy connection that we’re the ones who rode them.

Two women head our way but we motion them off. Beatrix is chatting with a friend when she comes out and we slip around the corner so she doesn’t see us. No need to raise her curiosity. When she’s gone, we wait closer to the door.

Lexi’s car is still here.

Belova, the librarian, exits, sees us, and walks over. “Thank you so much for telling me about the Hot Rollers. This is going to be the absolute best.”

“Glad you followed through,” Austin says.

Bear asks, “Is Lexi still in there?”

“The coach asked her to stay for a minute. I think she made the cut to join the team. I’ve got to get back to studying.”

“Thanks.” I hate that we might dampen Lexi’s exciting evening.

Belova continues to her car. There are only a couple of cars left when Lexi comes out. She stops in her tracks when she sees us, throws her duffel bag over her shoulder, and beelines for her car.

I rush over, stopping in front of her. “We need to talk. Come home with us.”

She stops but looks at the ground. “Where is home?”

I figure it’s an odd question, but what the heck? “We live just outside of Peach Bottom Valley in the Cherry Ridge foothills. Kind of in the mountains, near Eggplant Canyon, but we’re in a more wooded area. We have a cabin.”

“A cabin in the woods. That’s a safe place to run off with three guys I don’t even know.”

Don’t even know?

Bear caresses a hand over her shoulder, but she pulls away. “Sorry, I got weird earlier, that’s why we need to talk. You’re safe with us. You know that, Lexi. You know us.”

“Do I? Garrett Caylor.”

Silence traps us. She shouldn’t know that. We wait for Bear to respond.

“Where did you hear that name?”

“Isn’t it weird that we’ve had sex and me knowing your real name surprises you? Don’t worry. I got the message loud and clear. We had a fling, it was fun, thank you.”

“That’s bullshit,” Bear barks out.

She tries to walk away, but he grabs her arm.

“Let me go. You promised we could be coworkers and nothing more.”

“That’s not possible, Alexandra.” She narrows her gaze at him.

“It has to be.”

The arena door opens again and a woman with an ankle brace walks out, her slow pace turning to a run when she sees us. “Hey, let go of her.”

She steps between Lexi and Bear.

“We’re her…coworkers. We just want to talk.” Thankfully, Bear defines our relationship cautiously. No need to rock the boat even more.

“I’m John.” I calmly extend my hand. “And you are?”

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