Page 37 of Interference

In a weirdly twisted way, that bitter cold snap on the heels of the cops stealing all my shit had been a blessing in disguise. Because of those two things, I’d been desperate, searching for a miracle, and I’d walked into the clinic on a night when Anthony didn’t have a hockey game and had taken his boys in for a routine checkup.

Lily licked at my hand, then put her front paws in my lap and nudged my chin.

“It’s okay, baby.” I petted her gently, willing my heartrate back down.

“You all right?” Anthony asked.

I nodded. “I’m good. Just, um…” I had no idea how to explain it to him. Not without losing my suddenly brittle composure. “Thank you. It’ll be a huge relief, replacing all that stuff. I wish I could do something to make it up to you, though.”

“Nah.” His smile was brilliant. “You’ve been entertaining my cats and you showed me a new way to season eggs.”

I laughed softly. That didn’t quite seem like a fair trade, but I’d take it. “I guess that’s a deal?”

“If you knew how many eggs I consume on a daily basis…” He made a face.

This time, I laughed with some actual feeling. “Okay, that’s fair.”

He smiled again. “We can hit the stores this coming week. I’m a little beat today, and I’ll be heading out on the road tomorrow night. But when I get back, you’re on.”

I straightened. “Wait, you’re going to be on the road? While I’m…” I gestured around us.

“Yeah, you’ll be on your own for a couple of nights.” He rested his hand on Bear’s side. “We play in town tomorrow night, then fly out right after the game. We’ll be back early in the morning on…” His eyes lost focus, and then he shook his head. “Whatever day. Wednesday, I think.” He laughed softly. “I lose track of the days. I’ll probably need to crash for a bit, but then I’m all yours for the afternoon.”

I studied him. “Are you… You really don’t mind me staying here by myself while you’re gone?”

Anthony looked me right in the eyes. “I’m not going to kick you out.”

I held his gaze. He held mine.

Finally, he seemed to realize how incredulous I was, and he sat up a little. “Look, I can’t give you a rational, logical reason why I’m okay with a stranger staying in my house at all, never mind while I’m gone. Maybe that makes me gullible or stupid or…” He made a dismissive gesture that was heavy with fatigue. “But the alternative is sending you and Lily back out…” He gestured outside. “I can’t do that. Especially not while it’s still this fucking cold out.”

I swallowed hard. I had no idea what to say. “I’d… If I could afford to grab a motel room or something while you’re gone, I would. I don’t want you to feel like you’re stuck keeping me here while—”

“No, no. It’s nothing like that. I don’t feel obligated.” He met my eyes again. “If I’m being completely honest, I… like having you here.”

That caught me off guard. “You do?”

“Well, yeah.” He half-shrugged as a blush rose in his cheeks. “Ever since Simon moved out, this place has been kind of empty, you know? Even with…” He gestured at the cat stretched out across his lap. “It’s been nice to have someone around.”

“Oh.” I hesitated, then cautiously ventured, “So, you and Simon lived together, but now you don’t?”

His face fell a little. “We… I mean, he technically lives here? But…”

I watched him. The curiosity was killing me, but it was mostly concern now. He was one of the most easygoing people I’d ever met. One mention of his boyfriend, though, and it was like the weight of the world was suddenly pushing down on his shoulders. “Tell me if this is none of my business, but—”

“I dug into your business this morning,” he said with a dry laugh. “I don’t mind.”

“Fair enough, I guess.” I shifted a little on the couch, draping my arm across the back of it. “I’m, uh… I’m curious about you and Simon.”

What little humor there’d been on his face vanished, and he stared into his water glass.

“Seriously,” I went on, “if it’s none of my business…”

“No, it’s fine.” He sat up a bit, thumbing the side of the glass. “What do you want to know?”

Why you’re with someone who makes you that fucking miserable, for starters.

I kept that to myself and went with a more diplomatic, “You said he moved out?”

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