Page 98 of The Power Play

“I did.”

“The only hat trick of the season so far and you do it when I’m not on cam. You realize I have a whole plan for those during my shows, right? Big plans.”

“Oh, really?”

“Yeah, but you justhadto get one when I’m actually at your game, so now it can’t happen,” I pretend to be upset about it.

“Well, how about you give me a private show with yourwhole planas my own personal reward for being the one to actuallygeta hat trick?”

I pretend to think about it, “I guess I could do that. I suppose you may have earned it.”

“You suppose?”

I shrug, “You still have to be a good boy for me.”

He glances over at me, smirking, “Always.”

38

“No, I can’t let you do that,” Audrey insists.

“You can and you will.”

“Charlie.”

“Audrey.”

“Ugh,” she throws her hands up in the air. “You’re stubborn.”

“Thank you.”

“It’s not a compliment,” she grumbles.

I laugh, rolling over inourbed so I’m hovering over her. She started this morning by telling me she wants to sell her place. I offered to pay to get the electrical fixed so she’s not having to take such a big loss on it and she’s not having that.

“I want to help, just let me do this,” I try to persuade her.

“You’vebeenhelping and are continuing to help by letting me stay here rent free.”

“And you can stay as long as you want,” I tell her. I want to say she can stay forever, but I’m trying not to completely freak her out with too much at once.

“You know, I’m going to find another place to live. I refuse to keep mooching off you,” she says.

I just chuckle at her insistence and nuzzle my face into her neck. “I’m not in any rush for you to find another place to live.”

She pushes at my shoulder, forcing me back to look at her. “Seriously, I’m not letting you pay for the repairs. I’ll take the loss.”

“That’s dumb, you shouldn’t have to take a loss. Plus, it’ll be easier to sell with electricity, you know?”

She groans in frustration again, “Fine. But I’m paying you back from the sale then.”

“Fine.”

I’m not letting her pay me back, but I won’t say anything about it right now. Instead, I go back to trying to distract and convince her without words that she shouldn’t bother trying to find another place to live. Because she’s already home.

After Audrey agreedto let me help her get the electrical fixed at her house, I pulled every string I possibly could to get it done quickly. I don’t want her to stress about it anymore. Because of the holidays and the amount of work it ended up being we are into the new year and she’s prepping to get it listed.

We are at her place packing up everything so the movers can take some things to storage and some to my house. I hope to convince her soon that the storage is not necessary and that everything can come to my house, but I’ll let her pretend she’s going to find a new place a little longer.

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