“I didn’t manage to catch the whole game, but I saw your final goal and scared the crap out of the lady standing beside me when I cheered for you.” She laughs, and I manage a soft snicker. At least she saw that part. It was my only goal of the game, and she saw it. That should make me happy, right?
“Where are you tonight?”
“Well…” She huffs. “I was supposed to be at home in my boxers and your hockey jersey watching the game and cheering you on, but I got a last-minute call from Ryan and had to drag my ass down to some party thing and schmooze a few athletes while being his personal gopher.”
“Ryan does that a lot, huh,” I grit out, failing to keep my voice calm and even.
She pauses, obviously picking up on my mood. “He sure does. I seriously don’t know how the guy managed to get anything done before I came to work for him,” she jokes, and I can’t even muster a smile.
All I can see is that asshole’s hand on her hip. All I can see is her ringless wedding finger resting against her stomach as she laughed at what was being said and—fuck! Do I call her on it?
I should shut my mouth and not get into a big fight, but I can’t help myself.
“So, yeah, I’ve been stuck at this party thing and?—”
“Looks like it’s not the worst night of your life,” I grumble.
“What?”
“Casey showed me a post. Looks like the schmoozing is going well.”
“Ugh, really? Which picture did they post?” She puts me on speaker so she can check, and I direct her to the place I saw it. “Oh phew, that’s not too bad. I look half decent. I don’t even know why they include me in this stuff. I’m a nobody at the agency. Ryan just dragged me over to meet Jabari Williams. He’s an up-and-comer in the basketball scene. The kid’s got skills. It was kinda cool to meet him.”
“Yeah, schmoozing your ass off, I see.”
She goes quiet and I glare at the wall, waiting for it…
“Okay, what is your problem?” Her voice turns snappy. “This is my job. I have to do whatever these agents ask me to. We’ve talked about this. If I have to show up last minute at a party and talk sweet to some athletes, then I’ll do it.”
“The guy’s got his hands all over you.”
“What? No, he doesn’t!” she snaps, then sighs. “Oh, you mean Ryan. Yeah, the guy’s a little handsy, but it’s nothing I can’t handle.”
“He’s more than handsy. He’s the most demanding agent you work with. He’s always calling you out to last-minute stuff, and you go without argument.”
“I have to. It’s my job. He’ll be the one writing my performance review.”
“You work so much fucking overtime for that guy. He’s taking advantage of you.”
She lets out a tired sigh. “Look, a year or two of servitude is going to get me where I need to go. I just have to muscle through this phase, and if I can prove myself, then I’ll start getting athletes assigned to me, and if I’m really good, they’ll give me my own gopher who I will treat so much fucking better than Ryan treats me.”
I scoff because I don’t know what else to say.
“Come on, Ethan,” Mick whines. “How many times do we have to have this conversation?”
I grit my teeth and shake my head. “Did he tell you not to wear your rings as well?”
She goes quiet again, and I can picture her face. She’s either doing her guilty blush or her eyes are narrowing in anger.
Her voice is icy soft when she finally replies. “Yeah, I was rushing out of the house, and I forgot to put them on.”
“Why weren’t you wearing them? I never take my ring off.” I lift my hand, flicking the band with my thumbnail.
“Because you have a simple gold band. My rings are huge, okay? That diamond catches on everything. When I’m home, I take it off, and I wasn’t expecting to have to get all dolled up and be running out the door tonight. It was a simple mistake.”
“Uh-huh.”
“Ethan,” she warns me. “Don’t be a douche about this. They all know I’m married to you. It’s not a big deal.”