Page 71 of King

CHAPTER 20

Willa

The gentle raysof the morning sun struggle to penetrate the grimy streets of downtown Pittsburgh. I stand outside the entrance of the homeless shelter, a dilapidated building nestled between boarded-up storefronts and graffiti-covered walls. The area is eerily quiet at this early hour, with only the occasional car passing by and a few homeless individuals shuffling past.

As I glance around, taking in the shelter’s worn brick facade and the cracked sidewalks, my phone buzzes in my pocket. I pull it out and see King’s name flash on the screen. It’s only seven a.m. here, which means it’s four a.m. in Vegas. I answer quickly, surprised but pleased to hear from him.

“Hey there,” I say with a smile. “You’re up early. Did you stay out all night gambling?”

King chuckles on the other end, his voice husky from lack of sleep. “No gambling for me. Just couldn’t sleep. Figured I’d give you a call before you start your day.”

I lean against the rough brick wall of the shelter, the chill of the early-morning air seeping through my coat. “Trouble sleeping? Is it because of Penn and everything that’s been happening?”

There’s a momentary pause before King responds, and I can almost hear him nodding. “Yeah, that’s part of it. But also because I miss you. Got used to having you beside me in bed.”

My heart swells at his words and I feel a twinge of longing. “I miss you too. But you’ll be back soon.”

“What does your day look like?” he asks.

“I’m working at a homeless shelter in downtown Pittsburgh today. Was just about to walk in when you called.”

“Is it safe there?” he asks, concern evident in his voice.

I glance around and decide not to tell him the full truth. “Totally safe. Standing at the doorstep now.”

“Please be careful. Have someone walk you to your car when you leave.”

“I will,” I reply automatically, although I’ve never had to do that before. I got a parallel spot half a block down today and I’ll be out of here well before it gets dark. But I don’t tell him any of that because he has a game tonight and therefore has more important things to worry about.

“I was hoping we could make plans for the weekend,” King says in a change of subject. “We’ll be flying back red-eye after playing the LA Kings, so I don’t think I’ll make the Ice Pups game that morning.”

“I can totally handle it,” I assure him.

“Maybe you can come over after and we can find something to do?” he poses. “That is, if you don’t already have plans.”

“Sounds like a great idea and I had no plans, but I do now. Anything in particular you want to do?”

There’s a quiet pause as he ponders and then asks, “Would you think me a fuddy-duddy, old man if I said I’d love to just hang around the condo, eat junk food and watch movies?”

Laughing, I reply, “That sounds wonderful. We’ll stay in pajamas all day.”

“Or naked,” he counters.

“That works too.”

“Oh,” he exclaims. “I want to get a Christmas tree and decorate it. Do you have yours up yet?”

“We do. Brittany, Izzy and I put it up Thanksgiving weekend.”

“Which goes to show you that I don’t hang at your house enough,” King says, and it hits me that no… he doesn’t. I always go over to his place.

“Would you like to come to my place on Saturday instead?” I ask, mentally calculating what that would look like with Brittany and Izzy around. It would be fine—fun, even—except there would be no nakedness.

Or getting him a Christmas tree.

“Maybe next time,” he says, perhaps reading my mind. “I’d kind of like you all to myself and I’d love to get a tree.”

“It’s a plan then,” I reply, eager for the weekend to hurry up and get here.

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