Page 94 of The Roommate Remodel

“Doc said to be patient. It’s not an instant fix,” she reminds me. “It could take a week before the headaches ease and I feel better.”

“I’m not patient,” I say. “I want healthy Sloan back now.”

“Me and you both,” she says with a sigh. “All the Crushers agree.”

She holds up her phone filled with text messages from the players wishing her luck with the new treatment.

Vale:Sloan, we miss you terribly. But don’t worry, I’m cooking in your place, and Brax hasn’t died yet! Fingers crossed I don’t spread any food poisoning.

Tate:I read all about the studies for this treatment. A 95% success rate?! May the odds be ever in your favor.

Brax:How’s my Sloan girl? Take good care of yourself and give Jaz a hug for me. You know she’d give anything to take your place.

Leo:I’m not a happy thoughts kind of guy. But this house is not the same without you. Vale is getting on my nerves. And you’re way prettier to look at.

Rourke:I miss your pasta nights. Get better because Vale is not nearly as good of a cook as he thinks he is.

Dawson:When you come home, I’m throwing a party and bringing cheese balls!

The last two make us laugh, which is just the pick-me-up we need. If there’s any good that’s come out of this situation, it’s that this team has become like family—a cheese-ball-loving, pasta-consuming family who sometimes punches each other for fun. Not much different than your average family, really.

My phone buzzes in my pocket, and I glance at the screen and frown.

“Brendan never calls unless something’s wrong.”

Sloan gives me a look before flipping another page of her magazine. “You don’t know that. Maybe he has good news.”

“Hey, Bren, what’s up?”

“Not much, other than a teeny tiny problem.”

“What kind of problem?” I sit up straighter in my chair, and a dozen bad scenarios flash through my mind.Brax is hurt. My house burned down. Alex is firing me.

Brendan answers, “Somebody canceled the order for the jerseys and the custom merchandise we’re auctioning at the fundraiser.”

“Canceled?I ordered the jerseys weeks ago. And I personally approved the custom designs.”

“I knew something wasn’t right when I got an email about it. When I called the company, they said the credit card had been shut down.”

“But I put that order on the company credit card.” I run mypalm over my pant leg nervously. This cannot be happening. Without the custom jerseys, there is no fashion show.

“I figured that. But I don’t have access to the account to see what’s going on,” Brendan answers.

There’s only one person who has access to the cards, and that’s Tom. But why would Tom close my account unless there was a problem?

“I’ll take care of this, Brendan. Thanks for letting me know.”

“Are you sure there’s not something more I can do?” he asks, concerned. “Brax offered to punch whoever’s fault this is.”

“His offer is sweet, but it won’t really solve the problem.”

Brendan sighs. “Call me if you needanything.”

“Thanks, Brendan. You’re a good friend,” I say, reminded why I’ve always gotten along with this guy who has a bad-boy image but is actually so much more.

“I know,” he says, which makes me smile. “In case you weren’t sure, Brax misses you terribly.”

“Thanks, Bren. I feel the same,” I murmur, wishing I could set up Brendan with someone in town so he’d finally settle down in Sully’s Beach. Just need to find him the right woman who’ll make him want to give up his bachelor status for good.

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