Page 19 of O Goalie Night
“Where are you going?” Ben demands.
“Gotta take this,” I say, slipping out of the room. I accept the call as I’m walking down the hallway. “Hello?”
“Hey,” she answers and from that single syllable, I can tell she’s smiling and I relax. “I just got home. Is it ok that I'm calling? My parents and sisters are still at work, and I haven't heard from Ben since you guys left on Friday. I understand if you’re busy.”
It doesn’t escape me that not only did she call me and not her brother, but she just called my place “home.” I’m surprised by how much I like it.
“How was your first day?”
“It was so great,” she gushes. “The kids were wonderful. A couple of them are going to be a handful, but I know I can handle it. The school is beautiful!”
I picture her sitting on my couch, talking with her hands, her long brown hair falling over one shoulder.
“And the staff are all so nice,” she continues. “Oh! I think I’ve found a place to stay.”
A weight similar to disappointment settles in my stomach. I mean, of course she was going to find a place to stay, I just didn’t think it would be so soon. “Yeah?”
“One of the VPs talked to me on my way out. He has a sister who was renting a room to a graduate student,but they’ll be moving out at the end of next month. I won’t be able to move in until January, but at least it’s something. I was thinking that since I’ll be going back to the Island for Christmas, I really only need something for six weeks, so I’m going to try to find an Airbnb in the area. Maybe I can find something that isn’t too expensive since it’s the off-season? What do you think?”
I lean back and let my head rest against the cool wall in the hotel hallway. It’s not a bad plan. I’m sure she could find a decent place to rent for a short period of time. I should tell her that and offer to help her in any way she needs.
But even in the off season, those rentals are expensive and she still hasn’t found a used car.
What if she finds a place and hates it once she moves in? If Ben and I are travelling with the team, she won’t have anyone around to help her.
The solution is simple. I’ve got the extra room and spare vehicle and I’ll be gone half of the time. Logically, she should stay where she is.
“Foster?” Beth’s voice interrupts my thoughts. I should probably say something before she thinks the call was dropped.
“Why not just stay where you are until your new place is ready? It’s only going to be a few weeks, right? I’m going to be gone half the time with games.”
There’s silence on the line and I worry that I’ve overstepped. We don’t know each other well and I shouldn’t have assumed that she’d want to stay at my place when I’m actually there. I’m about to tell her as much when I hear her sigh.
“Oh, Foster, I couldn't possibly ask that of you. I’ve already been such an in–”
“Beth Michaels, I swear if you refer to yourself as an inconvenience one more time, I will rescind my offer to introduce you to Otto.”
Her laughter does something to my chest. It feels warm and tight all at the same time.
“I really do want to meet that otter.” I can practically hear her chewing her lip as she decides what to do.
“So you’ll stay?”
Why am I so nervous about her answer? Am I holding my breath? I really need to get my head on straight before we play tonight.
“If you’re really sure that you don’t mind.”
“I’m sure.” Surprisingly sure.
“Okay. I’ll stay. Thank you so much Foster. I promise, I’ll be the perfect roommate. You won’t even know I’m here.”
Somehow, I doubt that very much.
CHAPTER 9
BETH
“You look thin, Dear. Doesn’t she look thin, Dale?”
