Page 147 of Test the Ice
Rhodes stops beside me, and there’salmosta smile on his face. “Did she?”
I nod. “Yeah, just before the game.”
We continue walking, a few of our teammates squeezing past. “How does Reese feel about that? Has she been trying to get her to say that?”
I’m quick to defend her. “No, most definitely not. It started out as a joke because of her sister…” I shrug. “But it kind of stuck, and now I don’t ever want to unhear it.”
“And her biological dad? What is he going to say when he hears his daughter call you Dad instead of him?”
Anger surfaces. “He’d have to be around for that to happen.”
“So he’s given up on Reese? The whole fake-engagement worked, then?” He looks surprised.
I wince. “Not exactly.”
“Well, did you get a hold of Mel? Did he have any contacts for a private investigator?”
Mel, an old-time friend of Rhodes who I knew carried out the background checks on his nannies, did give me a contact for a freelance PI he’d met while working cybersecurity. He just hasn’t found any dirt on Benedict.
I wait until Lars buries himself in his phone to answer Rhodes, because the less people that know, the better.
“He did, but so far, Mark hasn’t found anything useful. Her ex has been eerily quiet since the mediation.”
“Snakes are quiet,” Rhodes mutters. “He’s going to strike.”
He doesn’t have to remind me. It’s been on my mind since the beginning.
Men like Benedict don’t give up easily, and if they’re so willing to point out all the bad in someone else, then that tells me they have their own skeletons.
I’m going to find every last one and put them in my back pocket to use at the right time.
Dread keeps me planted in the same spot. I stare at the screen hanging in the middle of the lobby.Delayed due to inclement weather.
“This is bullshit,” Kane curses.
“Fuck Mother Nature,” I mutter.
Lars pushes his head in between ours. “Will you two stop being babies? It’s just a little rain. It’ll pass.”
“It delayed the flight,” Kane snaps.
Lars wraps his arm around my shoulder but thinks twice before doing the same to Kane. “More reason for us to get a drink.”
I shrug his arm off and pull out my phone to call Reese. It’s early, but with Charleigh, I’m positive she’s awake.
“Hello?” she sounds out of breath, like she’s rushing around.
“Hey,” I say. “You good? Charleigh got you chasing her or something?”
“Um, no…”
I walk around the corner for privacy.
Her voice is off.
“Is everything okay? I was calling to let you know that our flight got delayed because of the storms. Do you know where the flashlights are in case the power goes out?”
The other end of the line is quiet.
