Chapter 23
RIX
“ T hese reports are flawless, Rix. You’re such a fantastic addition to this team.
I almost regret telling you about that position in Vancouver.
” Agatha Boycott, my boss, gives me a rueful smile.
She prefers to be called Aggie. She’s a super funky woman in her early fifties with two grown children, a Great Dane, and a hairless cat.
There are pictures of her entire family, pets included, all over her office.
“I just moved into an apartment with a friend, so I’m not looking to transfer.
” Although, if ever there was a time I should consider getting out of Dodge, it would be now, while my heart is bruised and my vagina is devastated.
But it would be uncool to move in with Hammer and promptly bail for Vancouver.
It’s nice to have a fun roommate. And as enticing as Vancouver sounds, I can’t handle more change.
I need time to get over what happened with Tristan.
The whole “ I’ll see you when I see you ” parting still stings.
And the lack of communication makes me question whether I was wrong about him having feelings.
“We’ll happily hold on to you as long as you’d like to stay,” Aggie assures me. “There will be plenty of opportunity for movement inside the firm.”
“Thanks, Aggie. I really like it here.” And I do.
I like my colleagues, I like my boss, and the job is dynamic enough to keep me on my toes in a good way.
I enjoy financial planning and helping people establish good spending habits and work within a budget or helping someone maximize their investment potential.
Is it my passion? No. But for now it’s enough.
I need one stable, consistent thing in my life.
I return to my office to finish end-of-the-day paperwork. Beryl, who I share an office with, in addition to Mavis and Burt, hops up from her desk when I walk through the door.
“There was a delivery for you.”
“Really? I didn’t order office supplies.”
“It’s not office supplies.” She clasps and unclasps her hands while pursing and un-pursing her lips.
I frown. “Is it an NSFW delivery or something?” I wouldn’t put it past Hemi and Hammer to send me dick-shaped donuts or cookies to cheer me up. They’re good friends, but sometimes they forget that I don’t work with a team of alpha males who handle sticks and pucks for a living.
“No. It’s on your desk.” Beryl follows me to my cubicle.
I suck in a breath when I see it. Only one person I know would send this kind of gift basket—and to my work, of all places.
It’s enormous and ostentatious. And there’s no way I want to open it in front of Beryl.
That will only make the contents more visible, and then I’ll have to explain.
That’s a big, huge nope . I peel the card free from the cellophane and open the envelope.
Bea,
I’m sorry I was a dick.
I fucking miss you.
Tristan
“Who’s it from?” She stares at me expectantly.
“This guy I was…involved with.” For obvious reasons, I have not told my colleagues I was banging my brother’s best friend who also happens to be a professional hockey player.
She peeks at the basket. “Sort of seems like he still wants to be involved.”
“It does.” Without the note, I might have questioned his motives. As weird as the contents are, the message is clear.
“Do you think he wants to have dinner with you?” She’s obviously fishing.
I can’t blame her. It’s an unusual basket. “That’s a definite possibility.” I turn the basket and scan the contents. “Oh man, I have to take this on the subway.”
“Or you could Uber. Or maybe he’ll pick you up!” That possibility seems to excite her. She reminds me a little of Tally right now.
“He’s working tonight, so probably not.” They have a game this evening. It would be impossible to drive me home and make it to the arena on time.
“He must be a real health nut, eh?” Beryl says.
“Totally.”
I take my basket on the subway. It’s ridiculous and cumbersome, and I get a lot of looks.
It’s understandable. Hammer is in the kitchen when I arrive home, which puts a smile on my face.
After less than a week of living together, we’ve found a groove.
She loves price matching and going through the flyers with me.
There’s a grocery store across the street and another one around the block.
It’s still about a thirty-minute commute on the subway to my job, but the location and my roommate make it worth it.
“What the hell is that?” Hammer asks as I set the basket on the kitchen table.
My arms ache from holding it. “A gift from Tristan.”
She abandons the carrots she’s slicing into coins.
Her lips pucker. “Was this at the front desk?”
“No. He sent it to my work.”
“How did you get this home? Can we open it?”
“I took it on the subway. And yes, we can open it.”
“Dude. Why didn’t you text me? I would’ve picked you up.”
“The drive is twice as long as the subway ride.” I tear the cellophane wrapping.
“Fucking Tristan.” Hammer shakes her head. “Only he would send you a basket of dick-shaped vegetables as an apology. That’s what this is, right? An apology basket?”
“Yup.” I pass the note card to her.
“He fucking misses you, Rix.” She presses the card to her chest.
“Or he misses fucking me,” I reply. I’m still hurt about the way he left things. There’s being upset and then there’s shitting all over what we had, and that’s exactly what he did. “Damn him and his stupid sense of humor. There are three English cucumbers and a field one.”
Hammer holds up a white, carrot-ish looking vegetable. “What the hell is this?”
“It’s a daikon. It’s part of the radish family and would go well in a fresh salad, thinly sliced,” I explain.
“Huh. And this? It looks extra ribbed for no one’s pleasure.” She holds up a green, tubular, warty vegetable.
“It’s a bitter melon from the cucumber family and is used primarily in Chinese cooking. We could add it to a stir fry.”
“Cool.” Hammer is way too excited about this basket. “But I think tonight you have to make cucumber salad with a creamy dill dressing and take a photo to send to him.”
“Oh yeah. That’s a must. We should take videos and send them in stages.”
“Have you thanked him for it yet?” Hammer asks.
“Not yet.”
“But you will, right?”
I sigh.
“Seriously, Rix, just text him. Send him a picture of the basket with an eye roll but send something. You two are miserable without each other. I mean, you’re doing a good job of being fake chipper, but you’re looking at that cucumber with actual longing.
And he and Flip got into a fight during practice yesterday, and my dad staged an intervention with Hollis, Dallas, and Ashish. ”
“Wait. What? Why didn’t you tell me this until now?”
“Because I found out an hour ago.” She nudges me with her elbow. “Text him. They’re probably still in the locker room.”
I blow out a breath. But she’s right. I should text him.
He’s reaching out, and that’s a big deal for Tristan.
I find my phone and see I have a message from my mom asking if we can chat after dinner tonight.
I reply with a thumbs-up and give her a time, then scroll down until I reach Tristan’s contact.
Rob’s is a few down from his, with unread messages since I muted him weeks ago.
I continue to ignore him and snap a pic of the basket.
Rix
You know I have more than one vibrator, right?
I want to unsend it as soon as I press Send, but it’s already done.
There are so many other opening lines I should have gone with.
I never did get the vibrator I threw at Tristan back.
I didn’t need it. When he was away, I took Epsom salt baths to expedite the healing process, so I’d be ready to go to Pound Town when he came home.
My phone rings. I’m so nervous I almost drop it. I also accidentally put it on speakerphone. Hammer slaps her hands over her ears and rushes out of the room as soon as Tristan speaks.
“I didn’t know that, but thanks for arming me with knowledge for the future.”
My chest and my vagina clench at the sound of his voice. I’m still so angry at him, but I miss him, too. “Don’t make me regret my honesty.”
“I will try my best, but we both know I’m the kind of asshole who would use that to my advantage.”
“That’s true. I’ll temper my expectations.”
“It’s really good to hear your voice, Bea,” he says softly.
“I won’t moan for old times’ sake.” I make a noise that isn’t a moan, but it isn’t not a moan. “I’m using humor to deflect a lot of feelings,” I admit.
“I get it. I turn into an asshole when I have feelings.” He clears his throat. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know how to deal with you moving out. I miss you. I want to see you.”
“You want to see me or my vagina?” This time I’m not deflecting. I swallow down the fear that comes with such a bold question.
“ You . I miss you. I mean, yes, I miss all the parts of you, too, but I hate how shitty things are without you. Can I take you out? On a date? Tomorrow night maybe? We could go for dinner. Please say yes, Bea. I want to apologize in person. Please give me a chance.”
Hammer gazelle leaps across the room and mouths, Say yes . So much for not eavesdropping.
“Okay. Yes. We can go for dinner.” I need to clear the air and confront him for being such a horrible dick.
“Can I pick you up at seven thirty? At your place?” Tristan asks.
“Yes. My place. Seven thirty. You can pick me up.”
“Great. That’s great. I promise you won’t regret it, Bea. I gotta go. We’re taking the ice. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Good luck tonight.”
“Thanks.” He ends the call without saying goodbye.
“ I ’m so nervous. Why am I so nervous?” My palms are damp, and I hold my arms out so I don’t sweat in my dress. “Is this outfit too much? It’s too much. I should change.”
Hemi steps in front of me to prevent me from making a beeline for my bedroom. “Take a breath, Rix.”
“And a drink.” Hammer hands me a glass of bubbly rosé.