Chapter 18 #2
I’d been on the phone, waiting on hold and speaking with idiots at the banks for the last hour, proving my fucking identity, while the hockey game was on.
Apparently, you didn’t just transfer forty thousand dollars from one bank to another, even if both accounts were your own.
There were fees and twenty-four-hour holds and, of course, transactions only went through on business days.
How would I get him the money by Wednesday?
After stomping into the main room from my studio, where I’d been fighting with my banks, I focused on the television, which had been playing the game as background noise. Holy fuck, the game was over, and the Coyotes had won. Evan would be home tomorrow, and we’d have a weekend together.
Drew swung the front door open and strolled inside, a twelve-pack of beer in his hand. “Hey, Jax just texted me. He’s running late.” He stopped in the main room. “Did you watch the game? It was sick. Your boy Evan made a goal. And the Coyotes won the fucking Western Conference.”
I stared at Drew. “He did?” Dammit, this shit with Jeff had kept me from it.
“You didn’t see it?” Drew strode into my kitchen and set the beer on the counter.
“No, I was…” I had to tell him. “I’ve been dealing with banks.” I glanced at the television and Evan came on the screen, answering questions from a reporter, his dark hair plastered to his head.
“They made Evan permanent. I listened to the game on the way over.” He ripped the box open and pulled out two beers. “You’ve gotta try this IPA.”
“Yes, I know. He called me after it happened.” I ambled to Drew as the television cut to another player.
Handing me a beer, he said, “Wait, what did you say about banks?” He set the twelve-pack into the refrigerator and snicked his beer can open.
He’d tell me I was crazy, but he hadn’t been there to witness Jeff’s despair. “I, uh, I’m paying for Jeff’s treatment.” While opening my beer, I braced myself.
“You what?” He grabbed my arm and forced me to face him. “How much are we talking about?” His lips flattened as he studied me. “Ronan?”
“It’s not about how much.” Hanging my head, I said, “His insurance won’t pay for it.
It’s too expensive and I have the money.
” As my throat grew tight and my vision blurred, I darted my gaze to his.
“If this works, if it gives us more time—” He’s my father.
I had to save him if I could, and I had the means.
“Oh, Ronan.” Leaving his beer on the counter, he swung his arms around me and pulled me against his chest. “Damn it. I don’t know about this.
I don’t trust him.” He squeezed me and then let me go, grabbing my shoulders.
“Look, I’m not saying he’s lying. I’m just saying something doesn’t add up.
If he’s as far along as he says, he should look worse. Or at least different.”
“People handle things differently.” I swallowed the lump in my throat “And even if you’re right, what am I supposed to do?
Let him die without doing anything?” As my vision blurred, I fought to calm myself.
In a soft voice, I said, “I have to wire him the money by Wednesday. That’s when they scheduled his first treatment. ” I studied him.
As a warm grin teased his lips, Drew brushed the knuckle of his index finger down my cheek. “Okay, Ronan. I just hope to God this is real.”
“It’s real.” I sucked in a breath and held it. Drew always saw through people’s bullshit. It was why he always dealt with the label.
“Do me a favor, huh? If you’re paying cash, a lot of doctors offer discounts for that.” He huffed. “At least call the doctor’s office and check.”
How could I do that now? Surely the office wasn’t open on the weekend. “Yes, I’ll find out who the doctor is first thing Monday and then call.” Leaning my ass against the counter, I drank some beer.
“And one more thing?” He narrowed his eyes. “When you ask Jeff who the doctor is, don’t tell him you’re going to call. Make an excuse.” He narrowed his eyes.
Why? “Yeah, okay.” I slumped my shoulders. He still didn’t trust Jeff. But I no longer had a choice.
The doorbell rang, and Bean barked, racing toward it.
“Jax is here.” Drew strode off toward the door.
An hour later, we worked on a fresh song when my phone lit on the desk with Evan scrolled across the top. I stopped strumming my guitar. “Hey, stop. I need to take this.” I’d left my phone where I could see it.
Drew thumped a few more notes on his bass while Jax hit his snare in time.
“Who’s that? The new man?” Jax sniggered.
“He’s an NHL player now. It’s official.” Drew picked up his beer from the floor and drank it.
After grabbing my phone, I said, “Hello?” I slung my strap over my head, placed my guitar in a stand, and strode from the room.
“Hey, Ronan. Did you see the game?” Background laughter filtered through the connection.
“I…” Should I lie? “I did. You scored again. It was amazing.” I paced through the hallway and into my bedroom while more drumming and bass notes played behind me. The fuckers couldn’t keep quiet when instruments were in front of them.
“I did. How about my interview?” he asked.
“Uh, Drew walked in, so I didn’t get to hear it. Sorry.” I should have listened. Sucking my lower lip between my teeth, I sat on the edge of my bed.
“Oh, that’s okay. They asked me how I’d spend my time off next week, and I told them I had a special someone.” He giggled.
“Y-you did?” Fuck, how could I have missed it? “That’s sweet, Evan. Now I’m really sorry I missed it.” This meant he was serious about us. He was preparing the fans for us to go public. My heart bloomed with emotion. Fuck, I loved him. How could I not? “Can you stay the night this weekend?”
“Yes. I’ll stay over tomorrow night,” he said. “I can’t wait to see you, babe. And you know what? If we end up playing Florida, the first two games will be at home.”
My heart bloomed with emotion. I’d make this the best night for him. “If you could have your dream dinner when you come over, what would it be?” I glanced at the darkness in the backyard through the window beside my bed.
“Uh, steak and lobster? That’s probably my favorite.” He chuckled.
“Done.” I’d find a specialty shop for both and order them. “Those are easy to cook.” As a guitar riff rippled through the air, I hopped off the bed. Fucking Drew was playing my guitar. I had to stop him. “Hey, the guys are getting antsy in the studio.”
“Yeah, I need to return to the celly. Champagne was all over the locker room tonight.” He huffed a laugh. “I got sprayed in the face.”
With a soft snicker, I said, “You deserve this celebration.” Would he go out to a bar? The last time, he’d rejected the puck bunnies. I had nothing to worry about. He was mine. He’d even told the reporters he had a special someone.
“Anyway, I miss you, Ronan, and I’ll be home soon.”
“Miss you too.” Home…he was coming home to me. “Text me what time you think you can be here tomorrow.” I strode toward the hallway.
“I will, but probably around four.” He inhaled deeply. “Bye, babe.”
“Bye.” I ended the call and held the phone to my heart. If he were calling me babe, we were boyfriends, right? I rounded the doorjamb and entered the studio as Drew hit an ear-piercing note on my guitar. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”
He gave me a broad smile. “I knew that would get you back.” Swinging the guitar strap off his shoulder, he held the guitar toward me. “So, when will Evan be here?”
“Tomorrow afternoon.” After setting my phone on the desk, I slipped into the guitar strap and adjusted the knobs on my guitar. “What the hell did you do to this thing?”
“Trying out some fresh sounds.” With a snicker, Jax tapped the snare and then followed it with a cymbal.
“Those sounds will make the fan’s ears bleed.” I strummed a chord and adjusted a tuning peg. Whenever he played my guitar, he always fucked it up. How did he do it?
“Whatever. I think we need to be innovative.” He wagged his brows at Jax.
“Yeah, faster songs.” Jax twirled a drumstick over his head.
Now I knew they were messing with me. But they had a point. “Okay, let’s jam and see what happens.” I strummed a fast rhythm on my guitar and gave Jax a smirk and a pointed look.
“That’s what I’m talking about.” Jax joined on the drums.
I looked over my delivery from a specialty meat shop while it rested on the kitchen island counter.
I had an aged wagyu steak and two lobster tails, probably about twenty ounces each.
How big had the actual lobster been? The marbling on the steak was amazing.
I’d only add salt and pepper to the steak.
Something this delicious didn’t need any marinade.
My gaze meandered to the bottle of Veuve Clicquot Champagne and the Duckhorn Merlot I’d ordered. We would have a feast tonight. It had sounded like Evan could probably drink tonight. While the champagne chilled in the refrigerator, I worked on our salad and cut some zucchini for the grill.
As I chopped, my phone buzzed on the counter.
I glanced at it. It was a text from Jeff.
Jeff
How are you doing on the wire transfer?
Shit, I had to learn who his doctor was. I tapped the screen. I had to think of something quickly.
Ronan
I made some progress, but I’m having a hard time making the cash available in your account by Wednesday. Can you give me the doctor’s name so I can pay him directly?
There, that might work.
My phone lit with a call from him.
“Hello?” I set the phone on speaker and watched Bean jump through the doggy door from the backyard.
“Hey, do you think I could stop by your house and pick the cash up before I see the doctor?”
My brow flew up. “You want to bring ten grand into your doctor’s office?” I’d never seen a doctor’s office take cash before, let alone ten grand of it.
“Yeah, sure, why not?” he asked.
I’d have to push him on this. “But if the cash doesn’t clear in my account, then that won’t work. Just give me the name of the doctor. Maybe I can pay him with a credit card in advance.” I ate a bite of a zucchini slice.
“I don’t know if they’ll accept that. I think they want cash. You know, credit cards have fees and take a percentage of the transaction. This is a large transaction.”
I didn’t know what the hell he was talking about. I’d have to push harder. “Listen, I’ll need the name of the doctor in case I need to pay him directly. Can you please send it to me?” What argument would he use now?
“Fine.” He scowled. “I’ll text you his name.”
“Okay. Thank you.” I breathed through the clenching in my chest. If he texted me the name of an actual doctor, then it meant this was real and it would put Drew’s suspicions to rest. I’d still call on Monday, though.
“By the way, I watched the Coyotes game last night. It looks like Evan is a permanent member of the team, huh?”
“Yes, he is.” After Bean lapped a bunch of his water, I picked up his bowl and added more to it. “He has a few days off before their next game, and he’s visiting for dinner.” Why had I mentioned that? Probably because of my excitement to have him stay the night. It was all I could think about.
“He mentioned he had a special someone to come home to.”
My pulse almost stopped. Why would he bring that up? “Yeah, well, I’m sure he’ll uh…” Fuck, I had to lie. “There’s a woman named Rosalie he’s seeing. I’m sure he’ll see her tomorrow.”
“Oh, okay. Anyway, I’ll call again on Monday, and we’ll see how the transfers are going.”
“Sure. Talk to you then.” I cut another zucchini. “I need to go.”
“Okay, bye, son.” He ended the call.
I pursed my lips. He hung up quickly. I’d forget this until Monday. I wanted nothing to impede my evening with Evan.