Chapter 32
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
ELLIOT
I am going to huck my phone straight into the Rideau Canal.
Okay, I’m not going to do that, but in this second as my phone lights up once again with yet another call from Shawn, there is nothing I would love to do more.
I flip my phone over on the counter so I can at least pretend someone else is calling and return my focus to the cookies I’m making. Wait…did I already add the baking powder to the flour? I cannot concentrate today.
After the Otters beat Florida on Saturday, they secured their place in the Eastern Conference finals. The best of seven series starts tomorrow in Boston.
Shawn texted yesterday asking for tickets to the first home game. It’s not that I really believed that after I gave him the jersey and tickets to the game last week that he would be satisfied, but I thought I’d have more time before he asked for something else.
But no. He wants “better seats” this time. To one of the most sought-after series in sports.
Asshole.
“Hey.” Sam enters the kitchen, and I do a double take.
“You grew again,” I say in disbelief.
“I mean, yes. I’m an adolescent. I’m in a constant state of growth.” He leans over to see what I’m making, his chin resting on my shoulder. He wasn’t tall enough to do that last month. Was he?
“Well, slow down, would you?”
“Sure thing.” He watches me as I measure the ground ginger and add it to the mixing bowl. “Another cookie order?”
No. I just wanted to beat the crap out of some dough. “Nope. I just felt like ginger snaps.”
The phone starts to vibrate on the counter again. I try not to react, but I’m sure that Sam feels me stiffen.
“Are you and Arthur fighting?”
“What? No, sweetie. Why do you ask?”
Sam shrugs, moving to stand beside me at the counter. “Your phone keeps ringing and you keep ignoring it. I thought maybe something was wrong.”
I shake my head. “No. Arthur and I are fine.” Better than fine. Part of me still can’t believe how hard and fast I’ve fallen for the big brute.
“Good.” Sam sounds relieved. “Because I kind of already invited him to your birthday party.”
“I’m sorry, my what?”
“Okay, not a party, party. Just like a dinner party? I know it’s usually just the two of us, but I thought we could change it up this year?
We’re going to have it at Ben and Maddy’s.
Ben and I have been working on the menu for a while.
It was just going to be the four of us, but I asked Arthur to come too. ”
“I…when did you see Arthur?”
“When I was at Otters training yesterday. Is that okay?”
“Of course it’s okay, sweetie. But he’s really busy. So is Ben, for that matter. It’s the playoffs. He can’t just drop everything for my birthday dinner.”
“We planned it for two days after your actual birthday. It will be between home games next weekend. And he said he’d come.”
“He did?”
“Yeah. He seemed kind of excited, to be honest.”
“Really?”
“I think so. I mean, he was smiling. He does that more than he used to.”
That I did know. I’ve been treated to real, genuine Arthur Stetson smiles for weeks now, and I can’t get enough.
“I’m going to meet Rhett online for gaming,” Sam tells me as he heads for the hallway. “Let me know if you need a taste tester.”
“Always.”
He pauses in the doorway. “You do too, you know.”
I look up, confused. “What?”
“You smile more. I mean, you always smiled a lot. But it’s like your default setting lately. You know?”
I beam at him, feeling my cheeks get warm. “Yeah, sweetie. I know.”
I’m still smiling after he’s gone. I keep smiling until the phone buzzes again. I flip it over revealing Shawn’s text.
Shawn: You can’t avoid me forever, Hummingbird.
I press my hand to my forehead, attempting to relieve the growing ache. I know I need to talk to someone about this. But I don’t know who.
No, that’s not true. I want to talk to Arthur about it. There have been several times in the last week that I almost did. Just opened my mouth and waited for all the ugliness to spew out. But I don’t know how to tell him. Worse, I don’t know how he’ll react.
I assume he’ll be supportive. And outraged on my behalf. He’ll probably make it his life’s mission to fix this for me. To make it all go away. But he’s under so much pressure with the playoffs I don’t want to put that on him.
And maybe there’s a tiny part of me that’s scared to tell him. Afraid he might judge me. Might think less of me.
I grab my phone and open my messages but I don’t hit Shawn’s name.
Elliot: When were you going to tell me about the birthday party?
The dots appear immediately.
Arthur: Sam said it was more of a birthday dinner. He also said it was a surprise.
Elliot: I don’t like the men in my life conspiring against me.
Arthur: You got it. No more secrets, Boss.
A pang of guilt hits me right in the gut. No more secrets.
Elliot: Fine. I will allow this small gathering to celebrate my birth. But no presents.
Arthur: No can do. I already got your gift. And it’s perfect.