Chapter 30
Chapter Thirty
Alexei
The moment I heard from Arkady that Lauren had missed their call, I knew something was wrong.
This woman was a complete professional and would never stand up a client.
When I exhausted the usual avenues—visiting her office to make stern demands of her uncooperative co-workers and texting her in quick succession—I reached out to Jason.
I did not want to alarm her sister or anyone outside the circle of trust about our marriage, so this was the best option available.
Torn between wishing to protect his friend’s privacy and a desire to ensure Lauren’s safety, he agreed to go to her house with me. Thank God he did. Finding her sick and alone had infuriated me, but I was here now.
While she slept, I wandered around her house.
Much of it was in a state of disrepair, the walls in need of painting, renovations started in one area, unfinished in another.
The living room contained so many things that signified her comfort with herself and the world around her.
Trophies, photos, pucks, souvenirs from an amazing career.
Then there were the personal photos, with her family and friends.
I was shocked to see one of me, in a collage framed on the wall, taken on the best night of my life, and not because we won the NCAA championship.
In the photo, a tipsy Jason had his arm around Lauren, and I stood on her other side.
Not touching, but my head was slightly turned, as was hers.
Keeping our hands off each other had become a game, one we were determined to lose.
Earlier that evening, Lauren and I had finally connected in a way I would always remember, a week before I rejected her in a way I would rather forget.
I was good at creating memories. Not so good at burying them.
Now it felt like I had so much more at stake. Grave responsibilities. Life-changing decisions. Winning what once was lost.
The sound of a key in the front door lock put me on alert. Had her no-good boyfriend decided to finally show his face?
It would seem not. Gunnar Bond entered with his wife, Sadie, Lauren’s sister. I recalled now that I had asked Jason to text them because I needed their help.
“Where is she?” Sadie asked. She did not look like Lauren, with her reddish-blonde hair and curvaceous figure. “Is she okay?”
“She is fine. She is resting upstairs.”
“I’ll check on her.” Sadie sent a significant look at her husband, then went upstairs, leaving me with Gunnar.
We stood in a silent face-off for several seconds until he finally broke it.
“Jason said you’ve been looking after her.”
“Yes, and I would have continued, but I cannot stay.” Maya was unable to remain with my father overnight. As much as I would have liked to care for Lauren until she was better, this solution made the most sense.
“Where’s Thad?”
“I do not know. I have been here for several hours, and he has not appeared.”
Gunnar continued to stare at me. I had met him a couple of times when I was starting out in the pros.
Back then he never gave me any hint that he knew of my connection to Lauren in college, and now there was no indication that he knew of the upgrade.
If anything, he looked perplexed about my presence.
Sadie returned. “She seems to be sleeping soundly. Her temperature is at 99.3, so that’s good.
Or better.” She came closer, and I saw the resemblance now.
The same silver-eyed gaze searched my face.
“Thank you for being there for her, though ...” She looked at her husband.
“I hadn’t realized that you and Lauren were close. ”
“We have been friends since college. I have left soup in the fridge, but she is over the worst of it and can probably start eating something more solid soon. It is important that she drinks plenty of water.”
Sadie shared another glance with her husband, then smiled at me. “We’ll take care of her. I can text you with any updates if you like.”
“Yes, please do.” I inputted my number in her phone and passed it back to her.
My gaze drifted to the stairs, the urge to go to her almost painful. My wife was my responsibility. “I would stay if I could.”
“We understand. What you’ve done has been wonderful.” She kissed me on the cheek. “I hope we meet again, Alexei.”
With a nod, I left before my feet rebelled and raced up those stairs three at a time.