Chapter 14 Fifty Cats Later Beau
Fifty Cats Later
Beau
Cole’s eyes track from my phone to my face and back.
It’s been blowing up, and it’s not the growing social media following I never asked for this time.
It’s Harrison, the incompetent son of RMH’s owner.
My father is expecting me to liaise with the idiot.
I could tell from our one meeting that he has zero interest in his father’s company.
He just wants the money and the authority to boss people around.
He was half-drunk before the waiter delivered our entrees on Saturday evening.
I may not be eagerly awaiting my future with my father’s company, but when I step in, I will do my best. I’m not capable of any less.
Dad was clearly disgusted by the kid too, but he goes way back with the company, and he wants to maintain their partnership.
No wonder he’s foisting the job off on me.
My head feels like it’s filled with a smoggy haze, and it’s a struggle to keep my eyelids open. But I push through, finishing my set of curls before dropping my head back against the bench.
“You okay, man?” Cole finally breaks the silence. “You barely made it to the game on time yesterday, and now you look like you’re about to fall asleep in the middle of a lift. Don’t want you to crush your toes with a free weight.”
“I’m fine. It’s been a long ass week. Driving to Chicago on Saturday and back Sunday morning was not ideal.
” I drag my eyes open. Rest time over, I launch into another set.
My heart was pounding as I slid into a spot in the athlete’s parking lot.
I’m always the first one to arrive for games.
Every minute I sat in traffic on the way felt like a month.
A downed power line clogged up the road that’s normally a decent drive on a Sunday.
“Right. Why did you do that again?” He paused his workout to give me his attention.
“Business thing for my dad.”
“Gotcha. Maybe you should take a break. One day off won’t kill you.”
Some days my workouts are the only thing that keep me sane, so there’s no chance I’m skipping. “Nah. Wouldn’t be a stellar example from me as captain.”
Cole pulls his lips in between his teeth with a frown drawing his brows together. He stares at me for a minute, considering his words. “You know you don’t always have to be the best, work the hardest, give a thousand percent. You’re only human.”
He doesn’t understand. His family seems nice.
His dad works hard, but he’s supportive of his son’s dreams. The pressure from my father has been a constant weight dragging me down since I was old enough to understand what it meant to be a Whitaker.
Don’t bring negative attention to the family.
Always show a united front. Don’t let the media get to you, even when they’ve got the story completely wrong.
Although that particular one has always hit my sister harder than me.
The press has always treated her worse than me.
If I could take the spotlight off her, I would, but they seem determined to paint me as this golden son, and it’s exhausting.
But the number one rule that’s been sucking me under this year like quicksand is that hockey is a game for kids, not a career.
But all that is too much to lay on Cole. He’s got Jazz in his life now. His ex has laid off a little, but she’s still lurking. And he has a fantastic chance of a pro career. I’m not going to drag him into this or make him feel sorry for me.
“Thanks, Cole.”
“Seriously. Don’t brush me off. I know something’s going on with you, Beau.
And I just want you to know I’m here for you if you’ll let me in.
You helped me last semester get through some shit, and I appreciate it.
If you’re not comfortable talking to me, I’m sure anyone else on the team would listen to you. ”
My shoulders lighten a minuscule amount at the offer. I know he cares. There’s just no way he can possibly understand.
“I appreciate it, Cole. And I will think about it. If there’s anything I can pass off to you or someone else, I will. We’ve got a real shot to win it all this year, and I know I can’t do it alone.”
He narrows his eyes, studying me again. “I’m going to hold you to that.”
“Perfect. I think I’m done for the day. Going to hit the shower and head out of here. You got Mabel today?”
Cole nods, a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.
Jackson’s car Mabel is legendary around here.
I miss that guy. He and Seb and Aspen. I kind of miss the days when Aspen was the captain.
I wanted the spot. It’s an honor, but it’s one more responsibility to carry on top of my already heavy load.
I ignore the buzzing of my phone as I strip my workout clothes off in the dressing room.
“What the heck, Whitaker! I thought you said you weren’t going to ghost me again. Figures.”
I’m unprepared for the onslaught of anger being hurled at me when I step into the university center. Wilder stands red-faced, glaring at me, but her eyes are bright and have a frenetic gleam in them. Fear rips through me. For her. Something is very wrong.
“What? I’m here. What are you talking about?”
She throws her hands on her hips, stalking toward me. “You can’t tell me you haven’t checked your phone in the last hour.”
“No. I was ignoring it.”
“At least he admits the truth.”
I step in, desperate to smooth that anger out.
I’ve gotten used to the less prickly alliance we’ve formed, and I’m not so eager to return to the complete disdain she had before for me.
“I wasn’t ignoring you. I was ignoring one of my dad’s business contacts.
” She glances at my phone. I’m holding it out for her like a peace offering, because it shows all the unread messages that would normally drive me crazy.
Scratch the normally. I’m itching to clear the messages immediately.
“Unread. Well, let’s go.” She grabs my hand, tugging me along behind her.
“Where are you taking me, Wilder? I’d love to let you tie me up in your dungeon, but a little warning would be appreciated.”
It must be serious because she blows right past my attempt at a joke. “Paws. We’re going to Paws for Thought. It’s an emergency. I’ll explain on the way since you couldn’t be bothered to check your text messages like a normal person.”
“Are you driving?”
She spins around, still dragging me toward the big glass exit doors that exit into the UC parking lots. “No, we can’t all afford top of the line SUVS, Whitaker. You’re driving.”
“That’s going to be pretty hard to do from here. I’m parked behind the arena.” I spend a solid chunk of every day there, so there’s no point in parking in one of the lots closer to my classes.
“Shit. Fine.” She makes an abrupt U Turn, not letting go of me, and increases the pace even more.
“Maybe you can explain what’s going on while we walk?” My heart is still thumping at a terrifying rate, all the lethargy from earlier chased away in a wash of adrenaline.
“Yes, someone called in an emergency rescue. They found like fifty cats in one house. Serious overcrowding and neglect. Some of the cats were sent straight to veterinarians, but a few of the shelters in town are working together to take in the ones that don’t need urgent care.
Paws is getting fifteen new mouths to feed, and they need all hands on deck to get things ready for the newcomers. ”
I blow my cheeks out, releasing a breath, and then I practice my deep breathing, trying to convince my heart to slow down. Yes, this is an emergency situation, but it’s not something to spin out into a panic attack over.
“Thank you. I thought maybe someone was dying. You got to give me a little to work with, Wilder.”
A gust of wind whips a plastic bag past our feet as we’re hurrying down the cobbled walkway.
“I did. If you’d bothered to check your messages.” Her words are barely audible as the wind tries to steal them away. Or maybe she’s muttering angrily. Probably a little of column A, a little of column B.
“I was at the gym. Can’t catch a break with you,” I tell her. My car chirps when I hit the key fob.
She scrambles into the passenger seat after I hold the door open, then shoves at me to hurry.
“I’m sorry.” She drops her head against the seat, closing her eyes.
“Damien messaged me, and I told him we’d be there ASAP to help out.
Then when you didn’t respond, I started stewing, making up all the reasons you’re a jerk.
I was about to catch a bus there, but I stayed put.
I was really hoping you’d show up for our meeting.
If you hadn’t, that would have been it.”
“No second chances?” I check my mirrors, pulling out of the spot and set my GPS for the rescue.
“Second chances? I think you’ve already mowed through one or two.”
“If you say so. Now what do they need? Should we pick up some food or supplies on the way? Or show up and then I can go out and stock up.” My body has finally eased itself out of fight-or-flight mode, but now my mind is racing with ideas to help.
Her left eye cracks open, and she gives me some suspicious side-eye. “We should probably head over there first. We can help clean and prep the cages, and then if they need anything, I’m sure they’d appreciate any help.”
“Okay. Good. No problem.”
“Thank you, Beau. I’m sorry I freaked out on you. That was uncalled for.”
Her voice is softer now, and it’s nice to hear my name on her lips. She usually calls me by my last name, but I kind of like the way my first name rolls from her, soft and tentative, as if she’s not sure she has a right to use it yet. “No problem.”