Total pages in book: 88
Estimated words: 83461 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 417(@200wpm)___ 334(@250wpm)___ 278(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83461 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 417(@200wpm)___ 334(@250wpm)___ 278(@300wpm)
“I don’t want to live with Mom and Dad.”
“You can live with me—”
“I don’t want to be dependent on any of you,” I murmur.
“Then you can’t ask to borrow money,” he chastises. He doesn’t say that unkindly, merely pointing out if I want to be independent, I need to do this on my own. “Look, I’ll come get you. Say the word.”
Glancing over my right shoulder, I make sure no one is in my blind spot and move over a lane toward my approaching exit.
“I’ll think about it,” I promise him. “And please… don’t tell Mom and Dad I lost my job. I really can’t handle the I told you so calls right now.”
“Understood,” he says, his tone gentle. “Do you really want some money?”
“No,” I grumble. “You’ve reminded me I need to try to do this on my own.”
Rob chuckles. “While I’d rather you come home, I have to respect that.”
We chat a little more. He asks why I got fired, and I only tell him I overslept and the boss had no mercy.
By the time I pull up to my apartment complex, I’m feeling marginally better. At least I know I have an out if I can’t find a job soon. Rob will come and rescue me, and I can crawl home with my tail between my legs.
CHAPTER 6
Cannon
I step onto the sidewalk from my building and zip up my fleece jacket. It’s a little colder than I thought it would be, but The Grind isn’t so far away that I need to go back up for a heavier coat. Besides… I don’t really have the extra minutes to spare.
Ava isn’t the only one who overslept this morning. I had planned to make it to the arena by six thirty to get a workout in before what is going to be a busy day. In addition to our regular practice, we’re doing some extra special teams drills. Callum also asked for a slice of my time today, so I’ll squeeze him in around noon. Then it’s a fun afternoon and evening of video review and meetings in preparation for our away game tomorrow in Montreal.
But I’ll forego my workout today to be able to enjoy a cup of coffee at The Grind. I wonder if Ava will blush when I sit down at my table next to her, or if she’ll try to ignore me like usual.
I’ll for sure be seeing her in a different light after what we shared last night.
I’ve never been a one-night-stand kind of guy. Never been the type to seek hookups, not that I’m opposed to them. I mean, if one fell in my lap at the right time, I’d take it.
Actually, one could almost consider last night to be one of those opportune moments. Ava could easily be considered a hookup, given we got drunk and screwed, but I’m excited to see her again this morning when I get my coffee, so I’d say that’s not the case.
I absolutely want to see her again.
Definitely fuck her again.
I’m crazy busy and not looking for anything heavy, but I like her. Could I fit Ava into the craziness of my career? Maybe it will only be morning coffee and an occasional date when I get the time. Would she be into that?
I intend to find out. It’s hard not to give credence to the racing of my pulse as I approach the store. Will her smile today hold that secret knowledge that we now share? Will she look at me and think to herself, You made me come so hard last night, no one will ever compare?
I know I’m thinking it, although I also want our normal fun banter. It makes me smile as I enter The Grind. My gaze immediately goes to the corner where Ava should be doing her work, but she’s not.
Not overly worrisome, as there’s been an odd day here or there when she works the counter.
But she’s not there either.
Frowning, I step up to the barista as there’s no one in line. She’s fairly new, but she’s made enough coffee for me that she knows my name. “Good morning, Cannon. The usual?”
“Hey, Meredith,” I say, looking around the half-full coffee shop. Pulling out my wallet for my credit card, I ask, “Where’s Ava?”
The girl looks back at a barista working the machines, a young guy named Ken who serves me regularly. His eyes come to me. “She got fired for being late and not opening the store on time.”
“She what?” I bark in surprise.
Ken leaves the machine and moves to the counter, leaning across it and lowering his voice so no other patrons hear. “The general manager had to come in and open the store and he was pissed. When Ava got here, he called her into the break room. I don’t know what was said, but Ava walked out about five minutes later. Stan came out and told us that he fired her and that was that.”