Total pages in book: 126
Estimated words: 121734 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 609(@200wpm)___ 487(@250wpm)___ 406(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 121734 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 609(@200wpm)___ 487(@250wpm)___ 406(@300wpm)
He had every right to be angry.
We couldn’t have kept going the way we were.
I kept reminding myself it was for the best. It worked after a while, after I’d learned to numb myself before coming to the arena every morning and to give myself a few hours every evening to turn off all of the hurt.
But I was miserable at work when I was around the team. Around him.
I’d shut down more and more. I shouldn’t have been surprised that Mal had heard about it, or that he was concerned enough to make an office visit.
My heartbeat picked up. This could be the start of them having to make a choice: Tyler Griffin or me.
“Griffin found out who I’m related to.”
Whatever Mal had been expecting, it wasn’t that. His face went blank in surprise. “He—what?”
My hands began to shake. I tucked them under the desk, folding them together in my lap. “That’s why you’re here, right? Because of the way he’s been ignoring me?”
He coughed and straightened in his seat. “I mean, yes. People have noticed and brought it to me, but…” He gave me a befuddled look. “How’d he find out?”
“I told him.”
He pulled in a sharp breath. “What? You what?”
“I told him.” I said it again.
“Why?”
For a moment, a very brief moment, I considered coming clean about our potential personal relationship. That would’ve been career suicide. I’d be fired. He would have no other choice. I’d be forcing his hand. I was self-aware enough to know I wanted to punish myself—that’s where that impulse came from. I wanted to push myself down even farther. But I didn’t do it.
Mal was still waiting for an explanation.
I didn’t have one. “It came up in conversation.”
He leaned forward in his seat. “Walk me through that conversation.”
I opened my mouth, ready to tell him I couldn’t.
“It affects the team and your ability to do your job,” he countered before I’d even spoken. “You need to walk me through how that came up.” His face tightened. “You were the one who warned us about this scenario.”
I swallowed the words that wanted to come up. “He asked me to go to the hospital with him one night, to see his sister and niece. His sister didn’t recognize me, but I knew if he continued wanting me to be involved with his family situation, it was only a matter of time. She dated Daniel for a short period and was aware that he had a sister. I felt it was unethical. He needed to know who I was if he was going to trust me with such personal issues.”
It was plausible. It was also a lie.
“Christ, Connors.”
“Rain.”
“Right. Rain. Sorry.” He grimaced. “Do I need to know the full history of Griffin and your brothers?”
A snort left me before I could stop it. “All you need to do is visit YouTube. The videos will pop up. I’m sure your P.I. already looked into it, right?”
His gaze was measured. “I’d rather hear it from you. His sister dated your brother?”
“That won’t come up on YouTube.”
“You know what I mean.”
I did, and I closed my mouth. I was self-destructive, but not that self-destructive. “I don’t know much about her relationship with Daniel. He… I can only imagine. Daniel wasn’t the most pleasant person to me. And they didn’t date long.”
“Is your brother pleasant to anyone?”
My mouth twitched. “Daniel? I have no idea. I didn’t lie to the team when they met me. I truly don’t know my brothers, either of them.”
Mal gazed at me with concern, but he didn’t comment on whatever he was thinking. After a moment, he asked, “Is it affecting the team? Griffin’s silent treatment of you?”
I was sure some noticed, but I shook my head. “We rarely interacted around the team before he found out, so not much has changed. I’ll let you know if I think it’s affecting my productivity.”
I was saying all the words to appease him, but Mal wasn’t stupid. He looked at me long enough that I grew uncomfortable.
Then he switched it off, and a professional mask slipped over him. “I have no idea what your family dynamics are like, were like, but I can imagine—based on your requests and now with Griffin’s reaction. What I do have an idea about is you. You’re kind. You have no ego. And you care. You care about your job. You care about the players. You care about the sport itself. If Griffin’s treatment continues, we’ll have to talk to him. I don’t want to lose you here. You’re helping. Everyone can tell.”
My eyes burned as I nodded. “Yes. Thank you.”
“You’re here for the team, but we’re here for you. Don’t forget that. My job is to give you whatever resources you need. My door’s always open.”
This time my smile was a little less forced and the pain lessened, just a fraction. “Thank you, Mal. Again.”