Cement Heart(66)

“Well, about you in general. No specifics. She just let us know that you hadn’t missed one meeting and that she felt you were progressing nicely. The head honchos in the office are happy, which makes me happy. So, well done. You can continue to see her or stop, that part is completely up to you, but in terms of your probationary period… that’s over.”

“Oh.” I nodded slowly, staring at the pen on his desk. “That’s good to know.”

“I’m proud of you. Now, go practice.” He stood up and held his hand out for me to shake, which I did. Then I quickly left his office.

When I was a kid, there were a million things in the world that could make me feel sick to my stomach. Breaking a neighbor’s window, scratching the side of my dad’s new car with my bike, having a sealed envelope in my backpack that I had to give to my parents to sign and bring back to school the next day. None of these things even began to compare to being called down to the principal’s office, and that’s how I’d felt every time I was called up to Collins’s office, but not that time. That time, I left his office with a smile on my face and a Star Student of the Week kick in my step.



In my haste to get to the rink that morning, I’d forgotten to send my typical morning text to Michelle. The minute practice was over, I grabbed my phone.



I’m a little late today, but how’s it going over there?



I gathered up my sweaty clothes and shoved them into my bag as I waited for her response.



M: Awful. I tried to make chocolate chip pancakes this morning and started a small fire. The kitchen is a total loss. I don’t know what I’m going to do.



Holy fuck.

For the second time that day, my heart sank.



Holy shit. Are you serious? What can I do? You guys can come stay at my place for now.



My hands shook so hard I almost dropped my phone twice. I sat down on the bench and stared down at it, silently begging it to beep. I needed her to respond.



M: Just kidding. LOL



What? LOL?



Are you kidding me right now? That was a joke?



M: Consider it payback for the hookers text. ;)



Holy crap. What a little shit.



There’s a big difference between women you pay for sex and your entire kitchen burning down. Thanks for giving me a damn heart attack.



“Who are you texting?”

I looked up and Louie was staring at me from across the locker room.

Brody walked up and stopped next to him. “Yeah, you’re smiling like an idiot.”

“No one,” I said defensively as I stood up and shoved my phone into my bag. “See you ladies in two days.”

I headed outside and tossed my bag down in the passenger seat just as my phone started buzzing like crazy. Before I started my engine, I checked my messages. Three of them, all from Michelle.



M: Ha! A little scare is good for you from time to time.



M: Viper, answer me. I was just kidding.



M: Hey! You’re not really mad, are you? Please answer me.



I couldn’t stop the mischievous smile from forming on my lips as I drove out of the parking lot and headed straight for her house, after one quick stop.





DOING MY BEST to look pissed off, I rang her doorbell. I had to concentrate on keeping my eyebrows down low and not smiling when she rounded the corner and walked toward the door. The look on her face made it really hard, though. She was biting her lip and her eyes looked sad as she pulled the door open.

“Listen, I know my joke was stupid. I never should have scared you like that,” she rambled as I stepped inside, keeping my hands hidden behind my back. “I feel so bad and I’m really sorry.”

I kept my eyes down on the floor, because I knew if I looked up at her, I was going to start laughing. “I don’t even know what to say to what you did, Michelle. Except…” I pulled the pizza out from behind my back. “A little scare is good for you from time to time.”

She looked down at the pizza and back up at me, her mouth dropping open as her blue eyes grew huge. “You big jerk!”

I flinched as she balled up her fist and punched my arm.

“I thought you were mad at me!” She hit me three more times. “I felt bad.”

“You can’t fool the master,” I said in my cockiest tone with a smirk on my face.

She rolled her eyes and groaned in annoyance as she grabbed the pizza box from me and stomped off toward the kitchen.

I followed along behind her, enjoying the view so much it made me angry with myself.

We walked into the kitchen and Maura was sitting in her highchair, desperately trying to pinch weird little pieces of cereal or something in between her fingers.

“Hey, little one.” I bent down and kissed the top of her head, pausing to take a closer look at her tray. “What are these?”