Page 106 of Brooklynaire

“Oh, dear. Thank you for letting meknow.”

“Could you connect me with Dr. Armitage’soffice?”

“Right away, sir.” It’s about ninety seconds later when he announces, “The doctor’s receptionist is on your line,sir.”

I pick up the treadmill extension. “Hi there. This is NateKattenberger…”

“Your assistant is very polite,” she gushes. “What a cuteaccent.”

“He’s the greatest. Could you help me with something? I haven’t gotten a bill yet for Ms. Rebecca Rowley’s office visits. Maybe the insurer is processingthem?”

“Oh, Rebecca! Let me see…” I hear rapid typing. “Those therapy sessions and the doctor visits are out of network. They were applied to a Visacard.”

Rebecca’s credit card. “What are the total charges todate?”

“Three thousand four hundreddollars.”

Shit. I think I know why Rebecca hasn’t been totherapy.

“All right, then there’s been some confusion. Could I possibly give you a different card,instead?”

“Sure, Mr.Kattenberger.”

I pull my wallet out of my back pocket without breaking my treadmill stride, and I read off thedigits.

25

Rebecca

June 3, Dallas

Nate always sayshe hates Dallas, but the airport got our equipment loaded onto the busses in record time. The stadium has a decent setup for visitors, and the hotel is only a few blocksaway.

I’m easy toplease.

While the boys have their morning skate, Heidi Jo and I walk from the stadium to the Ritz. “This isrullypretty,” Heidi Jo gushes in the lobby. It’s old school, with walnut columns and a marble floor. “I know we’re just here to win, but the travel team did us a solidhere.”

It’s true, too. The smiley woman behind the desk has a printed room manifest all ready for us, and dozens of key cards laid out on a tray. I could get used tothis.

“Look!” Heidi Jo says, pointing at my name on the list. “Luxury suite, penthouselevel.”

“That must be a mistake.” I blink, but my name is still beside that suite.Nate’ssuite. Except I told him I was going to stay in my own room. “Excuse me,” I say to the helpful woman. “I’m supposed to have a regularroom.”

“No, that was by special request.” She smiles again. They must feed the employees happy pillshere.

“Is there a regular roomavailable?”

Her smile fades. “I’m sorry, but the playoffs have the whole hotel bookedsolid.”

Fuck. Of course it’sbooked.

“Here you go, then!” Heidi Jo gives me a smug smile as well as the key card. Nate should haveknownhis little trick wouldn’t beprivate.

I’m pissed off, but also a little hurt. He’d told me—that night when we were talking about why I said no to Castro—that he understood the pressure I was under. I thought helistened. And then I said I didn’t want to stay with him in his suite, and he put me thereanyway.

Who doesthat?

“Ooh! They offer a margarita salt scrub in the spa!” Heidi Jo coos. “Let’s see if there are two massage appointments duringlunch.”