Page 21 of How We End

“You saw that?”Julian’s voice was low, like he wasn’t sure he wanted me to answer.

“I did.I guess I’ll need something new to lie to you about.”I smiled into the phone, sitting on the couch.The sound of his voice washed over me.“So it was a good game?”

“It was.I scored.Twice.It was a fucking miracle.And I checked Host so hard into the boards, he’ll feel that for weeks.So will I.But hey, the fans loved it, and I am again a hockey god.”

“Wow, a real god.”I wasn’t sure why I was flirting with him.Why I was even talking to him.“Should I say congratulations or amen?”The sound of clothes scraping against the phone made me smile.“Are you naked?”

“Just about.Are you?”

“No.”I examined my wrinkled skirt.“This isn’t going to turn into one of those calls, is it?”That was a skill I hadn’t used in a long time.

“No, my shoulder is too sore for that activity.”I heard a shower turning on.“Unless you want to come over and help.Kiss it better.”

This was a very different Julian from the first night.“Which part?”

“Any part you want, babe.”

I liked the sound of that word when he said it.The low rumble of his voice.I was smiling like some stupid schoolgirl at the thought of a naked man.

“How was your day?”

His question took me by surprise.“Ah… um… How was my day?”I lay back on the couch.“It was good.”I wasn’t sure why my voice cracked.“I, uh, watched my first hockey game.”

“What did you think?”

“I’m no expert, but I thought that Silver guy did pretty good.He looked like he knew what he was doing out there.He didn’t fall down once.”

“No, he didn’t.Are you okay?”

“Yeah.I’m fine.”I forced a smile.“Are you?I mean, with the team?With the scratching and all.”

“Scratching?Yeah.”He paused.“My feelings haven’t changed.”

I rested my cheek on the back of the couch, pulling my knees to my chest.“It’s not Friday.”

“You think they’re going to change in a day?”

“They might.”Mine hadn’t.I still thought about him.“It could be the adrenaline from your big win.”

“No.I can feel every ache and bruise.I got a nasty one on my right hip.You can kiss that one better too.”

“Can I?”I couldn’t keep the smile out of my voice.I hoped his feelings didn’t change.Because I wanted to see him again.I wanted to take it all in and memorize the way he felt.“Text Margo.My weekend is pretty open.”

“I want to hear that you want to see me again.”

"That’s not how this works," I whispered into the phone.It had never worked that way.If a client called, it was my job to see them.Didn’t matter if I was happy or sad.If I didn’t feel like it or the day had already gone to shit.This was the job.

“It is with me.If you don’t want to see me?—”

“I do.”

“I have a game on Friday in Toronto.Is two too late?”

“In the morning?”I rested my chin on my knees.“Don’t you need to sleep?I mean, being a hockey god and all.”

“Gods don’t need to sleep.And I have a four-hour flight back to Vegas.But if it’s too late?—”

“No, it’s not.But I’m sure your feelings will change.”It had happened before with a client.Feelings.Some workers kept those clients because it meant a steady paycheck.I stopped seeing them because feelings could lead to jealousy and jealousy would make men do stupid things.I didn’t worry about Julian having feelings because in a few weeks, he’d move on.