Page 58 of He Has It All (Boston Brawlers Hockey)
Chapter 15
Ryan
Not five minutes after arriving home for my brother David’s twenty-third birthday, Maggs pulls me aside, with unusual force, and drags me into Gramps’s bedroom at the back of the house to talk. With those old-lady frown lines marring her brow, she tells me all about Chelsea’s new job and how awful it is.
“Wait—what? What happened to the BTSB broadcasting job? She should have gotten a promotion after—”
Looking chagrined but determined, Maggs tells me. “She quit that fucking awful job. Partly over you and some damn nude photos they wanted. She refused to give her creep boss a thing and quit. Walked out.”
“Fucking damn.” I want to slam a fist in her creepy boss’s face, or into a wall, but since I’m in Gramps’s room I stop myself, squeezing my fists at my side instead. Mentally counting to ten, I give up because it would take me counting to a million to rein in my rage at the unfairness. She tried so hard, and then she quit her fucking job to save me from embarrassment—the last person on the planet she ought to be worried about embarrassing.
“This is fucking bullshit. What was she thinking?” Crazy damn girl. “I need to do something. What am I supposed to do?” I pace three steps before I realize this isn’t a good room for pacing because I run out of space and turn around.
“Get her a job somewhere. You have connections.”
“You know she wouldn’t go along with that. Since when do you think she’d take a favor from me? From anyone. She has more pride than sense.”
“Normally I’d say you’re right. But she needs the money. She’s trying to keep her mom afloat. Moved in with her to save their home. They can’t afford the taxes or the upkeep, Ry.” She sighs with frustration. “I tried giving her money and she won’t take it.”
He snorts. “What makes you think she’ll take a job if I’m offering?”
“I don’t know—maybe you could trick her into it. Get her fired from the casino so she has no choice?”
“What the hell?”
“The job is killing her, Ry. She has her heart set on a broadcast job. But she needs a real career job, not a waitress job where drunks maul her.”
My temperature spikes and I literally see red. I don’t know if it’s dangerous, but I know I’m dangerous right now.
“What are you talking about, Maggs?” My voice is quiet, my blood boiling, and I feel the need to do someone harm, to make someone pay. I’m scaring myself with this level of rage I’ve never felt before, not even in the meanest bench-clearing brawl I’ve ever been in.
“Take it easy—she handled it. Some drunk guy smacked her butt. I was actually impressed with how well she handled it. No need to worry.” Maggs uses her soothing voice and rubs my arm like I’m a child throwing a tantrum who needs calming.
“She can’t stay at a job like that. She needs to quit. You can talk sense into her.”
“It’s not that simple. Didn’t you hear me? She’s helping to support her mom. She needs the money. And believe me, she makes good money there.”
“I don’t care. She can’t stay in a job like that.”
“Maybe you could get her a job with the Brawlers PR office. They produce online content all the time.”
“Of course I could. But damn, you know she won’t take it. You know she wants nothing to do with me.”
“If she has no choice because she’s fired from the casino, then she’d do it.”
“Fuck.” Pacing around in a tight circle like I’m coiled and ready to spring, my gut roils thinking about her going through this shit alone. Well not exactly alone because she has Maggs. But still, I should be there for her, like a big fucking brother—pun or no pun. Swinging around to face Maggs, I say, “I’ll try, but getting her fired is taking a big-ass risk.”
“I’ll take full responsibility.”
“Then why don’tyouget her fired?”
She shrugs. “I don’t have the guts, the nerve you have. Let’s face it, Ryan. You’re the only one with the balls to do it.”
“You may not have balls, but you are a master manipulator, aren’t you?” She turns white. I want to bite my tongue off for lashing out at her.
“No. Not this time.”
Opening my arms to her, I wrap them around Maggs hoping she doesn’t cry. “I’m sorry, Maggs. You’re a good friend and sister, I shouldn’t—”
