The doctor said, “The specialists will come up here to talk to us when they have test results.”
“Right.” Marie straightened her shoulders.
Rusty asked, “Can I get you a water? Or a coffee?”
She gave him a weary smile. “Thanks. Coffee would be great. I’m jetlagged to hell. Cream, no sugar.”
“On it.” He went over to the coffee machine on the counter. Luckily it was a simple pod kind, so he was able to get a cup pouring into an actual ceramic mug. The smell rose, rich and comforting.
Behind him, Wendy Unger said, “I’m going to put out a report of lower body injury, to reduce the speculation. Long term injured reserve for now?” she asked the coach and doctor.
“That would be appropriate,” the doctor agreed.
“On it.”
Marie said, “I want my own security team outside this room here, and a detail on Cross’s room once he’s settled. I trust that will be all right.”
Unger blinked. “Of course, Ms. LaCroix, if you think it’s necessary.”
“I don’t travel without them.” Marie typed into her phone.
Rusty brought her coffee over and sat awkwardly, holding the mug while she texted. He decided he did want to know. “Where are they now?”
“Fifty feet down the hallway.”
“Here?”
“Yes.”
“But…”
She put her phone away and took the mug, downing a sip. “I always travel with security, I’m afraid.”
“But at the arena… no one was there.”
“My people were a few rows back from our seats, followed us downstairs, then out, followed your truck here.”
Rusty stared at her. “So you didn’t really need me to drive?”
“I wanted you to.” She gave him a faint smile. “Although I doubted that decision a time or two on the road.”
“Sorry.”
“You were concerned about RJ.”
He decided to dodge that idea. “How could your bodyguards sit behind us? That game was almost sold out.”
She grinned more widely. “They bought seats that were available elsewhere, then went to where they wanted to sit and offered the people in those seats three hundred dollars each to swap. They had no problem getting takers.”
“Oh.” Of course, if you had enough money, you could solve problems like not having seats available.If you have enough money, you need bodyguards behind you.Rusty rubbed his forehead. He should accept the reminder that Cross lived in a whole different world from him. He was too broke to pay next month’s rent, and the LaCroixs could throw six hundred or ninehundred or however many dollars away on seats at a hockey game.What am I doing here?
He started to say, “I should get going. I just wanted—”
“Stay!” Marie snapped, then sighed. “Sorry. I’m on edge. Stick around. I bet RJ would want you here when he gets to his room.”
Rusty wasn’t so sure, but Marie’s powerful stare reminded him of his mother’s when she was done with his nonsense. And he didn’t reallywantto go, not knowing how Cross was doing. “Okay.” He subsided into the corner of the loveseat and pulled out his phone, avoiding Marie’s gaze. At least with the team officials there, she wouldn’t ask him difficult questions. Hopefully. He cued up a mindless game and limbered up his thumbs, eyes on the small, scratched screen.
Chapter 14
