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“She’s my neighbor,” Felix says, waving me inside his door.
I walk inside. “I got that part. I was talking about the weird tension. And what’s with her asking me if I’m going to ask her out.”
He chuckles and closes the door. “Eli thinks she’s hot, so he gets a kick out of knocking on her door ‘by mistake.’ I’ve tried to get him to stop but … well, you can probably already guess how well Eli responds to firm commands. She hates hockey players, for reasons I can’t figure out. Anyway, welcome.”
If I was surprised by the less-than-impressive outside of the building, I’m stunned by the sleek, modern loft inside. It has high ceilings, an industrial vibe, and looks professionally decorated. And also very, very expensive.
“This place is … wow. Thanks for letting me crash, man.”
“No problem. Sounds like you needed a safe space.” He smirks. “I didn’t light any candles to set the mood though. Hope that’s okay,”
I huff out a laugh. “No candles. No mood setting. Please.”
Laughing, he says, “Fine. No mood lighting. Follow me. You’ll be sleeping back here.”
Hopefully, Felix won’t run his mouth to the rest of the team about what happened at the hotel tonight. I only told him because I wanted to make it clear how desperate I am to find somewhere else to stay—at least temporarily. Though the hotel fired the employee, I didn’t feel okay staying there any longer. Too many people have easy access to me.
I follow Felix through the open concept living area, with tasteful throw rugs, a comfortable seating area, and an entire wall lined with bookshelves. There’s even one of those ladders on wheels.
“What are the library hours?” I ask. “And do I need to apply for a card?”
Felix smiles. “My library is your library. But no dog-earing pages or breaking of spines.”
I don’t remember the last time I picked up a book, so he’s got no worries there. It almost makes me want to, though. Or want some other hobby off the ice. Other than hockey, it’s a little embarrassing how small my life is.
“Her name is Ivy,” Felix says.
“Your library has a name?” I remember something Alec said the night before at the bar and laugh. “The guys think Ivy is your secret hook-up.”
Felix only smiles. “I know. She’s very convenient for getting me out of things I don’t want to do. Ivy needs me to spend a lot of time with her.”
Though I don’t get the reading part, I can appreciate the genius of the idea.
As we walk through the rest of the loft, I’m a little awed. The place is huge and it’s high-end. Simple, but expensive. There’s no way any player for the Appies could cover this kind of place on their salary. I’m curious but not about to ask personal details. Especially not when Felix is giving me a whole suite with a private bathroom for me. I’ll just be thankful to have a comfortable place where I don’t have to worry about finding a woman in my bed.
“There are fresh towels and, ah, toiletries or whatever in the bathroom,” Felix says, for the first time looking slightly self-conscious.
“Thanks, man.”
“I put a key on the dresser. And I place a grocery order once a week, which happens to be tomorrow. There’s a remote for the TV next to the bed. Text me if you need anything.” He knocks twice on the door frame and starts to leave the room.
“Felix,” I call, and he pauses outside my room. “I appreciate it. I know you don’t know me well. This means a lot.”
“Shut up, Barnes. Or I’ll have to tell the guys you’ve got a heart under there.”
“Got it. And I’ll be out of your hair soon.”
“There’s no rush. Stay as long as you like.”
I don’t doubt the sincerity in his offer. Felix is a solid guy, and he’s obviously got the space for me. But I don’t like needing people or being a burden. As soon as I can find another option, I’ll be gone.
Felix’s bulky form hovers in my doorway. As though he has an uncanny ability to follow my thoughts, he says, “One more thing—about Parker.”
I swallow. “What about her?”
“I know you said you were friends back in the day. You seem to care about her.” He assesses me for a moment, then runs a hand through his dark hair, tucking it behind his ears.
“Yeah,” I say because I’m the genius who can’t think of anything else to say.
