I shake my head. I can’t let her help when I’m trying to save her from having to do it altogether. “No, that’s okay.” She nods and is about to walk away when I stop her. “What’s my email password? I was going to add it to my phone, so I can start checking it myself, but I don’t know my password.”
Avery seems to struggle for a second before she speaks. “It’s jaxlovesavery, no caps, no spaces.”
I give her a small nod. “Thanks.”
She nods again before disappearing down the hall. Leaving that stupid calendar alone for a second, I grab my phone. I’m on the technologically inept side and mostly just use my phone to make calls or send texts. I find the little envelope icon and press it. I touch a few places, but can’t find where I set up an account. Before I can stop myself, I call out for Avery.
“What is it?” she asks as she comes back into the room, now changed out of her scrubs.
“How the hell do I set up my email?”
When I lift my head to look at her, she laughs. A true, genuine laugh. The sound and sight of her laughing stuns me for a moment. It’s been a long time since she’s laughed. I’ve missed it a lot. Avery doesn’t seem to notice as she comes to stand behind me and reaches around to press buttons while I hold it, so I can see what she’s doing.
My lungs stop functioning while I watch her exit out of that and go to the settings, touching different things to get me where I need to be. The moment feels normal and I want to cling to it before it disappears and I remember why my muscles are tense. I try not to flinch away from her.
“Now, just enter your email address and your password and you should be set.” Avery steps away, but not too far. “Are you sure you want to take over everything?” she carefully questions as she glances over what I’ve entered in so far on the calendar. Her trained typing hands could probably have it all entered by now, but I refuse to ask her.
“Yeah, I can do it. It’s all part of my job, so I’ll do it, and if I can’t, I’ll just hire someone.” I thought Avery would be happy because it means she won’t be doing it, but she doesn’t look all that happy.
Chapter Eight
Avery
I plate up our food and sit it in front of him on the table. He wants to hire an assistant? Why now? He’s never said anything about it before.
Like all of our other meals, there isn’t much talking. I can feel the tension between us, and it isn’t like it was before. Jax picks at his plate his plate, chewing silently.
“How was the flight back?”
“Fine.”
“Did you at least have fun?”
“It was fine.”
I nod aimlessly. So, we’re doing this again. I pick at the food in front of me. I’m tired. Mainly because I haven’t slept in days. I’ve taken a few naps, but that’s all. Work sucks and it has never been this way before. I love being a nurse. I love my job, but being there is starting to show me that I didn’t always put Jax first.
These past few months I’ve been taking more and more shifts, staying away from home, and not being there for him like I should have been. I’m a hockey wife. I need to remember that. I know that my goals, dreams, and everything needs to be the second seat.
It’s possible that Jax could be traded or be offered more money by another team, and he would leave Las Vegas. There is no guarantee he’ll be here for his whole career. What if that happens?
His contract is up this year. He could be leaving. What would I do?
I shake my head at the thought. I'll go with him wherever he goes. It doesn’t matter if it’s Alabama, Portland, or Canada. I would do it for him and our marriage.
An idea pops into my head. It’s a thought that I would have never considered before, but this time, it might be the best option.
“Jax, would you pay this assistant? Like an employee?”
“Yeah, of course. I don’t think anyone would work for free.” I’m not sure why, but Jax has a guilty look when he says that.
“Well, I have an idea. What if I quit my job and become your assistant? I mean, I know everything already. Everyone already calls me to set up appointments and what not. Plus, you wouldn’t have to worry about anyone stealing from you.” I can hear the hopefulness in my voice.
“What? No. Why would you want to do that?”
“We could be together more, and you can trust me.” Maybe that isn’t the best word to use at this moment, considering I cheated on him a week ago.
Jax mouth opens and then closes again. “This isn’t about trust. I was going to hire someone so you wouldn’t have to do it because you shouldn’t have to do it. You love your job, too.” He shakes his head. “No, Avery. No.”