I followed him in and sat on a step stool.
“Can I get you anything?”
“You can get to the point of why I’m here.”
“I got a call from Doc. He’s asked me to fly to California.”
“For?”
“There’s something going down that he needs my help with.”
I clenched my fists. “Would you just tell me?”
“Nick has issued an ultimatum of sorts. He’s asked me to fly out and smooth it over. I should only be gone a couple of days.”
“I see.”
“If i
t was anyone but Doc…”
“I get it. When do you have to leave?”
“Tomorrow morning?”
“You aren’t sure?”
“He asked me to let him know when I was planning to leave. I haven’t yet.”
I was annoyed about him having to fly to California to deal with an ex-girlfriend’s temper tantrum; however, I understood it took guts for her to leave the abusive situation she’d been in. If she needed Tackle’s support to see it through, not allow herself to get pulled back into a toxic relationship, I could be supportive.
“Tomorrow would be better than today,” I said, which made him wiggle his eyebrows. I didn’t want to ask, but I had to. “There’s nothing between the two of you, right?”
Tackle took a deep breath and let it out slowly.
“You’re fucking kidding me—”
“Hang on. Let me answer your question.”
“I’m not sure I want to hear it.”
“There is nothing between Nick and me.”
“Why did it take you so long to answer if that’s the case?”
“Because she wants there to be and she’s relentless. Now, before you start swearing at me again, know that I have less than zero percent interest in her. None. I’ve made it clear to her again and again that nothing will happen between her and me, now or in the future.”
“Does she know about me?”
“She knows there’s someone in my life.”
“Does she know I’m pregnant?” God, I hated having to ask all these questions. Why was he weighing his answers so carefully? It was almost as though he was dancing around the truth. “Spit it out. I’m running out of patience.”
“I may have let it slip.”
“Tackle? What the fuck?”
“She was threatening to leave California and come back to Boston if I didn’t come to her. Instead, I had a conversation with her over the phone.”