Ollie rubbed the sleep out of his eyes with the back of his hands. “So you show up in my house in the middle of the night?”
“It's not that late,” she scoffed. “And actually, I was just about to leave. I tried to wake you up, but it seemed you were out like a light. I'm actually surprised you're awake right now.”
This has got to be the weirdest thing she's ever done, he thought.
“What are you doing here?” he asked. His brain was still groggy with sleep and all he wanted to do was go back to it.
“I brought you those muffins you like on recovery day,” she said, leaning against the door frame. “And, I guess I just felt like seeing you and didn't want to wait until tomorrow.”
> “Nikki, you see me almost every day,” he said, beginning to lose his patience. “You can't just come in my house whenever you feel like it. That's beyond weird and I don't like it.”
“What? Your old friend can't come surprise you?” Nikki asked the question as though showing up to someone's house in the middle of the night was something that normal people did.
“No, Nikki,” he replied. “You can't.”
A part of him wondered if he was dreaming. Although, Nikki standing in his room uninvited would be something he'd likely consider to be more of a nightmare than a dream. She was there, alright. Bad intentions and all. She was always up to something and in his gut, he had a feeling that this was no exception.
“Look, you need to leave.” Ollie pointed toward the door she was already standing in front of. “I've got to get some sleep and there's no reason for you to be here right now. Unless there's a business emergency, then it's best you go.”
Nikki pouted out her lower lip, seeking a bit of empathy from Ollie. It didn't phase him in the least, though. Her little tricks had no power over him any more. She gave it her best effort though, for full minute. Just standing there, with the most innocent and attention seeking expression on the planet. But Oliver didn't budge. He just sat in his bed with his arms crossed and his eyes half-closed, wishing for nothing more than to be able to fall back asleep.
“Fine,” she finally said, realizing that Ollie would not be swayed. “I guess have a good night. See you tomorrow morning for the sponsorship meeting.”
“Sounds good,” he replied, abruptly. “See you then.”
Nikki turned and began to walk out of the bedroom, but Ollie called out, stopping her in her tracks.
“Hey, Nikki,” he said. “Hold up.”
She stopped and looked over her shoulder. “Yeah? What is it, Oliver?”
“Do I need to amend your contract?” he asked. “I don't want you coming over without permission ever again.”
“I won't do it again.” Nikki nodded in agreement, but there was a gleam in her eye and the outside of her lips curled into an evil-looking grin. Ollie had seen the expression before. It was usually when Nikki was pissed off beyond belief but trying her best to hide it.
“Sleep tight,” she said, as she stepped the rest of the way out and closed the bedroom door behind her.
That woman is crazy, he thought, listening to Nikki's steps as she made her way downstairs and out the front door. And not the good kind of crazy. Whatever, though. I'm going back to sleep. I'll just pretend this weird incident didn't happen. Besides, I've got a lot to look forward to tomorrow. I get to see Elsie.
Chapter 23
Ollie
After a few hours of schmoozing with the new sponsors, Oliver and Nikki stepped out the front doors of The Bandit's manager's office. Ollie was still a bit tired from the night before. He hadn't slept well after Nikki had left his home. He'd tossed and turned the rest of the evening, trying to figure out why she'd really been there in the first place. It just didn't make sense.
“Oliver, why are you being so quiet?” Nikki asked, as the two walked across the parking lot.
“Just a little bit tired, I guess,” he said.
He considered bringing up the weird midnight visit from the evening before, but knew that he wasn't going to get any answers from her. She'd just tell him what she had said then, which was basically that she had missed him and wanted to see him and muffins. But he knew there was more to it than that. In his gut, he knew.
“I hope you're excited about how well that meeting just went with the sponsors,” Nikki said, her face beaming. “We just tagged another million dollars onto your contract and all you have to do is wear that company's brand of glove when you're playing.”
“Yeah, can't argue with that,” he said, unlocking the driver's door of his SUV. “Nothing wrong with easy money.”
Nikki's car was parked next to his, but she didn't walk up to it. Instead, she stood next to Oliver as though she was expecting something.
“I guess have a good day,” Ollie said, hopping into the driver's seat.