Elena groaned as she glanced at her watch. She was going to be late meeting her friend if she didn’t hurry up. But she didn’t dare put her foot on the gas; with the patrol car behind her, she would be pulled over immediately. And Elena didn’t want more aggravation tonight.
She’d had a rough afternoon, twisting her ankle at the gym and having two no-show appointments. On top of that, her mother was still trying to call her. Elena thought she had made it clear by blocking the number that she didn’t want to talk. However, while the calls didn’t let her know they were coming through, they still showed up on her phone. And Elena could see how many times Jessica had tried to call her.
They would be going through this cycle again and again. Jessica would do something to step out of line, and Elena and Fleur would block her for a while. Then they would unblock her, Jessica would apologize, and then she would do it all again.
Why did they keep in contact with her? Elena wouldn’t stand for this with anyone else, so why was she doing it with Jessica?
Because she’s your mom. And cutting off your mother for a long time is easier said than done.
Elena loved her mom, but she was also infuriated by the woman. She had been like this for years, although not necessarily in a cruel way. Jessica did things that she believed would benefit her daughters, and her love for them could never be brought into question. However, she went about things the wrong way, and Elena and Fleur were trying to get her to stop and take a step back.
It was like fighting a losing battle.
Their dad had said he wouldn’t blame them if they did cut contact with Jessica, but Elena didn’t want it to come to that.
Jessica hadn’t done anything that would tip her over the edge. Not yet, anyway.
Her phone started ringing again, this time through the speakers in her car. The sudden sound, cutting over the radio, made Elena jump. She glanced over and saw a number she didn’t recognize. That wasn’t unusual; she had new clients calling her all the time. She hoped it wasn’t Jessica calling from a new number; that wouldn’t surprise Elena, at this point.
She pressed the call button on the screen.
“Hello?”
“Is this Elena Duncan?”
Elena paused. Now that was a voice she hadn’t heard before. And it was nice. Deep and smooth. If someone could describe a voice like chocolate, it would be this voice.
“Yes, I’m Elena. Who is this?”
“My name is Jason Munro. I’m the owner of the Wenstown Wolves in Nebraska.”
Elena knew about the Wolves. They were a long-standing team that had struggled in recent years as a result of team shuffling and financial woes. Someone had actually bought them out? He would have an uphill struggle on his hands to get them sorted.
She didn’t need to know why this man was calling her now. If it was about Wenstown, Carl had to be behind it.
“Let me guess: Carl suggested that you call me to offer me a job.”
Jason chuckled. Damn, that sound was even nicer than his voice.
“I take it he’s done it a few times before.”
“Quite a bit, actually. He usually calls me himself, though.” Elena shook her head. “Now he’s getting other people to contact me instead?”
“He’s a persistent guy, isn’t he?”
“That’s an understatement. Look, Mr. Munro, I appreciate you calling me, but I’m going to tell you what I’ve told Carl many times: I’m happy in Seattle, and I want to stay here.”
Jason sighed. “That’s a shame. Because we’re in need of physical therapists now we’re down to just one, and Carl has spoken a bit about you. Plus your credentials are very impressive. You would be a great addition to the team.”
“Buttering me up isn’t going to work, Mr. Munro.”
“I might as well try. But I really do think you would be just what the team needs.”
Elena was flattered that she was being headhunted, but at the same time she wasn’t too impressed that she’s being asked to work solely for a team in the middle of the wilderness. Wenstown sounded like one of those towns where pretty much nothing happened except football. It would be far too quiet for her.
“I could also give you a salary that you wouldn’t be able to get right now,” Jason went on. “At least double what you earn, but I can increase it to triple with negotiation.”
“Triple? You can afford that?”