Just Stay Away by Wirt Tony

Author:Wirt, Tony [Wirt, Tony]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer
Published: 2023-10-01T06:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

They allowed him to check Alice into the kids’ club before his meeting with the general manager, and the look on her face as he signed her in was quite possibly the worst thing he’d experienced. Even if she didn’t necessarily understand what was going on, she had to know something big was happening. The guilt was a backpack full of sand hanging on Craig’s shoulders. He wanted to reassure her—and he said something with a forced smile before he left—but they both knew it was bullshit.

The general manager’s office was in a spacious cluster just off the main fitness floor, the door always open to be accessible to members.

When Craig got there, the door was closed, but Cassandra Ryan’s voice came through clear as day from the other side. He didn’t know whether he should knock and go in so he could defend himself instead of letting her weave whatever tale she wanted. Instead, he slumped into one of the chairs arranged out front, like a kid summoned to the principal’s office. He’d have his turn, without Cassandra in there pouring gasoline all over the place. He’d wait.

A young woman working the activities desk nearby almost snapped her neck not looking over at him while keeping her ear cocked toward the door. Random members weren’t as subtle as they rubbernecked their way past toward the locker room.

He wondered how many times Levi had been in his exact situation, waiting outside an office while his mom berated and bullied someone on the other side of the door.

The only difference was this time she was advocating for punishment.

Craig’s knee bounced up and down as he sat, waiting for the door to open and thinking about what he was going to say.

The word expulsion filtered through the door, but it wasn’t in Cassandra Ryan’s voice, and Craig suddenly realized how high the plank he stood on was. He couldn’t imagine telling Alice that the pool was no longer an option, and telling Courtney would be worse. He wanted to believe she would take his side, understand why he’d reacted the way he had, but part of him was terrified she wouldn’t.

The office door flew open and jerked him out of his worries. Cassandra blew past, either too harried or too pissed to notice him, which was probably a good thing.

Levi trailed behind her and looked back as if he could sense Craig there. There was no emotion in his face, just a nonchalance that burned Craig more than a smirk would have. It was as if the drama he’d started had no effect on him. Kick the hornet’s nest and move on.

No thought as to who got stung.

A fresh wave of anger bloomed in Craig’s stomach, and he had to quash it before it pushed him over the edge again. Aggression wasn’t his friend. He needed to be calm. Contrite. Part of a situation that had been blown way out of proportion.

Unfortunately, the general manager didn’t buy it.

Their meeting was short, and Craig was barely given a chance to defend himself.

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