Holy crap, that’s over a grand I’ll be keeping. She must have known that would mess with my decision to leave because she goes on. “You will be strictly coming here, working, and leaving with every cent you make. On top of that, I’ll pay you five hundred dollars more, in addition to the money I’m already paying you.”

Fucking hell, I’ll have way more money than I wanted to save. I’ll be set.

“After the investors come and go, if you don’t get hired, which, by the way… What happens if you do get hired?”

I shrug. “I’ll have to tell them then, and pray that they’ll support me.”

She shakes her head, bored with me as she says, “Okay, whatever. After that, you can go and strictly be backstage. Don’t turn this down; this is a good deal. I need you and you know that.”

I nod. “I do, but it isn’t about the money,” I say, but I think we both know that is a complete lie. “I love them, and I don’t want to lose either one of them.”

Looking me square in the eyes, Ms. Prissy basically says what Reese said weeks ago. “If they love you, they will support you, no matter what.” Clearing her throat, she says, “My parents did not support me at first when I opened this business, but when they saw how happy I was, they did. Some people are made for this, and I believe you are one of them. The investors are going to eat you up, you watch. I’ve been talking you up something crazy, and I bet your bottom dollar that they are going to offer you something you won’t be able to refuse. I suggest you tell your loved ones now before you are forced to.”

I look away and take in a deep breath before blowing it out my nose. “But I’m quitting.”

She scoffs. “No, baby, you’re not and you know it. We both know that money talks, and I just gave you the mother lode.”

Not answering her, tears rush to my eyes because she’s completely right. I need that money; it will set me up for the rest of my life. If things don’t work out for me and Jude, not that I would expect to live off him, I’ll need the money in the future. If they do work out for us and I get picked up by the investors, I can put this money in a trust fund for our little hockey-playing babies. The best hockey schools aren’t cheap.

This money is my future.

I can’t turn my back on it.

It’s only for a few more weeks.

Everything will be fine.

“Okay,” I say, meeting her gaze again.

“That’s right, now off you go. You have a pole dance to get ready for,” she says, waving me off. I go to stand and she says, “I believe in you, Claire. You have talent, talent no one can touch, and I know that these men who you love will come around once they know how much you love this and how good you are at it.”

Not able to trust my voice since tears are threatening to fall, I nod and then leave the room. As I walk back to my station, a stray tear rolls down my cheek, but that’s the only one I will allow to fall. I chose this life, and as much as I want to believe her words, I can’t.

It doesn’t matter, though. I need the money.

Leaning against the doorframe, I knock twice on Claire’s door and wait. We both have classes this morning, and I won’t see her until it’s time to pick her up to go to her uncle’s. Since I got her something awesome, I can’t wait that long to see her. When the door flies open, Claire grins at me and I smile back. She just woke up and is wearing my favorite pair of dance shorts and my Bullies sweatshirt I gave her the other night when she came over to stay the night. Her hair is in a tangled mess on her head, and her eyes are covered with black-framed glasses like the very first time I saw her.

Smiling, I say, “Are those real?”

“Yeah, for reading,” she says as she goes up on her toes, kissing my lips.

“They are superhot. You should wear them to bed one time,” I say with a wink.

She laughs as she pulls me through the door. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

“Do that,” I say in a low voice as the door slams behind me. “Skylar here?”

She shakes her head as she goes to pack her books, obviously not noticing that I’m holding something behind my back. “Nope, she had classes early.”

“Sucks for her.”

“Sure does,” she says, looking up at me. “Come over to walk me to class?”

I smile. “That and to give you something.”

Her eyes light up. “Oooh! A present?”

“Yup,” I say, bringing the bag out from behind my back. Taking the purple bag that was tied specially by me, she grins big as she asks, “Did you tie it for me?”

“How did you know?” I ask, a shy grin on my face.

“’Cause it is the most pitiful looking bow I’ve ever seen in my life,” she says, her eyes full of love.

I laugh as I nod. “I did. I can tie skates but that bow was about the death of me.”

She sends me a happy grin. “You did wonderful,” she says before untying the bow and opening the bag. When her eyes meet mine again, a little awe in their blue depths, I smile. Looking down again, she pulls out the black and teal jersey with a big number 91 and Sinclair across the back. On the front is the Bullies emblem, a bull wearing the same jersey shooting a puck. Cuddling it to her chest, she grins at me. “This is amazing.”

“Figured you could wear it to the game. I had the coach order me an extra.”

“I’ll wear it when I’m not dancing; I don’t care what Rachael says.”

“I don’t either,” I say with a laugh. “There is more in there.”

Her eyes light up again and she reaches back into the bag, pulling out the black leather riding jacket I got her. It has pink stripes that match her helmet. “Oooh, this is badass.”

I nod. “Yeah, now we’ll match when we ride.”

“Awesome, I love it.”

“You can wear it tonight.”

She looks up at me quickly. “Or we can drive my car or Jayden’s.”

“I’m the man – I drive. And Jayden needs his car tonight.”

Letting out a breath, she lets the jacket fall onto the bed. “Okay, well, prepare yourself because Phillip is gonna flip and hate you if you are driving my car, but even more so if we ride your bike. But since I have a new jacket, we’ll go that route.”