Page 9 of SlapShot Sweetheart

“If you are out there, hovering around, then you are gonna…” she yanked open the front door expecting to see his beat-up face there, complete with the swollen eye and that split lip – only to see another slip of paper taped to the front door.

“What is going on?” she whispered, pulling it off and looking around warily.

He leaves her letters, soft and sweet,

Whispers love beneath her feet.

In every glance, in every smile,

He hopes she'll trust him for a while.

Aimee stared at the letter, the scrawled masculine handwriting, and marveled that someone could do something so strangely compelling… and sweet. Who would do something like this? And started, as she realized this was a continuation of the other poem.

Scrambling and running into the small kitchenette in her little home, she yanked the breadbox away from the wall and threw the lid open, letting it bang onto the tile backsplash. For some reason, everything went in the breadbox… except bread. Things she wanted to keep safe or hide from her own eyes, like bills. There, on top, was the other piece of paper. Opening it, she read the two passages, and sure enough, they flowed together… which only made her wonder how many more there were.

She hides behind quiet walls,

A heart once hurt, afraid to fall.

But fate keeps leading him her way,

Softly with words that beg her stay.

He leaves her letters, soft and sweet,

Whispers love beneath her feet.

In every glance, in every smile,

He hopes she'll trust him for a while.

Blinking back tears, she sniffed indelicately, touched… and then hesitated, dropping both sheets of paper onto the counter and stepping back. Turning, she walked to the bedroom and grabbed her phone off the charger, texting Theo again.

Why are you doing this to me?

What are you accusing me of doing now?

You didn’t just leave a note on my porch?

Of course not. I’m at the gym.

Want a pic?

I’m all sweaty and buff.

No thanks. I’ll pass.

Your loss.

“What is going on?” she whispered aloud, walking back toward the two pieces of paper, completely transfixed that someone was out there, thinking of her. She had never had someone go so far out of their way to do something like this. “This takes effort… and brains,” she breathed, talking to herself as she re-read the two passages once more.

“Who are you?”

CHAPTER 4

THEO

“Who are you?”Coeur chuckled, punching him playfully on the shoulder. “I mean, I get it, but seriously… you want me towhat?”

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