Page 51 of Seal the Deal

Her simple words hit me in a way I’m not used to. I’m not used to someone caring, taking the time to come to me when I’m shutting down. I’ve learnt to deal with this on my own. But with Charlie, I welcome it.

She walks over, handing me a mug of tea. I take it, the warmth seeping into my hands. For a moment, we sit in silence, the quiet between us comfortable. The chaos in my mind settles into a dull roar.

“This condo is nice,” she says after a while, her voice light. “But I’m starting to think you could use a little more disorder in your life. Maybe some mismatched cushions, a few dying plants.”

I chuckle. “Mismatched cushions, huh? Sounds like something Zoe would suggest.”

Her eyes sparkle. “She’s already mentioned she’d love to style this place. Consider yourself warned.”

I shake my head, a smile tugging at my lips. Her light-heartedness is infectious.

The silence creeps back in, though. It’s comfortable, but I can feel her waiting, giving me space to talk. I sip my tea, searching for the right words, but they feel heavy in my throat. I stare into my mug, the steam swirling and dissipating into the air, just like my confidence did on the ice yesterday.

“It was a rough game,” I finally say. “We shouldn’t have lost. And the chirps… that stuff usually rolls off, but it got to me. Then the media’s all over me. Maybe they’re right…”

She doesn’t interrupt, her presence a steadying force.

“My contract’s up at the end of the season,” I continue, the words spilling out. “And I’m starting to feel like maybe I’m losing my edge.”

The confession hangs between us. I’m not used to being this vulnerable, letting someone see the cracks in my armor.

But Charlie doesn’t flinch. Doesn’t say anything at first, just listens, her eyes full of understanding. She sees those cracks and fills them with her warmth.

“You’re not losing your edge, Jake,” she says, steady and sure. “You had a bad game, everyone does. But that doesn’t change who you are or what you’ve accomplished.”

I shake my head, the doubt still gnawing at me. “It feels like it’s all slipping. The pressure, the media, the expectations… it’s getting to me. I’m supposed to be the guy who has it all together, but right now I feel like I’m falling apart.”

She shifts closer, her hand resting gently on my knee. “You’re allowed to struggle, to doubt yourself. No one expects you to be perfect. But that doesn’t mean you’re not enough.”

I take her in, letting my eyes slowly roam over her face, and I see how deeply she understands. She gets me more than anyone ever has. And she’s here, sitting with me in a dark moment, just being here. Not trying to fix me.

“It’s hard to talk about this,” I confess. “I’ve always dealt with this stuff on my own. But I’m glad you’re here, Charlie.”

She squeezes my knee. “I’m not going anywhere.”

The words wrap around me, warm and comforting, and I realize how much I’ve needed to hear them. I reach out and lace my fingers with hers, holding on like she’s my lifeline. “Thank you.”You’re my favorite person in the world.

“You don’t have to thank me,” she says. “This is what we do for each other, right?”

I lean into her, the scent of vanilla in her hair grounding me. “But what if I can’t do it?” I sigh. “What if I can’t balance it all. Hockey, this thing with you… What if I fail?”

She turns to face me, eyes locking onto mine. “You’re already doing it. Small steps, remember?”

Her words echo my own from a week ago, resonating deeply. I pull her closer, wrapping my arms around her, needing to feel her close.

I nod, letting my eyes trail over her face, taking her in—every freckle, the curve of her smile, every piece of her that feels like it was made just for me. She’s the calm in my chaos, the quiet when everything else is too damn loud. I don’t know how I lived so long without this, withouther. “Yeah, I remember.”I remember everything about you.

She smiles, leaning in to press a soft kiss to my lips. “Good. Because you’re enough, Jake. And I think you need to hear that more often.”

The conviction in her voice makes me believe it, even just for a moment. I bury my face in her hair, letting her calm the last of the storm inside me.

We sit there in silence, holding onto each other, and I realize this quiet understanding, this shared vulnerability is what I’ve been missing. Charlie doesn’t see the star player who has to have it all together.

She sees me, just me.

Chapter seventeen

Hello, brain? Kindly fuck off.

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