Page 35 of Rookie Season
“When did you start playing?”
“When I was four. My dad got me my first pair of skates after I begged for them.”
“I bet he’s so proud of you.”
Noah’s expression falters for a moment, then he looks away. “He died. When I was eleven. My parents were in a car accident, and they both passed away.”
For a moment, I forget to breathe as my heart crushes in on itself and I absorb this news. I feel utterly devastated for him. “I’m so sorry, Noah.”
He ducks his head. “It was a long time ago.”
“That doesn’t make it any less awful that you had to go through that.”
“Thanks, Ally,” he says softly. “I’m…” He clears his throat. “I’m sorry if I’ve been a bit of a dick to you since you moved in.”
“It’s okay,” I say immediately. Because after what he just told me, I understand him more. Why he’s moody and grumpy at times. He’s been to hell and back.
“No, it’s not.” Noah’s eyes are steady as he looks at me. “It’s my first season in the NHL, and it was always my and my dad’s dream for me to get here. I’ve been putting all ofmy focus into playing as well as I can, and things have been really frustrating with some of my teammates.” He brings a muscled arm above the water then drags his wet hand through his dark hair, leaving the strands damp. “I think I might’ve taken some of that frustration out on you.” He drapes the same arm along the back of the hot tub, then meets my gaze. “It took me by surprise when you moved in, and I’m not exactly great with surprises.” He laughs a little bashfully, scratching behind his ear. “Or change of any kind.”
I drag my eyes away from his bulging bicep.
“I understand,” I tell him. “That makes a lot of sense. And I’m sorry for adding to the stress on your plate by imposing that change on you.” I smile gently. “And Harry’s sorry, too.”
Noah snickers. “No, he’s not.”
“I think he might be in love with you,” I tell him, and I’m strangely delighted when this makes Noah laugh. He has a great laugh—low and rumbly and gruff.
“I…think I might not hate him as much as I thought I would,” Noah replies, his words strangely weighted as his eyes find mine.
He looks at me for a moment, his teeth pressing into his bottom lip, and for some reason, the sight of this makes my stomach dip dangerously.
The sensation startles me.
After what happened with Tyler, it’s like an off-switch was flipped inside me. All of my feelings of desire just…gone. Poof, disappeared.
It was self-preservation, I’m sure. A way to stop myself from getting hurt again.
But Noah is bringing up feelings in me that I’m not sure what to do with; not sure that I’m ready to face.
“Does that sentiment go for me, too?” I venture cautiously.
The pained look is back.
“I…never hated you, Allegra,” he says, his voice raspy. My stomach drops further. “I?—”
“What’s up, roomies?!” An obnoxiouswhoopinterrupts whatever Noah was about to say, and we both turn around, startled, to see Fisher standing before us. His hands are on his hips, and he’s wearing nothing but a Speedo that leaves absolutely nothing to imagination.
I choke and smash my hands over my face. “Fisher! My eyes!”
Noah sputters, whatever he was about to say dying on his tongue as Archibald Fisher yells “Party in the hot tub!” and cannonballs right into the jacuzzi between us.
As a wave of water splashes over my face, I feel a stab of disappointment that now I’ll never know what Noah was going to say…
CHAPTER 15
NOAH
I can’t believeI told her about my parents.
