Page 91 of Dreams
He laughed as she put her arms up around his neck. Beside them, Jason was dancing with his cousin Maggie. He gave him a wink, telling Josh this was more than just a dance.
“Alright,” he said finally. “I know you have something to say to me.”
“Why are you being all you tonight?” she asked. “I mean, you’re never the most cheery guy, but the seriousness is on a whole other level.”
“I’m sorry.” He rested his head on her shoulder. “Let’s not talk about this at your wedding. I’ll try harder to be less like myself.” His joke fell flat when she didn’t laugh.
“Like I said, it’s my wedding. We’ll talk about whatever I want.”
“I just…” He lifted his head and looked around. “I feel like everything is closing in on me.”
“Okay,” she said slowly. “If it’s the wedding that’s messing with your head, this must be about the girl.”
“I love her so much I can’t breathe.” His back shuddered with the admission and Michaela stopped moving to look up at him.
“Then fight for her.”
“I think I need her to fight for me this time.”
Michaela nodded in understanding before pulling him into a hug without saying another word.
She was soon pulled away to perform more of her bridal duties, and he went back to the table.
Josh scrubbed a hand over his tired eyes and through his too-long hair. He’d have to get it cut soon. His teammates used to give him grief for the way it stuck out beyond the bottom of his helmet, not like he had to worry about that anymore.
The screen on his phone lit up, and Josh almost didn’t look. At first, he thought it was probably just Ethan wondering how the wedding went, but then something told him it wasn’t. Some inane hope he’d been holding on to.
He held the phone in the palm of his hand as his eyes fell on the name Taylor Scott and the message below it.
I miss you too.
Closing his eyes for a brief moment, a smile spread slowly across his face and then he looked at the message again. It’d been radio silence since he went down on the ice. He’d had no word from her. No response to any of his messages. He’d been ready to give up, unable to be the one always fighting. Fighting for her to be whole again. Fighting for her to smile. Fighting for her to love him.
He was exhausted, and a single text energized him. He was done, and it made him want to start all over again. She had such control over him and he wasn’t even ashamed.
Leaning back in his chair, he watched Michaela as Jason spun her around the dance floor. This time, his smile was genuine.
