Page 56 of Forever Wild
“What time?” she asks with a small laugh. “I have plans later.”
“It shouldn’t take more than a couple hours.”
I want to know what those plans are and if they include Thor, but asking would be admitting that I don’t want her to go out with him or anyone else. Although that’s probably clear after I crashed her date last night. I’m not sorry. Not even a little bit.
“If I pick you up later, will you kiss me again?”
“Ev.” Her name comes out strangled and gruff. She’s killing me and I am going to hell.
“Fine, fine. I see we’re not talking about it still.”
“Talking won’t change anything.”
She shrugs one shoulder. “By my memory of last night, I wouldn’t want to change anything.”
Yep, definitely trying to kill me.
When I get to the arena, it all hits me again. The accident. My career hanging delicately in the balance. All that I have to lose.
I love this place. It will be hard enough to walk away at the end of my career, but doing it years earlier than expected, would be excruciating.
I check in with Coach Miller, give him the update from the doctors, which he already knows because there is little that happens with his team or players that he doesn’t know—except that time Leo was sleeping with his daughter—that was one sticky situation.
I’m feeling good, lighter than I have in months as I head to the locker room. I come up short when I find someone else already there pulling on his skates.
“What are you doing here?” I ask Nick as I walk across the green-carpeted floor. “I thought you were spending the summer in Kansas City.”
“I was until my dad decided I needed a real vacation and sent me packing.”
I arch a brow in question.
“Something about beaches and girls in bikinis.” He runs a hand through his hair and then waves that same hand around to emphasize his next words. “Pina coladas and all that bullshit.”
“And you ended up back here?” The beach sounds nice. So do girls in bikinis. One girl in particular.
“I don’t do fun and sun,” he says like the words pain him. “I don’t know what my dad was thinking.”
“He was probably thinking you could use a break from being a single dad.”
“I don’t need a break from Aidan.”
“I don’t mean it like that, but you do a lot for him all on your own while also managing our chaotic schedule. Taking a few days to recharge doesn’t make you selfish or a bad dad. A break can be good.”
He eyes me skeptically. “When did you become an expert of being a parent? Something you want to tell me.”
“Fuck no. The only action I’ve seen recently is with my hand. And I’m an expert on everything.” I take a seat next to him in my stall. It feels good to be here. The familiarity of it all.
“How’s the rehab going?” he asks.
“Slower than I’d like, but I’m getting there.”
“Are you hitting the ice today?”
“No, I just came to see Coach. The doctor wants me to give my knee a few more weeks before skating.”
“It’s gotta be killing you. What have you been doing all summer?” He finishes lacing his skates and stands.
“Nah,” I say then bob my head. “A little, but I’ve been busy. Therapy, doctors’ appointments, hanging by the pool.” My lips pull into a smile.
