Page 37 of Interference
“So this is why you really came over here and brought me dinner,” I tease.
“One of the reasons, yes,” he says with no shame.
At least he’s honest, I’ll give him that.
“I would love to help, but I don’t know if I can. If there’s one thing I’ve learned about Brett, it’s that you can’t make him do anything he doesn’t want to do. Besides, didn’t he say it doesn’t feel right yet?” I ask, referring to his knee.
Wyatt shakes his head. “He’s been cleared by all the doctors. He’s just scared, and now with the baby, he doesn’t see a reason to take the risk, but we do. Look, I wouldn’t be pushing this if I didn’t think it was important. If he were giving it up on his own terms, that would be one thing, but I think we both know it’s not that. It’s fear. He’s scared to get back out there.”
Is that what it is?
I’ve never been injured the way he was. I can only imagine the ways that would mess with your brain, but is that really what’s going on? If it is, then he needs to get back out there.
We can’t let fear overrule us.
I also don’t like hearing that the pregnancy has anything to do with it. I don’t want him to give up his goals for this pregnancy, especially since he won’t let me give up mine.
I need to help, but…
“I don’t know how I can help,” I mutter.
“All I need you to do is convince him that if he gets on the ice, nothing bad will happen. That everything will be okay. Leave the rest up to us,” he says.
“Okay, I’ll try,” I tell him, and I mean it.
I want to give Brett everything that he is giving me. If that means getting him back out onto the ice with his friends, then that’s it. He might not want hockey forever, but I don’t want him to look back with regrets.
Wyatt leans back and smiles. “Thank you.”
“Don’t thank me yet. I make no promises. He is a stubborn man,” I warn him.
“It will work, trust me.”
For some reason, I have no issues trusting Wyatt.
Emery
Meet me at the rink at 8pm.
I look at the text again and shake my head. Why in the hell does she want me to meet her at the rink after hours?
Pocketing my phone, I get out of my car and head inside. Emery comes into view immediately, and I can’t help but stop and stare.
She looks gorgeous. She’s leaning against the boards, staring out over the ice. Her hair is down, cascading down her back.
Almost as if she can sense me, she turns around. A smile covers her face when she sees me.
“Are you going to come down here and join me or what?”
Like a moth to a flame, I move toward her. When I get close to her, though, I pause.
“Why do you have skates on?” I ask, panic rising in my chest.
“Because I’m getting on the ice.” She leaves zero room for argument, but fuck if I’m not going to anyway.
I start shaking my head before she can even finish her sentence. “You know you’re not supposed to. It’s not safe.”
Emery rolls her eyes. “I’m not even showing yet, and my balance is fine. I’ll be perfectly fine going out there and skating around the rink. It’s not like I’m going to do tricks or anything.”
