Total pages in book: 153
Estimated words: 147021 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 735(@200wpm)___ 588(@250wpm)___ 490(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 147021 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 735(@200wpm)___ 588(@250wpm)___ 490(@300wpm)
“You gotta pull me from the game,” I tell Coach Vander Zee once we’re in the locker room.
“You need the doc to look at your knee?” he asks, suddenly on alert.
I shake my head. “My knee feels fine, but I can’t play the way the team needs me to tonight, and I don’t want to be the reason everyone else has to play harder and better. I’m not willing to risk this game for my ego.”
“You want me to sit you out this period?” Vander Zee asks.
“I need you to sit me out the rest of the game.” This is what Aurora feared, that the rift between me and Roman would screw our chances in the playoffs. But it’s me that’s the problem, because I fucked everything up. Because I don’t have the one person I love more than anyone else. Keeping it a secret didn’t stop me from falling for her. It isn’t time we need, it’s for me to get my head out of my ass. Aurora grounds me, inspires me. She owns my heart, and I’ve lost her. Because I’m terrified of getting hurt. So I broke my own heart before she could. Like a fucking idiot. I’ve screwed myself over, but I can’t screw my team over, too.
“Does this have anything to do with the personal stuff you got going on?”
I start to shake my head but stop. I can’t compartmentalize what’s going on with me and Aurora and Roman. I won’t be able to play my best until I fix this. It’s about having the person at my side who makes me want to be better, do better, live a fuller life. I had that with Aurora. She’s been there to lift me up when things were hard. She’s been my champion through two injuries. And I want her back. Not in a couple of years, like I told her, but now. I want to navigate the new path with her. I don’t care if she’s just graduating university. I don’t give a shit that there’s more than a decade separating us, or that people might have opinions. I love her. I’m in love with her, and I don’t want to wait for the timing to be right. This is as right as it gets. I want her now, and I’ll gladly take whatever challenges that brings if I can have her at my side.
“Hollis?” Coach asks.
“I can’t be what the team needs right now, and I don’t want to put us at a disadvantage,” I say again. I don’t want to explain it any further. I need to get Aurora back before I can be useful to my team.
He nods. “We’ll meet when we’re back in Toronto to talk this through.”
“Yeah. Absolutely.” And I need to call my agent and have the discussion I’ve been putting off. I need a contingency plan if this season is my last. I need to start planning for my future, and I need it to include Aurora.
I watch from the bench as we win the game 3-2. It’s a huge boost for the team, and as hard as it was to sit on the sidelines, it was the right thing to do.
The sportscasters are stationed outside the locker room after the game. I hate interviews, but when one of the young reporters shouts my name, instead of muttering no comment, I turn to face him. Shocked, he shoves the microphone in my face. “What happened on the ice out there?”
“I couldn’t be what my team needed.”
“Is this because of your knee injury? Do you think you’ll be able to handle playoffs?”
“It’s not because of my knee,” I grumble.
“Do you think you’ll do better with home-ice advantage? Scarlet Reed has been attending your games. Is she your good luck charm?”
I level him with a glare. I’m so tired of people telling me who I’m supposed to be dating. “This has nothing to do with Scarlet. Despite media speculation, we are not together. And we will never be again, because I’m in love with Roman Hammerstein’s daughter—uh, Aurora.”
I’m met with shocked silence for half a second before ten microphones are shoved in my face.
“Does Hammerstein know you’re in love with his daughter?”
“Are you secretly dating?”
“How does Scarlet feel about you dating someone else?”
“How does Hammerstein feel about this?”
“I’m not taking any more questions.” I stomp into the locker room as they shout after me.
As the door closes behind me, Roman is standing there, an unimpressed look on his face. “It’s just words if you don’t follow up with action.” He disappears into the showers.
Dallas claps me on the shoulder as he passes. “Willy’s going to kick your ass for that.”
Have I dug my hole deeper or built myself a rope ladder?
CHAPTER 42
HAMMER
“Okay. You’ve finished all but one written exam, your last major projects aren’t due for several more days, and you’re watching horrible reality TV. We’re going out tonight, and you are not allowed to say no.” Rix stands in front of the TV with her hands on her hips.