Total pages in book: 93
Estimated words: 85342 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 427(@200wpm)___ 341(@250wpm)___ 284(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 85342 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 427(@200wpm)___ 341(@250wpm)___ 284(@300wpm)
“That makes no one feel better,” Dylan grumbles. “Like, not one person standing in this room right now feels better after that comment.”
“Come to think of it,” Cooper says, “I feel worse.”
I can’t help but laugh as we walk into the arena. I try to take my mind off Julia, but I’m checking the phone every five minutes because it feels longer. I’m in my office, going through the charts on everyone when I hear a knock on the door and look up.
“Hey.” Nico sticks his head into my office. “Mind if we push the meeting up to say”—he looks at his watch—“in ten minutes?”
I laugh and nod my head. “Guys are on the ice, so if something happens, they can call me,” I say and he walks away, back down the hall in the direction of his office.
I take my phone out and send Julia a text.
Me: Thinking about you.
I’m so tempted to add I love you, but stop myself since I haven’t even said it to her face yet. There have been times when it almost slipped out but I stopped myself, not sure if I should add something else to her overcrowded plate. I look down at the phone, wondering if she is going to text me back. I should have been persistent that I go with her. I should have just showed up and not told her. I tap my index finger on the desk, waiting for an answer but nothing comes up.
I grab my files and walk down the hallway to Nico’s door. His door is open and I knock anyway before walking in. He took off his jacket and his white dress shirt is rolled up to his elbows. “Hey,” I greet, walking over to the chair in front of his desk. We have these meetings once a week, where we go over everyone’s injuries. Who is on the injured list, who got hurt, who is complaining of aches. No one runs a tighter ship than Nico, he knows what is going on in every single department.
“Okay,” he says, grabbing a file off the top. “Let’s get started.”
I nod at him, opening up my own file as we go down the list from the name on top. “I think he’s good to be on the ice.” Nico looks up at me since last week I told him he needed more time.
“You sure?” he asks, moving his chair side to side, waiting for me to answer.
“Yes,” I confirm. “We went over a couple of things the other day and he was fine.”
“That makes me happy,” he states and the phone rings beside him. He looks down and then smirks. “It’s your father.”
“What?” I sit up straight. “He’s supposed to be in a meeting.” I look at my watch, seeing it’s ten minutes past eleven. He said he was going to the lawyer with Julia. My stomach sinks thinking she went there by herself.
I grab my phone, texting Max.
Me: Are you with Julia?
“Well, well, well,” Nico says, leaning back in his chair smiling as he answers. I have no idea what my father just said, but the smile goes away very fast. By the way his face turns, I know nothing about it is good. “What?” he says as he sits up. “Yeah, he’s on the ice.” He looks at me and he just nods. “See you in a bit.” He disconnects, getting up, and I get up with him.
“What happened?” I ask him. “He’s supposed to be with Julia.” I take my phone out and I’m about to call my father.
“How close are you with Julia?” he questions and my body goes cold as ice.
“Is she hurt?” I ask as I take five steps to the door to rush out of it.
“That answers that question, but I need to get to the ice.” He walks past me and runs down the hallway. “I’ll explain later.”
“Nico.” I say his name but it comes out in almost a growl. “Is she okay?”
“She’s fine,” he assures me, and for the first time since he answered the phone, I feel like I can breathe. “Meet us by my car in five,” he says right before he runs off.
I walk toward the garage, the whole time my chest getting tighter and tighter. My phone in my hand not doing anything. I’m about to crawl out of my skin as I think about doing whatever I need to do in order to sacrifice myself for Julia. I will do whatever I need to do to take all her pain away. In this garage, while I plead with whoever is listening, I realize I’m way past in love with her. She is my fucking everything and without her I can’t live.
I look up to the ceiling and laugh bitterly at the irony of it all. My father has said for years, once you find love, the real kind of love, not the bullshit puppy dog shit, it’s going to hit you in the knees so hard you won’t be able to stand. After it hits you in the knees, it’s going to kick you in the balls so hard you won’t be able to breathe. The only way anything will be better will be when you are beside that person. The only time you’ll be able to breathe without feeling like the next breath will be your last is next to that person. The only time you will be whole is by being able to touch that person. It’s like they are the beating of your heart. I laughed each time he said it. I never in my life believed it, until now. Until the thought that Julia wouldn’t be here with me.