Total pages in book: 102
Estimated words: 98487 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 492(@200wpm)___ 394(@250wpm)___ 328(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 98487 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 492(@200wpm)___ 394(@250wpm)___ 328(@300wpm)
When my gaze falls on Nico’s mental health coach, I smile as a warmth fills me. I met Angie Paxton this summer when I was home, and she is so devoted to her job. She’s the reason Nico is here. She wants to make a change, and she wants to help people. To me, that’s beautiful, and I’m all for it. Beside her is her fiancé, Owen Adler. A walking dreamboat. All thick and sexy with dark hair and killer blue eyes. He has his arm wrapped around Angie, holding her close, and man, she is a lucky gal. Owen is a hot commodity, and she locked him in quickly. Thankfully, he is a twin, and rumor has it, his brother is at Bellevue now, but I haven’t seen him since the start of school. Which is probably for the best, because if I do, I don’t think I’ll be able to walk away unscathed. I know I’ll throw myself out there for the taking, and when he rejects me, I’ll be crushed. Word is Evan doesn’t date, especially after all the crap he’s been going through. It doesn’t derail my crush, though; he is yummy, and I’ve always thought so. I know for a fact that those Adler twins are what romantic movies are inspired by.
To keep from fantasizing about Evan, I tear my gaze from Angie and Owen when I hear Nico’s name.
“Now, I’ll turn this over to Nico Merryweather.”
Nico moves toward his coach, bringing us with him. He lets go of Aviva’s hand to shake the coach’s, and I smile when Coach whispers good luck to Nico. The meeting to prep for this press conference was last night, and thankfully, the IceCats’ coaching staff and owner were extremely supportive. Nico told Aviva how his teammates reacted, and I cried when Aviva called me in tears because of how the whole team was so supportive and loving. Nico walked away from those meetings confident and ready for this.
I wish he were still on the high from last night, but instead, I find that I’m holding my breath as Nico looks between Aviva and me before leaning to kiss Vance on the head. He winks at me before kissing Aviva, and then he goes to the mic, not letting us go. I hold his hand tightly, rocking back and forth so Vance doesn’t get fussy. I watch as Nico stands taller, pushing his shoulders back before clearing his throat. A smile plays on my lips as I see Nico Merryweather, all-star hockey player, standing beside me, not hiding behind the cage of his mask. He leans in, and I can’t tell if he has his eyes open. But soon, it doesn’t matter; his voice fills the space we’re in.
“Good morning, and thank you for coming.” He clears his throat, his breathing a little labored as he glances down at the sheet of paper on which he’s written what he wants to say. “I am here today to make an announcement about something personal. First, I want to thank the IceCats and the mental health department of our facility for their love and support. Special thanks to Angela Paxton—she knows why.” He pauses, taking in a deep breath and letting it out in a whoosh. “I want to thank my teammates for not only being my team, but my brothers. I want to thank my mom for being here, and then thank my beautiful wife, Aviva, and our children, Callie and Vance, for loving me no matter what and reassuring me that I am worthy even when I struggle to remember so. I love you. So much.”
Great, I’m crying now. I close my eyes as the tears leak out the sides of my eyes. I don’t think my grip on his hand could get tighter, yet it does. I bury my nose in Vance’s hair and control my breathing as Nico continues.
“Okay,” Nico says, letting out a long rush of breath. “When I was seven years old, I was diagnosed with atypical autism.” A murmur moves through the crowd, but I know if I look up or even try to see what is happening, I may get more upset. “Since autism doesn’t go away, I am standing before you as an adult with autism who plays in the National Hockey League. I want everyone, no matter who you are, no matter your diagnosis or your disability, to know you are worthy. To know you can do anything you want to do. If I can do it, you can.” He looks down at Aviva, and she smiles widely at him. He then looks at me, and thankfully, I don’t cry as I hold his gaze. He winks once more before turning to the mic and asking, “Any questions?”
And boy, there are a lot, but with the grace and the strength that Aviva has taught me, I listen as he answers them, proud of who he is. I am in awe of him, and I love him more than I can ever describe. For so long, I thought all I wanted was a father figure, and then Nico came along and took on the role himself, no matter that he struggles daily.