“Oh, I figured you’d live in one of those fancy condos near the arena or something, especially after you told me your face is two stories tall on the side of the building.”
I huff a humorless laugh. “Nah. My contracts haven’t been that great, and I had some other financial obligations.”
She looks concerned, or maybe confused. “I thought pro hockey players made, like, millions a year.”
“Some do. Elite players, which I’m not.”
“You’re a starter, though,” she says, then she blushes again, and my cock does that jerky thing again.
“Were you looking me up, Emma Reyes?” I ask.
“On the train, I...” she hides her face in her hands.
“But never before that?” I ask, opening the door to a real conversation, the conversation I should be having with her.
She sits back in her seat.
Licks her lips.
Good lord, how do little things like that make my body go crazy?
“It seemed...better...if I didn’t look you up.” She blows out a long breath that flutters her curly bangs. “I didn’t want to be tempted.”
“To find me?” I ask.
She nods, looks off into the distance. “Did you finish your degree at Minnesota?”
“Did you go to art school?” I counter. She doesn’t just get to ask me questions without answering mine.
“No,” she says. “No, I didn’t.”
“Me neither,” I say. “I did two years then left for the draft.”
“Do you regret that?” she asks.
I narrow my eyes.
“What?” she asks.
“I just...I don’t want to talk about college, Emma.”
“Well, then, what do you want to talk about?”
I level her with a stare, and she starts picking at her cuticles again.
“Emma, why did you leave?”
She doesn’t answer me. At first, I think she’s considering how to answer the question. But then she stands and says, “I’ve got to go. I just wanted to come check in on you.”
“Emma,” I say.
“I’m sorry, Liam. I’m glad you’re well enough to get out of here. I was worried. It was good to see you.”
And then she leaves.
She fucking leaves, just right out the door.
I let out a frustrated growl and hit my call button. When the nurse comes in, I ask her to gather my belongings. “I’m going home.”
