The thought of her leaving and getting swallowed up by the press waiting outside is terrifying.
It’s her worst nightmare come to life, and I feel guilty as hell that I’ve helped play a part in it.
If it weren’t for me, no one would know who she was. They wouldn’t want to make a story out of her.
I grit my teeth, wishing there was something I could do to make it all go away. But the truth is, time is really the only thing we’ve got.
Sure, we might have been yesterday’s hot news. But the media moves quickly. They’ll be focused on someone else soon.
I don’t doubt that Hailee has a plan, one that I’m sure she’s going to bombard me with the second I arrive. Something tells me that she’s going to want us to make some kind of announcement, to reveal our relationship, to kill the gossip. But while she may be right, the thought of putting our budding relationship out on the internet like that for everyone and their wife to have an opinion about…well, it’s fucking terrifying.
I may live a part of my life in front of the world, but it’s only a small part. The rest, I keep behind closed doors, and now, Freya is a part of that too. I want to protect her with everything I am. But I fear I’m not going to be able to.
And what if she hates what life with me is really like? What if being front-page news, even if just for a few days, reminds her of a life she tried to leave behind? What if she changes her mind?
What if she leaves me?
Everyone else has.
Why shouldn’t she?
“I’ll be right here when you get back later,” she says softly, as if she can read my mind and knows exactly what I need to hear. “I promise.”
Pulling back from her neck, I stare down at her.
Her hands slide around my face, cupping my jaw firmly.
“I’m not going anywhere,” she repeats. “Unless you need me. If you need me, then I’ll be in my car and at the arena before you know it.”
I blink, emotion burning the backs of my eyes.
Is this what it feels like? To have someone in your life who really cares?
My heart pounds as I stare down at her, my feelings growing faster than I can control.
It’s terrifying. It’s exhilarating. It’s…it’s everything.
No, she is everything.
Freya.
My Freya.
Leaning forward, I rest my brow against hers, for the first time ever embracing how I’m feeling and allowing her to see it instead of running and hiding. For so many years, showing emotion meant letting people see me, see what hurts me, or more so, how they could hurt me. But with Freya, it no longer feels like that. She isn’t going to use this against me.
A laugh bubbles out of her as I continue loitering. “You really need to go,” she urges, but she makes no move to step away or attempt to shove me in the direction I should be moving.
I swallow thickly as I prepare to walk away. “When the playoffs are over, we’re spending the entire summer together.”
“Okay,” she breathes.
“You name the places you want to go, and we’ll go. Anywhere, Freya. I’ll make it happen.”
“What if I just want to stay here with you?”
All the air rushes from my lungs.
I tuck a loose lock of hair behind her ear. “If that’s what you want, then we’ll stay right here. I just…I need to be with you.”
