“She was, but she moved out about a year after you left and stopped talking to me. I don’t know. It was weird, and it bothered me for a long time, but you can only reach out so many times before you start to feel pathetic, so I stopped.”
My heart breaks at the thought that anyone wouldn’t want her in their life.
“The girls here seem to want to be your friend. You should text them back?”
She shakes her head. “They aren’t real people. I’m just trying to keep my head down. Focus on getting home.”
“Maybe,” I agree. “But Stella did say we needed to give in to the spirit of the town. Maybe she wasn’t just talking aboutThe Nutcracker, but also the relationships with the people here.”
“It’s possible, I guess.” She shrugs. “Alright, it’s your turn, and don’t you dare give me anything other than the deep shit.” She lowers her voice pretending to be me and throws in some air quotes for effect.
“Ha! Is that your impression of me?”
“I think it was pretty good. Now stop deflecting. I told you my deepest, darkest secrets; now tell me yours.”
“I’m afraid my shoulder injury will be the end of my hockey career, and with it, I’ll also lose the relationships that mean the most to me. It doesn’t bother me that my sister moved halfway across the world with her family, and I never get to see them.”
My eyes find hers, and I hesitate before telling her my second truth.
“Okay, and the third thing?” she asks.
I’m falling in love with you, and I’m terrified you’ll never feel the same.
“Earth to Everett.” She moves her arm up and down. “You okay?”
“Oh, yeah. Let’s see…I’m starting to see the appeal ofChristmas.”
She smiles brightly. “Okay, the third one is definitely a lie.”
I shake my head.
She gasps. “Okay, so then the second one that’s about your sister. That’s the lie.”
I nod.
“I imagine you feel a lot like I feel right now being so far away from your family. I’m so sorry that you feel like that all the time.”
“It’s okay. I know it’s just not all on her. But, maybe if my hockey career is really over, then I’ll get to see her more often.” I try to laugh despite myself, but it’s no use. There is nothing funny about potentially having to retire. It feels too heavy. Too big to handle.
“Who are you afraid you’re going to lose without hockey? I mean, the league loves you. I’m sure if you aren’t playing, they would snatch you up in a second to do something else.”
“Maybe. Hockey is like my family. My whole existence is out on the ice. It’s my entire world, and from a young age, I’ve allowed it to define a lot of my self-worth. I met my best friends through hockey, but sometimes the relationships feel really transactional. Like I’m only good for them as long as I can play and help my team win.”
She shakes her head.
“I don’t think that’s true. There’s no hockey here, and there’s no one else I’d want to be doing this with. You make me feel safe and calm. You make me laugh.” She pauses. “And for what it’s worth, you’re really hot.” Her lips tip into a sexy grin.
“You think I’m hot?”
“I think you’re so much more than that sport you play.”
She has no idea how badly I needed to hear that.
“Come here?” I say, not able to wait any longer. I need to touch her. I need to hold her, and right now, she feels too far away.
She nods, pushing through the water. Her lace bra clings to her breasts and taut nipples. Straddling my lap, she says, “You’re a good man, Everett Nuttall. A really good man.”
She runs her hands through my hair and cups my face. Her lips find mine, and I open, letting her in. My arms wrap around her back, pulling her into me.
