Baylee
You two have to stay married. This could make things really awkward. I’m just trying to make sure you’ve thought this through.
Jordan
Honesty is best. I want to make sure we’re communicating.
If she doesn’t feel the same, I’ll understand.
Baylee
She’d be crazy not to already be head over heels for you.
Jordan
Now you’re just patronizing me.
“Okay, your turn,” Libby says brightly as she steps out of the bathroom. Her hair is braided, and I’m sad I missed that part.
I shove my phone in my pocket. “Can I talk to you about something first?” I ask.
She sits on the edge of the bed, facing me, and pulls her legs up to sit cross-legged. “My brain can’t hold any more hockey strategy tonight, Jord.”
I love it when she calls me Jord. It’s a sign of real friendship between us, and though I want more than that, it’s the most important foundation to our relationship, whatever that ends up being.
“Not about hockey,” I saywith a chuckle.
“Okay.” She leans her elbows on her legs and props her face in her hands, giving me her full attention. “What’s up?”
I pull my legs from where I had them sprawled the length of the couch and sit up, facing her too. I draw in a breath. I’m not even sure how to start this conversation. Compliments, probably. Mama has always said that hard conversations start best on loving footing. I can’t count the times she had to correct me on something and would start out with, “I love you, Jordan, so much. You’re always taking such good care of your sister…” And then she’d gently drop in that interrupting her when I disagreed was dismissive of her feelings.
“I think our partnership is working out really well,” I say. “You’ve made all of this easy, and you’ve given me a dream opportunity. I can’t thank you enough for that.”
She gives me a small, grateful smile. “Thank you. I can say the same for you. The way you’ve respected me and the things I need in this unorthodox relationship has meant more to me than you can know.”
“You’re welcome,” I reply, my voice husky. It feels good to know that she’s felt safe with me. It’s a promising start to this conversation. “I have to be honest with you,” I go on, leaning forward. Her eyes widen at that start, and she sits up, her expression turning the tiniest bit fearful. “Nothing bad,” I quickly promise. She nods, but she doesn’t relax back into the comfortable position she was in before. Her hands are clasped in her lap now, and her shoulders are ramrod straight.
“Okay.” She draws the word out uncertainly.
“I have feelings for you,” I blurt. She blinks in surprise. “I will continue to respect any decision you make about us, but I needed to be up-front about that. You’re amazing and kind and a powerful force I keep standing in awe of. I want to take you on a real date. I’d like to see if this chemistry I feel between us could be more than an act.”
“Jordan…” she whispers, her voice sounding unsure. “I … I don’t know what to say.” Her cheeks are the most delicious-looking pink. I want to kneel in front of her and take them in my hands, show her, with just the two of us, the heat that simmers between us constantly. We were dangerously close to something like that happening on the ice earlier.
“I know this totally breaks the no-flirting rule,” I say instead, ticking up a half smile.
“Definitely,” she agrees, giving me a rueful smile of her own.
That’s a good sign, right?
Then tears well up in her eyes. “You’re the best man I’ve ever met,” she says.
I’m so confused. Are the tears a good thing? I move to the bed automatically, sitting next to her. She initiates the touch first, reaching for my hands and grasping them in hers. “Libby?” I ask.
She shakes her head. “But I can’t trust you,” she whispers. “I can’t trust anyone. Not after what happened with Grayson.”
I wouldn’t be surprised if Libby Bennet thoroughly vetted me before marrying me, especially after what she told me about her friend Caleb. I should have done the same—not a background check or anything but at least gotten myself up to speed with her life. Researching the White Wolves and figuring out the best strategies to run the team was much more fun for me.
But Libby is looking at me like I should know who Grayson is, and I don’t.
