Page 21 of Stolen Moments

“Because I’m a hockey player. People don’t expect athletes to be artists.”

“That’s stupid.”

“It is. But it’s also reality.” I reach over, taking her hand. “You never answered my question from last week.”

“What question?”

“What do you actually want? Not the rehearsed answer. The real one.”

She’s quiet for so long I think she won’t answer. “I want to feel like I’m living my life instead of following a script. I want to make choices because I want them, not because they’re expected. I want…” She trails off.

“What?”

“I want this. Us. Whatever this is. Even though it terrifies me.”

“Why does it terrify you?” I ask.

“Because I can’t control it. Can’t predict it. Can’t plan for how I feel when I’m with you.”

“And how do you feel when you’re with me?”

She turns to face me fully. “Alive. Real. Like I’m allowed to be messy and imperfect and it’s okay.”

“It is okay. Better than okay. I like you messy and imperfect.”

“Jackson…”

“I love you, Priya. I know we said this was casual, but I love you.”

Her eyes widen. “You can’t.”

“Too late. I’m in love with you.”

“This was supposed to be simple.”

“It’s never been simple. Not for me.” I cup her face gently. “And I don’t think it’s been simple for you either.”

“It hasn’t,” she admits, tears glistening in her eyes. “I keep trying to keep this separate, keep it compartmentalized, but I can’t. Because I love you too,and that terrifies me more than anything.”

“Why?”

“Because loving you means choosing you. I don’t know if I’m brave enough to do that. I don't know if I can choose something for myself when everyone expects me to choose medicine.”

She sounds so broken at the moment, and all I want to do is make her feel safe, let her know she can have it all.

“You can choose both.”

“Can I? Because it doesn’t feel that way.”

I pull her into my arms, holding her close. “We’ll figure it out. Together.”

“Promise?”

“I promise.”

Chapter 7

Priya