Only One Forever (Only One 8)

She looks at me as if I’m stupid. “No shit.” I just stare at her. “I sort of had an idea at the beginning, but then I thought maybe it was in my head. Then seeing you guys together more and more, I kind of figured out that you both had feelings for each other.” My head spins even more when she said both. “What are you going to do about it?”

“Probably nothing.” I shake my head. “What can I do?”

“Well, you could tell him how you feel.” She looks at me, and the nerves of my stomach start to rise.

“I can’t do that to him.” I swallow down. “I can’t burden him with this. Can you imagine what he might think of me?”

“But what if he feels the same way?”

I chuckle. “No, there is no way.” I take a sip of my wine. “This is definitely just my problem.”

“Alex.” She calls my name. “You are in love with your best friend.” She tries to calm me down.

“I’m pretty sure me telling my family that I’m in love with Dylan will definitely not go over well.” I laugh at myself. “Jesus, I can’t believe I finally said it out loud.” I put my hand to my chest. “How crazy does that sound?”

“Or maybe everyone else knows and is just waiting for you guys to realize it.” All I can do is shake my head. “If I caught it and I don’t even know you guys, I can just imagine that they suspect it.”

“If I say anything, two things can happen. One, Dylan looks at me differently, and it changes everything between us.” I take a long gulp of wine. “That would kill me.” I take a long inhale. “Or it could ruin the whole family.”

Chapter 7

Dylan

“Thank you.” I stop in front of Nico as we walk out of the workout facility. “For taking the time to sit with me and go over things.” After our meeting in his office, he wanted to show me around, but it wasn’t all that different from Montreal. We stopped to watch how practice was going, too, and it looked like everyone was on the same page. Which was different from Montreal.

Nico slaps my shoulder with a grin. “Wherever you go, they will be lucky to have you.”

“Thank you.” I smirk at him, looking around to see who is lingering. The locker room is empty, so I know the guys are still on the ice. “You’ve given me a lot to think about.”

“Good.” He puts his hands in his pockets. “Means my job here is done. Stick around and talk to the guys. Maybe they can convince you.” He pulls out his ringing phone and looks down at it. “I have to take this, but my door is always open.”

I laugh at him as he walks away from me, and I take a deep breath. I think about sticking around but then see that it’s almost five o’clock. Instead, I walk out and get into the car, my head going around and around with all different thoughts.

I start the car and pull out of the garage, calling my father, who answers after one ring. “Well, if it isn’t my missing child,” he says, and I laugh, I was eight years old when I was chosen to train with his summer hockey school, and I met him. Hockey was the only thing in my life I could have controlled back then. Our life was not easy, and my mother tried to shield me from most of it, but you see things you never want to see. Things to this day I can’t forget. He fell in love with my mother and vice versa. He took care of everything, and my life changed even more. When I was ten, he asked my mother to marry him, and we both took his last name, and he officially adopted me.

“I am not missing,” I reply, making my way toward Alex’s place. “I’m in Dallas with Alex.”

“Should have known,” my father says. “Guess she couldn’t come to you.”

“No, she’s preparing for the summer hockey school.” I come to a red light. “Plus, I needed to clear my head.”

“What’s going on?”

I look around, thinking about what to say but not even sure where to start. “Erika tells me you want a meeting on the record.”

He chuckles. “Is that why you are quiet? I know you have a lot to say.”

“I just—”

“Dylan,” he interrupts me. “I’m going to be your father first every single time.” I smile. “Except if you come and play for me and I tell you to do something.” I can’t help but laugh. “You can talk to me about anything. You know this.”

I never doubt that he has my best interests at heart. I never have to doubt that he loves me. “I met with Nico.” It’s his turn to laugh.