I grimace, thinking about how right he is. Because of me, both Kane and I suffered two days of heartbreak that could have probably been rectified with some thought and care.
He had been right, of course. There were options to keep me satisfied with travel, especially being able to travel with him in the summer. There was the rest of our lives, too, because while Kane is excellent at what he does, he’s in a career he’ll age out of, retiring probably in his mid-to-late thirties, assuming he stays healthy. We can travel the world together at that point.
It’s time.
I know it deep in my heart.
It’s time for me to commit to the man who I love above all else—my best friend, my protector, and my confidant. I should have put him first, and I’m going to correct that mistake.
“I’m heading back to Phoenix tomorrow,” I say with a resounding nod. “And I’m going to make this right.”
“Which means you’ll be engaged,” my mom replies wistfully, setting her knitting aside. She leans forward. “Can we start talking about the wedding now?”
Laughing, I shrug. “Sure, why not? I mean, assuming Kane accepts my apology and takes me back.”
My father rolls his eyes. “Of course he will. He’s not a fool.”
“We’ve got about ten more minutes until the next period starts,” I say to Mom. “So, what can we get decided about the wedding in that amount of time?”
“Let’s talk location,” she suggests excitedly.
“And I’m out of here,” my dad drawls dramatically as he pushes out of his recliner and heads to the kitchen.
My mom and I laugh, then put our heads together to figure out the best place to get married. We watch the rest of the game, and the Vengeance wins by a goal. Fortunately, Kane came out in the second period and seemed to be steady on his skates once more. His speed was terrific, his passes sharp, and while he didn’t have another opportunity to score, he did get an assist.
In between periods and on commercial breaks, I finish the laundry I’d ignored since returning home. My goal is to hit the road first thing in the morning to return to Phoenix.
After the game—despite the late hour—I insist on getting my van packed so I can be ready to go early. My dad suggested I leave the van at their house and take Mom’s car, which doesn’t get used all that much since she works mostly from home. I like the idea because while I love my van, it’s big and unwieldy.
Strong hugs are given to my parents before they retire to bed. I lay in my own, Samson curled at my feet, while hope blooms brightly in my chest at what tomorrow might bring.
I have no clue where Kane is at this moment. He probably went out with teammates to The Sneaky Saguaro to celebrate their win, or perhaps he just went home.
Nabbing my phone from the bedside table, I send Kane a text. I’m coming back to Phoenix, leaving first thing in the morning. Got time to talk?
I stare at my phone, waiting for his reply. Kane isn’t one of those guys who jumps at his phone every time it rings or vibrates, so he might not see my text right away.
Or he might see it and be mad enough not to respond for a while.
Not once, though, do I think he would ignore me because he’s given up on us. I may have acted horribly by drawing my line in the sand, I may have broken his heart by ruining his proposal, and I may have left him without any attempts to work out a compromise, but I know in my heart of hearts that Kane loves me.
That he wants a life with me.
My actions in the last few days will not have killed ten years of friendship and love.
That’s just how much confidence I have in him.
In us.CHAPTER 30KaneI pace the length of my living room, repeatedly checking my watch. I’ve never had time move so slowly in my life.
In fact, I’m pretty sure the clock stopped last night when I got the text from Mollie that said she was coming back to Phoenix.
She had asked if we could talk, and there was never any other answer to give but yes. I’m so fucking grateful for the opportunity to do so—face to face—that I’d agree to anything.
Jim put things into perspective for me last night when it came to compromise. I was seeking the immediate gratification of having Mollie by my side and not letting her go. By doing so, I was stifling her dreams. I forgot that when you love someone, it’s a marathon.
A long haul.
Every action should be taken with the idea in mind that no matter what comes in between, the goal is to be together until then end.