He’s quiet for a moment, and then he says, “I know how you are, but I think it would be for the best.”
“I know, but I just don’t feel right about it.” I tuck my hair behind my ear. “I am going to think about it, though.”
“Good. You should. It’s a good idea, unless…” he starts, and I already know what he is going to say. “I can buy it outright, and you can just pay me monthly. I’d be the best landlord.”
I grin. “Oh yeah?”
“Oh, hell yeah. I’d basically do whatever you want, in the shop and in the bed.”
I giggle, my face filling with heat. “You’re impossible.”
He laughs, but then his serious tone is back. “Seriously. I’m loaded. I can buy it.”
I roll my eyes. “I am aware of your loaded status, and I don’t care. I don’t want your money.”
“But you still want me?”
“Very much so.” Ugh, I miss him. “How many more days till you’ll be home?”
He chuckles. “Miss me?”
“I do,” I admit. “I’ve been watching the games while I watch Callie at practice.”
“I like that you watch me. I’ll have to play even better now.”
“You’ve only lost one game.”
“I do not want to talk about that.”
I bring in a breath. “So, we don’t talk about hockey?”
“Nope.”
“Cool,” I say, but his voice is stern. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t apologize,” he says quickly, clearing his throat. “How’s Callie doing?”
“Good. She’s flipping way more than I like, but she seems happy. Oh! She passed that test, thanks to you. Thank you for FaceTiming with her the other night.”
It was the sweetest thing ever. She was almost in tears, she was so nervous about her test. When I told Nico that when he called after his game, he FaceTimed her to help. He had just finished putting up a shutout, and he still made sure Callie was good. I swear, I think it chipped at my walls a bit.
“Great! Man, I was worried. I’m glad.” He clears his throat, and I hear his bed move. “So, I need to ask you something.”
“Okay?” Why is my heart kicking up in speed? What will he ask?
“So, you know I go to therapy, right?”
“Yeah, you’ve mentioned it.” I’ve wanted to ask why, but I wouldn’t dare. If he wants to tell me, then he will.
“Well, I have this thing about interviews and large crowds. I don’t do well in those situations, and well, there is this foundation thing the whole team is going to. Usually, I can get out of it, but this year, they’re really pushing me to go because they think it’s time. I need to force myself to get past my issues. Well, my therapist suggested that I take you. To help. ’Cause I feel comfortable around you.”
My face breaks into a grin. “You talk to your therapist about me?”
He groans. “Aviva.”
“I’m teasing. Of course I will. I’d love to.”
He exhales hard. Did he think I would say no? “Okay, I’m freaking out, and it’s like three weeks away.”
“Why are you freaking out? You’ll be fine.”
“Yeah, I don’t think so. It makes me uncomfortable.”
I bite my lip. “Is it like a phobia?”
He hesitates. “Yeah, something like that. I don’t know. It’s weird, I get really overwhelmed very quickly.”
I can hear it in his voice, and it makes my stomach hurt. “It’s okay. We’ll be together. I’ll protect you,” I say sweetly, and he laughs.
“That’s my job.”
“Eh, I’ll take the reins for one night.”
I can hear his smirk in his voice. “And I’ll take the reins once I get you to bed.”
“I really like the sound of that.” I feel like lying in my bed and rolling around, grinning like I did when I was a teenager. He gives me that fluttery, girlie feeling. I love it.
“Another thing.”
“Wow, you have a lot to say today.”
He chuckles softly. “So, don’t get mad, okay?”
I groan. “That means I will.”
He laughs some more. “No, really. Hear me out.”
“Okay…”
“I have a friend who used to play for the Nashville Assassins. He just retired, and he used to help with my travel team back in the day. Anyway, his wife is a breast cancer survivor, and she runs this bomb-ass lingerie company for breast cancer survivors.” I’m breathless as he continues. “She called the other day, and we were chitchatting because I bought you like the whole site.”
My heart stops dead in my chest. “What?”
“Yeah, I want you to feel like I see you. Fucking sexy. And this stuff is awesome. It should be there tomorrow or the next day. I don’t know. I gotta check my shipping confirmation. So we were talking, and she was telling me she is coming to Baybridge next month for a breast cancer conference. It’s women only, and I really think you and Callie should go.”
My mouth goes dry, and I don’t know what to say.