Easy (Chicago Blaze 6)

“You think I’d hurt her?” I scrunch my face in irritation. “I’m the one hoping it wasn’t a one-time thing.”

“Hey, man. I don’t mean any offense. You know that. I just mean she’s still got the kids to consider, though.”

“I know that.”

He nods. “I don’t mean to jump to conclusions, I just don’t want to see her hurt again. She’s a good person.”

“Hurt again? I didn’t hurt Allie the first time, Cade. She broke it off with me. I begged her not to, but she told me she needed to put her family first, and that it didn’t include me.”

“You think that didn’t hurt her though? She loved you. She thought you guys would be together forever. And then out of nowhere, she loses her parents, becomes a single mom and loses you, too.”

“I wanted to be here with her. I told her so many times I’d quit school and move back.”

Cade shakes his head. “Man, how many Greentree Falls kids make it to the NHL? You think Allie’s gonna let you give that up and come back here and, what? Run the rec center like me? Work at Fox Foods?”

“There’s nothing wrong with either of those things. I would’ve been happy just being with her. That’s what I wanted, but she said she wouldn’t have me.”

“Yeah, because she didn’t want to make a nineteen-year-old NHL prospect into a dad of three kids who weren’t even his and throw away your dream. Not to mention the chance you could end up resenting her.”

“We had dreams, Cade. Me and her. You think the NHL is my great love? It never was. It’s her. It’s always been her.”

“So what are you gonna do?”

I shrug. “I haven’t thought that far ahead. I didn’t know until last night whether she still had feelings for me.”

“Don’t ask her to leave those kids, Erik. Don’t ever do that.”

I recoil. “You think I’d do that?”

“I think you guys are two good people stuck in a complicated situation. Max’s dad is here. And isn’t he going to be a senior next year?”

“I’m not sure.”

Cade looks away, his jaw set angrily. “You need to be sure; you need to know those kids. You need to think instead of just feel. Lots of people’s futures are on the line here.”

“It seems like you want to say something and you’re not. So what is it? It’s me, man—just say it.”

“Are you willing to quit hockey for her? Move back to Greentree Falls?”

“I don’t know. She hasn’t asked me to, but if she did…I might.” I take off my baseball cap and then put it back on again. “There’s a lot to consider. I have a contract.”

“Just don’t lead her on.”

I continue picking up the pucks, getting more pissed at Cade by the second.

“That’s what you think of me? You think I’m here to take advantage of her and then just ditch her?”

“Look, you’re like a brother to me. I’d do anything for you. I know you’re a good person. I’m just saying, you guys couldn’t work it out before and you both ended up hurt. I was here, and I saw Allie struggling to hold everything together alone. And don’t forget that you didn’t step foot back here in Greentree Falls for ten years man. She’s not the only one who missed you. Don’t do that to yourselves again. That’s all I’m saying. If things aren’t different this time, don’t do it to yourselves again.”

I nod, my anger subsiding. Cade’s right. I drank too much last night and took a leap I wouldn’t have taken sober.

And even though it was one of the best nights of my life, what now? The kids are rooted in Greentree Falls, and so is Allie. She didn’t want to come to Chicago before, so why would she want to now?

“I still love her,” I tell Cade, wishing I had all the answers.

He places a hand on my shoulder. “I know you do. You always have. But she’s always loved you, too. It was love that made her set you free back then.”

Parents are now arriving to pick up their kids, and I look over and see Allie by the stands. Our eyes lock and I feel a magnetic pull to go to her. Hazel comes out of the locker room, though, and Allie puts an arm around her and the two of them walk out of the rink together.

“Want to grill out again tonight?” Cade asks me. “I think we did alright the first time.”

I smile, but there’s no happiness behind it. “Another night. I think I need to just hang out with Mom and Aunt Jo and hit the sack early tonight.”

He nods with understanding. I know Cade just wanted to get my mind off things with Allie for a little while, but nothing in the world could do that.