Dump and Chase (Nashville Assassins Next Generation 1)

“There is no one better,” she says softly, her eyes holding me captive. “Not for me.”

I want to feel high from that thought, but instead, I feel held down by my uncertainties. “But I can’t shake it. I feel like you deserve someone better, like you’re too good for me—”

“How would you feel if I left?”

“Devastated,” I say quickly, without much thought. Then I pause. “But in a manly way, of course.”

“Of course,” she says with a smile. She reaches down, cupping my face. “I know love and relationships are uncertain, Aiden, but sometimes, someone is worth the risk you have to take.”

“How do you know I am?” I find myself asking, and her lips curve more.

“Because I’ve loved you my whole life,” she says unabashedly, with so much certainty and confidence. “I love your drive, how you worked endlessly to get into the NHL. I love how smart you are, how you were taking AP classes in middle school. I know I did the same because I wanted to be smart like you. I love how kind you are, how caring you are. You love and treat your sisters like princesses, and the relationship you have with Asher, pre-what just happened, is beautiful. I love how much you love your mom and how your dad is your best friend. I love how much you’ve changed over the last couple months. It isn’t strictly about the game anymore or how to master it, even though you do just that. But it’s also about who you can help. You’re a great teammate. You’d do anything for the guys, and you’re my favorite person to work with for the foundation. You’re eager to jump in and to come up with ideas for what we can do.” Her head falls to the side as she brushes my hair behind my ears. Her eyes are only on me, making me feel warm inside. “I love how you make me feel. I love how you make me laugh. I love how you’ll listen to me talk about stats every morning and not get annoyed. You encourage me, believe in me. I love that you know my family and love them. I love that you don’t judge my weirdness with cleaning—”

“I totally judge you,” I say, needing to lighten the mood, but even with her grin and her laughter, this mood is heavy. Raw. Real. No one has ever said these things to me. My parents do, but they’re my parents. They have to feel that stuff for me, but Shelli, she doesn’t. She is choosing to.

“Not too bad though,” she says softly, moving her fingers along my jaw. “But most of all, Aiden, I love you. All of you. To me, you’re it. You fill my empty spaces, and no one comes close to you. So please, don’t worry about me leaving or hurting you in that way. Worry about me talking your ear off or even cleaning something I shouldn’t. Or eating something—I’ll definitely eat that burrito if it’s in the fridge again—”

I laugh hard and shake my head. I was so mad she ate it, but then I wasn’t. Not when she grins at me like that.

“It was rude, Shelli Adler. The amount of guac in that burrito was the perfect ratio.”

“Oh, I know, and it was fantastic.”

“You have no guilt. None.”

She shakes her head, her eyes playful. “None at all.”

I gather her up and roll over so she’s on top of me, her laughter filling the room. Her elbows fall to the sides of my head as she holds my face. I look into her blue eyes, getting completely lost but also feeling all those things she speaks of. If I accepted the L-word into my vocabulary, I would L-word all those things. She makes me laugh to the point I cry. She’s witty and so damn smart. She’s undeniably gorgeous but also kind and perfect. Talented? Damn, she’s so talented. Fuck, she’s perfect to me.

I think I do love her.

Oh shit, I thought the word.

Is it true?

“I know you care for me,” she says, stealing me away from my uncertain thoughts. “I think you may even love me, which is why I can be patient. Some girls wouldn’t be able to handle it, the not-knowing and all, but I can. Because I believe in us. I believe in you, Aiden. So, do me a favor. Believe in me and maybe realize what we have here.”

“What we have?” I ask, my brows coming together. “I know what we have.”

“What?”

“Happiness.”

Her lips curve as she nods. “Yeah, and a damn good thing,” she says boldly. “Be confident in us. In me. In yourself. The rest will come.”

I search her gaze. “How can you be so confident?”

“Because you haven’t said anything to make me think otherwise.”