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“It didn’t help that I was poking the bear.”

The man beside me sits up. “Don’t do that. Don’t justify him being an asswipe. He was being a shithead over simple facts, and that’s not cool.”

All I do is stare at the blankets because the intensity of his eyes is too much.

When I don’t say anything, he turns my head to him gently. “Nobody talks to Moskins that way. I’ve been here for over a year, and not one person had the balls to point out that he isn’t everything. Did you see the way Nelson tried to hide a smile when you said Hoffman had better stats? Or hear Clarkson’s chuckle? They thought it was funny.”

I hadn’t seen that, but I’m not sure it changes the reaction I got from the loudest person on the team. Since when have I cared that much about what people thought of me?

Since Alex was involved.

God.

Why am I being such a girl about this?

Because you are one,a voice reminds me in the back of my head.

When I finally look Alex in his eyes, I let out a long breath that eases some of the weight in my chest. “I want the people in your life to like me,” I admit, rubbing my lips together. “Even if that sounds dumb.”

He shakes his head. “That’s not dumb. And the team may be part of my life, but their opinions don’t matter. My mom likes you. And more importantly,Ilike you. Isn’t that what matters?”

Hearing those words makes my heart do a happy jig. “Yeah, it is.”

“Should I be concerned about your brother?”

His question makes me hesitate. “No. I’ll handle him when the time comes.”

I never called him back asking what he wanted to talk about the day Alex and I were busy in bed, but he texted me asking if I was coming to his next game since it was at home. I just assumed that was it. I haven’t had a chance to respond yet because I’ve been trying to enjoy my time with Alex while it lasts. And the thought of what comes after I leave…

Truthfully, it makes me nervous. Because I know I want to make things with Alex work, but I don’t want to upset my brother. What will his reaction be when he finds out?

“When do you think you’ll have that conversation?” Alex asks, breaking me from my internal concern.

His lips twitch at the corners when I shrug. “I think that’s a conversation that’s better to have in person. So whenever I see him next.”

I’m not sure he likes that answer.

“Do youwanthim to know?”

I blink. “Of course I do. Why wouldn’t I?”

Alex only shrugs, but I can tell there’s weight piled on his shoulders.

“My only hesitation is because I don’t like when people are upset with me,” I promise him, squeezing his hand. “We both know he didn’t want us involved back when you played with him. He’s obviously not going to like that we went behind his back. He means a lot to me.”

He looks at our hands. “I get that, but I don’t want that to be a reason you don’t give this a shot.”

What? “Why wouldn’t I do that?”

“Because I think you and I are similar than we think,” he says casually. “We both struggle with processing how we feel sometimes. Maybe I’m just reflecting because I don’t want you to push me away.”

“Like you pushedmeaway?” I finish for him.

He doesn’t deny it. “You’re the first thing that’s truly made me happy in a very long time. I don’t want that to go away. I’m scared of what my life will be without you in it. You never know what could happen. And I’ve never let someone into my life that’s had so much of an impact. You and I both care about our families, and maybe that’s a good thing. But we also both tend to use them as excuses too. If I didn’t let my mother’s diagnoses affect me before, you and I would have been together this whole time.”

My heart picks up speed, growing ten times the size until it threatens to burst. “You really think we would have been?”

“Yes.”