Page 48

48

SCARLETT

A fter venting to Harper early today, I feel some relief, though I know my worries about my and Lane’s future are going to start gnawing at me again sooner or later.

But it’s just residual insecurity thanks to how shitty every other relationship in my life has been. Maybe by the time he actually moves a couple months from now, I won’t even be worried about it at all anymore.

Maybe …

It’s getting into evening, and my stomach just had its first rumble of the day. I’m about to text Lane to ask if he wants to get dinner somewhere, when I see him step in to fill my open doorway.

“Hey, Scarlett. Let’s talk for a sec.”

There’s a seriousness in his tone. A tiny spark of insecurity goes off inside me, no matter how much I try to avert it.

In the back of my mind, I can’t help but imagine him preparing to tell me that, since he’s moving to San Jose to start his pro career, we should get on the same page that this relationship is just going to be a short term thing until he boards that flight to the west coast, even though I don’t believe it.

“Sure,” I say, nodding to my empty desk chair next to the bed I’m sitting on.

He takes a seat. “I’m not going to San Jose for the upcoming season.”

I blink. Then I blink again. “What?”

“I’m playing for Montreal. Two-hour drive away.”

I’m blown over. Totally unsure what to say.

But I know I should say something. So, I default to the last word that left my mouth: “What?”

He grins. “I don’t want to be a whole continent away from you. I want to be as close as possible. I spoke to Montreal’s coach when I was in Minneapolis for the Frozen Four. I sensed there was some interest. But I’m already drafted to San Jose. So, I got on the phone with San Jose and literally begged them to trade their rights to sign me.”

“You can’t be serious.” I’m still having trouble processing this.

“My starting salary’s gonna be a little less than it would’ve been if I’d signed with San Jose.” He shrugs and laughs. “Okay, a lot less. But it’s worth it to stay as close as possible to you.”

“But … why?”

“Well, I heard you talking to Harper earlier today.” He raises his arms, palms open in an apologetic gesture. “I know, I know, I shouldn’t have listened in. But when I heard you …” He shakes his head. “I had to do something.”

My eyes go wide. “You didn’t.”

His shoulders pinch, like he’s a kid who got caught stealing a cookie. “I shouldn’t have eavesdropped. I’m sorry. But?—”

I cut him off. “ That’s not the thing you shouldn’t have done! You shouldn’t have made a huge career decision just based on my insecurity!” I’m almost laughing as I exclaim those words. I still can’t believe what Lane’s telling me.

But as my brain finally starts to process this, a happy warmth glows in my chest, radiating through me.

“If you had any insecurity about how I feel about you, how I’m going to keep feeling about you, it’s my fault. When I realized that, I had to make up for it. I asked myself how I could do that, and this is what popped into my head.”

“You overheard me venting to my friend once , and changed the whole trajectory of your pro career?”

He just shrugs, like that’s the most natural thing in the world.

“If I stayed with San Jose, eventually you would’ve realized that how I feel about you was never going to change. But that would’ve taken time. You’ve had enough experience not knowing that people in your life care about you the way they should. I didn’t want to waste any time making sure you know that I do.”

I leap from my bed into Lane’s lap, needing to wrap my arms around his neck and pull myself as close to him as possible.

“Oh, one more thing,” Lane says.

I pull myself away from the crook of his neck just enough to look at him.

“I love you.”

My heart melts in my chest. “I love you, Lane,” I say, and saying it feels so good, so right.

“We should take a trip to Montreal this weekend. You’re gonna be spending a lot of time there over the next couple years, too. Might as well get our bearings up there.”

A smile curls on my lips. “Maybe we should take a flight up.”

“Just promise you’ll bring a pair of earbuds just ready to run out of charge while you’re listening to an audiobook next to me. I’m feeling nostalgic.”

I’m so happy that tears are pricking at the edges of my eyes. “Maybe I’ll find an excuse to climb up a fire escape and slip off.”

“Can’t promise I’ll catch you this time. My body isn’t what it was a couple years ago, and I’ve got an NHL contract to fulfill.”

Tears of laughter allow me to mask the sappier ones. “Maybe I’ll forgive you if you wait on me hand and foot while I’m recovering.”

“Sounds kinky. It’s a deal.”

As I press my lips to Lane’s, I realize I’ve never felt more loved than in this moment.

Tears prick at my eyes again, because I also realize I have a lifetime of feeling like this ahead of me.