Page 69 of Hot for the Hockey Player (The Single Moms of San Camanez: The Vino Vixens #2)

Maverick

The ride up to my condo felt like an eternity.

I understood her need for speaking privately, particularly since when I chased after her and spun her around, her face was a shade of red I’d never seen before.

Gabrielle Campbell did not like having attention on her, or people knowing her business.

So while I was still hurt, I agreed that we needed to talk, and I could give her that.

I hated the tension that hung heavy between us, but I also didn’t want to say the wrong thing.

However, I had no intention of letting her off the hook either.

The elevator finally dinged when we reached the penthouse, and we both sighed in relief.

I stepped to the side so she could exit first, and so I could close my eyes and pull her cherry and almond scent deep into my lungs.

The last several weeks had been rough. Not seeing or speaking to her put me through the emotional wringer.

Damon and Laurel weren’t shy about telling me their mom screwed up and that I should come back, but after the way we left things, I couldn’t.

Not without an apology.

Not without Gabrielle asking me to come back herself.

I punched in the code for my front door and opened it, allowing her to walk ahead of me again.

She paused and removed her practical black loafers, stowing them neatly on my shoe rack beside my runners. Then she ventured deeper into my condo, pausing in the kitchen and knitting her fingers together in front of her.

I flicked on the pendant lights over my granite island and went to the cupboard, bringing down two glasses and filling them with water from the fridge door dispenser.

Sliding one across the island to her, I took a sip of mine, then leaned back against the galley-style counter and shrugged. “We’re alone now. Say what you came here to say.”

She blinked several times. “I … um …”

The woman wasn’t used to being in the wrong, or having to apologize. Well, tough shit. We all had to learn how to deal with it at some point. She was just learning a little later in life than the rest of us.

“Fine,” the word sighed out of me. “I’ll start.

I knew I needed to make the decision to retire on my own, but since coming to the island, you’ve been a sounding board for me.

And I thought I was one for you. I thought we had a strong enough relationship and were real enough with each other that we could talk about the hard stuff.

We shared a lot with each other and grew close enough in a short amount of time that I knew …

I thought you were the person I needed to help me work through this big decision.

Then you pulled the rug out from under me and refused to listen or help me figure things out. ”

She swallowed and nodded softly.

“I’ve been nothing but patient and understanding with you.

I agreed to take things at your pace, to keep it temporary and casual.

I rolled with your hang ups about not wanting to go public on the island, and stay quiet.

Keep our relationship a secret. All I asked of you in return was respect, and to help me talk through something about my life, my job, my future, and you shut me down.

You told me not to come back to the island.

Said that you and the kids were always my ‘plan B.’”

A single tear slid down the side of her cheek and she quickly swiped it away.

“Do you have any idea how much that hurt?” I asked her, my voice cracking. “How insulting that was?”

She nodded again, and another tear fell as her chin trembled. “I do.”

“I’m in love with you. I know we didn’t plan for it, but some of the best things in life aren’t planned.

I fell in love with you, the kids, the island—all of it.

And I didn’t leave hockey because of that.

I left hockey because being with all of you helped me see that there is so much more to life than just hockey.

And I want more. I played the best game of my life and retired on my terms. I’m happy. I’m content with my decision.”

“I was so scared,” she whispered, suddenly looking so small and lost standing there in front of me. “I’ve never been in love before, and it felt like I was giving up control. Th-then your dad—”

Hang on. Wait, what?

“My dad? What the fuck did he say?”

“He, um …” She chewed on the inside of her lip for a moment, hesitating. “He confronted me at the grocery store and said you’d regret staying here. You’d regret leaving hockey and resent me for making you stay. For ruining your future.”

A white-hot burning rage filled my belly and traveled up into my chest until breathing became a challenge.

“What … else?” Because there was always something else with Kirby Roy.

A threat of some kind, an ultimatum. Possibly even a bribe.

Back in high school, when Rebel wasn’t made first string of his hockey team during his junior year, my dad flashed his NHL money around and paid the coach to move Rebel up.

Then he paid off the better player’s family so they wouldn’t squawk.

And they took the money because, why wouldn’t they?

“He threatened to go to the media with the history of our relationship. That you used to live with the kids and me when you were a teenager and get them to speculate enough about the nature of our situation to hurt you. That our relationship was … more than it was.” Her mouth turned down in a deep frown and she reached for the water glass to take a sip.

“I’m so sorry I let him get to me. That I didn’t tell you what happened.

But I just … I didn’t want to add to your problems with your father. I didn’t want to add to your stress.”

I could hardly hear her because of the pounding in my ears.

An edgy, twitchy sensation prickled along my arms, and my fists bunched at my sides.

I’d never really been a fighter, not with my brothers, not on the ice, but at that moment, the insatiable need to put my fist through my father’s face became all-consuming.

Now, her shutting me down and letting me go as flippantly as she did made more sense. It still stung, but it stung less. My anger course-corrected and I looked at the woman in front of me, with her walls down, vulnerable and sad, not with defeat in my heart, but with a small shred of hope.

“I came here,” she breathed out slowly through her mouth and gripped the edge of the counter, “I came here to tell you that … I was wrong. I should never have told you not to come back. It wasn’t my place to tell you what to do.

And I regret shutting you down. I regret abandoning you when you needed me.

Because you’re right, you’ve been nothing but patient and understanding with me.

There for me. And when the tables turned, I wasn’t there for you.

I’m sorry, Maverick. With my whole heart, I’m sorry. ”

Pushing away from the counter, I stepped toward her and peeled her fingers off the edge of the granite, bringing color back into her knuckles.

We stood less than a foot apart now, and she had to look up at me.

Those big, beautiful, amber eyes with so much strength, wisdom, and kindness blinked back at me, hesitant and unsure.

“So, can we circle back to when you said you’ve never been in love before? ”

A fresh wave of color bloomed in her cheeks, and she broke eye contact just as a small smile coasted across her lips. I reached for her chin and tipped it up so she was forced to look at me again.

“Does that mean …”

She nodded. “I’m in love with you. And it’s terrifying and wonderful, and I haven’t felt this not in control of my life in eleven years.”

“That would be pretty scary.”

She hiccupped a laugh that came out more like a sob. “I’m a bit of a control freak if you haven’t noticed.”

“No? Who? You?”

Her smile turned wry. “I’m really sorry I messed everything up. If your father ever says anything about our situation when you lived with me, I’ll hit him so hard with a lawsuit for slander and defamation of character he’ll think he got body checked into the boards without any padding.”

I snorted a laugh.

She remained serious though. “I won’t let him sully your name. I don’t care what happens to me.”

Tightening my grip on her chin, I stared down into her eyes. “But I do. I care a lot. I care what happens to you, to the kids, to your family, and everyone else on that kooky little island.”

“I’ve missed you.”

My heart thumped heavy and true against my ribs, and I stepped in a little closer. “I’ve missed you.”

More tears trickled down her cheeks, and I swept them away with my thumbs. “I need to hear it though. From your lips.”

Her brows and nose wrinkled in a cute way. “Hear?”

“I need to hear the invitation from you . That you want me back. That you want me to follow your ass home to San Camanez and live happily ever after with you on your vineyard with your meddling cousins and their awesome kids.”

She nodded, and unlike before, didn’t hesitate at all. “Come home with me, Maverick. Please. You belong …” Love filled her gaze. “You belong with me. With us.”

Still cupping her face, I bent down and claimed her mouth, tasting her salty tears as I pried her lips apart and swept my tongue inside.

She wrapped her arms around me and melted against my body, trembling as the rush of emotions came forward.

We broke the kiss for a moment, and I stared down at her.

“Okay,” I whispered. “I’ll come home with you. ”

She smiled sweetly and tightened the grip her fingers had on the back of my shirt. “And live happily ever after with me, my kids, and my meddling cousins?”

I nodded. “Yes, please.” Then I took her mouth again, scooped her up into my arms and carried her to my bedroom.