Page 81 of How We End

“Fuck you all.”I slung my bag over my shoulder and headed out.I was texting Wyatt when I heardhercall my name.Emily was stepping away from a group of fans calling to the players.

“Julian, wait, please.”

“We are not doing this.Talk to my lawyer.”My lawyer said he would file an order to keep her away from my games if need be.

“You wanted proof?”She ran to keep up with me.“Here.”She shoved a piece of paper at me.

It was an ultrasound photo.“What the fuck do I want this for?”I shoved it back at her.

“Look at the date.”She held it up.“December twelfth.We were still together.It was yours.I didn’t start a relationship with Payton until the end of January.”She hung her head.

“Liar.Hannah saw you leaving a hotel with him in November.”

Emily looked up at me.“You trust her?Some woman of a teammate over your wife?She was jealous of me and you.She wanted you,” she threw in.

“I doubt that.She’s been with Mason since she was fifteen.And I am not doing this with you.”

“Will you please listen for once in your life.”

“Why are you doing this now?”I pointed at the piece of paper she was clutching.I had a good guess why.Wyatt.

“I tried to tell you last January, but you wouldn’t listen to me.You shut me out.”

“Whatever this is isn’t going to work.We are done.I thought you said you were getting help.”

“I am.That’s why I’m here.I want to fix us.We can go back to the way we were.Your contract is up this year.We can go somewhere and start new.Back to Toronto or Florida.We can start a family.”Emily stepped closer to me.“We were good together.Remember Cabo?We set a record for how many?—”

“I don’t love you.”I cut her off.

“What?”Emily’s eyes were round.

I had never said that to her.Never said those words out loud.“I don’t love you.I’m not sure I ever did.”Since being with Wyatt, I realized what it was like to be with someone who only wanted me for me.Not because I was a hockey player, not because of the life she thought I could give her.“Go home.”I turned and walked away from her, and for the first time in a long time, I felt an enormous weight lifted off my shoulders.

“This isn’t over, Julian.I gave up everything for you.You will pay for humiliating me.I know things about you.”

“So do I,” I called over my shoulder.

CHAPTERTHIRTY-NINE

WYATT

December 23

We pulled up in front of a large A-frame cabin with windows overlooking the forest.The trees were frosted with snow that fell in clumps as the sun peeked out from the heavy clouds.It had been a long time since I had seen snow.And even longer since I had done anything like this.Come to think of it, I had never done anything like this.

Julian put the car in park.“Are you ready?”

“Are you?”We were the last two to get here thanks to us oversleeping.Julian had been on edge last night.After sex, he went down to the gym and ran ten miles and lifted for a couple of hours.He said it had nothing to do with me.But I wasn’t sure.This was a big step for both of us.

“Last night wasn’t about you.”

“Are you sure?”Snow slid from the roof and landed with a wet thump.I had to admit I was also having second thoughts.How were we going to handle the whole how-did-you-meet conversation?Or what I did for a living?

Julian took my hand.“I’m sure.”He ducked to look out the front window.“Don’t hold these assholes against me.Okay?”

“They can’t be that bad.”I got out of the car.The air was humid, making it feel colder than thirty-three.The silence was almost deafening.Even the car door slamming was dampened by all the snow.

He looked at the trucks parked in the driveway.“Yes, they can.Maybe we can find a hotel in town.”