Page 33 of Tempting the Goalie (Riverside U #5)

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

I sabelle

For the last few weeks of summer, I worked in the bakery in the afternoons.

Luc worked the orchards in the morning and babysat Braden in the afternoons.

We fell into a routine, a pattern. I snuck him up to my room at night, even though I had the sneaking suspicion Daddy knew he was in my room.

It sure wasn’t a first. The only difference is things have changed.

We have crossed lines we both silently promised to never cross.

We are in love. But I am twenty-one years old.

I’m not ready for kids. Bringing up that talk feels completely unnecessary on one level and completely necessary on another because it is nagging at me.

One day I will want kids and that may be a problem because the only man I want is Luc.

There is also the issue that we have to return to Riverside U next week to start our senior year of college.

We are both going to be busy. Luc will be travelling with the team and there is a lot of change headed our way.

I’m not a big fan of change. I like life to be stable.

When I know what to expect. Surprises in my world aren’t a good thing.

But there is also the issue that I am working on my personal growth, on my self-confidence which means having the courage to speak up and say what I want which is a challenge for me.

I also hate confrontation, but going back to school is causing me nerves.

This is our last year at Riverside. What is coming next is unknown.

“Okay, what is going on with you?” Luc asks as we lie on my bed watching a movie.

It’s late and Daddy is in bed. Luc planned on sneaking out through my window when the movie was over, just like he had done when we were kids.

There is easy access to my window since Daddy had ladders installed all along the sides of our house in case of a fire.

After Mom left, he went through a phase of making sure the house was fireproof.

Becket raised the issue that it would be easy for thieves to get to the second floor, but Daddy argued he was in charge of the police station and everyone in town knew it.

No one was breaking into the main house and, so far, he has been right.

It takes me a few moments to answer Luc. I am feeling extra emotional, and it is hard to put all my feelings out there.

“I’m getting my period,” I reply.

“And I can see the balls rolling in your head,” he says with a cute smirk.

“Maybe it’s not a good thing that you know me so well,” I state.

“It’s a very good thing. You won’t be able to bottle any of your feelings up. It’s good to talk it out. Now what’s bothering you, Isabelle?”

“When you say my name like that it sounds so sexual,” I tell him.

“And . . .”

“And nothing, I’m horny,” I admit.

“You always are.” He laughs. “But there’s more going on,” he insists.

I groan. “I’m worried about how things will be when we are back at school. We won’t have time to just be us.”

He gives me a pleased smile. “You don’t need to worry. I’m going to make time to be with you, and you’ll have to do the same.” He presses his lips together like he wants to say more, but he’s stopping himself.

“Okay, I can commit to that,” I say.

“But there’s something else that’s bothering you. I can feel it,” he presses.

I blow out a breath. “The conversation is definitely premature.”

“But it’s still bothering you, so spit it out,” he insists.

“Kids. I want them and you don’t,” I murmur. Not my finest moment with communication skills.

He frowns. “I know us being together means that you’ll want kids, eventually, but I can’t promise you I’ll want kids. I love Braden with all my heart, but the world can be cruel.”

“I know,” I agree, “but it can be beautiful and kind too.”

“Of course you would say that.” He smirks.

“It’s what I believe.”

“I know.” He takes me in his arms and spoons me. “I don’t ever want to live without you, but I know this is a sticking point for you.”

“We’re young and I’m not worried about it right now but I know myself, and one day I’ll want to have babies,” I say, even though the admission is hard knowing how hesitant he is.

He sighs. “You gave me time to come to the realization that I’m all in with you. Can you give me more time to figure this out?”

I want to say yes because he deserves the time, but the more time we spend together the deeper in love I fall.

“You’re scared I’ll never come around,” he says like he can read my thoughts by the expression on my face.

“The more time we spend together, the deeper I fall,” I confess.

He buries his face in my neck and whispers, “Me too.” I don’t feel myself fall asleep, but we drift off in each other’s arms. I wake with a startle around 2:00 am.

“Luc, get up.” I nudge him, and he groans. “Luc, you need to go.”

He shifts and rubs his eyes. “Sorry.” He stands.

I stand too. He stretches and yawns. “Hush.”

He winces and walks to the window and opens it.

“Love you, Mon coeur, have a good night,” he says.

“Love you too.”

He leaves out the window and then I get his little slip.

He hasn’t called me that since we started to hook up.

It means my heart. He is telling me I was always his heart at every stage of our life.

He’s asking me for time. He’s asking me to have faith in him.

It means I can’t let him down because he’s never let me down.