Page 48 of You Make It Feel like Christmas
S HE WASN’T SPIRALING. H ER brain was simply spinning in circles far too quickly for her to keep up with.
They’d arrived at the hotel and were admitted into the private ballroom that was currently hosting what felt like hundreds of people celebrating.
Maisie briefly wondered if this was what it was like after every single game but Ethan assured her the festivities were amped up due to the holiday.
She hadn’t spotted Nick yet. Lexi, Will, and Ethan were watching her closely and it made Maisie feel untethered rather than how she usually felt, which was pretty damn put together.
While Ethan and Will went to get them drinks, Lexi pulled her into a corner and got in her face.
Best-friend close. No avoiding the proximity.
“What is going on?” Lexi’s hands braced on Maisie’s shoulders.
“I told him I love him,” she said, the words rushing out of her.
Lexi’s gaze widened comically. “Shit.”
Maisie nodded emphatically. “Yeah. Shit. ”
Both Lexi’s hold and her features softened. “Do you?”
Taking a stilted breath, Maisie nodded slowly. “I really do. Is this how it felt for you?”
Her bestie gave her a slightly victorious grin. “Not so breezy when it’s you, right? You told me to chill out and accept love, that it’d all be okay and being in love was a gift.”
Maisie glared. “I didn’t say all of that, but clearly I had no clue what I was talking about.” She saw Will and Ethan coming toward them. “But luckily for you, it worked out anyway.”
Dropping her arms, Lexi tilted her head. “Why do you feel like it won’t work out for you?”
She shrugged. Such an ineffective way of communicating, but how could she put all her worries into words?
“Hey. I should have gone into hockey,” Ethan said, looking around the room.
“Did you play?” Lexi asked, accepting her glass of wine from Will while Maisie took her beer from Ethan.
“No,” Ethan said, grinning.
“I think you’re in the right place,” Will said, pulling Lexi closer.
Ethan nodded, a smirk on his lips. “I absolutely am. Love you guys but don’t want to kiss any of you at midnight so, if you’ll excuse me.” He lifted his beer in a cheers motion and left them.
Maisie’s laugh sounded empty. It was okay to tell Nick how she felt. It was okay that he didn’t say it back. It was okay that he was leaving tomorrow because, as he’d told her many times, he’d be back. She couldn’t believe he was retiring. What did that mean? For him and for them?
“You okay?” Will asked, moving closer to her.
She looked up at him, feeling the sting of tears, the tightening in her chest. “Yeah. Lucky for you, I lost my heart after you and Lexi got together because the way I’m feeling right now? Not so sure I would have told her to go for it. This is terrifying.”
Will put an arm around her shoulder and squeezed. “But worth it. Even when it’s hard.”
Like she sensed him, she turned to see Nick come through the door. Her heart beat madly in her chest, knocking against her rib cage in a frantic rhythm.
It was like he didn’t see anyone else in the room, only her; he beelined toward her, his gaze locked and intense. Her heartbeat had reached an unhealthy rhythm. Then he was there, standing in front of her like nothing else existed.
Nick pulled her up to her toes crushing her body against his. As he lowered his mouth to hers, the look in his eyes softened, becoming so tender, Maisie felt like she was unraveling. “I love you, too,” he whispered right before kissing any and all thought right out of her brain.
Maisie kissed him back with a desperation and happiness she didn’t know could co-exist.
When he pulled back, his forehead rested on hers. “Can we just go? I have to catch an early flight and I really want to be alone with you.”
Her brain was still muddled when she looked around for Lexi and Will. She saw they’d found a tall table and both of them grinned in her direction. Lexi waved and mouthed bye .
Laughing, Maisie turned back to Nick. “Yes. Let’s go.”
They had to figure some things out but knowing he felt the same poured water on the fire of fear that consumed her earlier. As long as he wanted her back the way she wanted him, nothing else mattered.
M AISIE FELT N ICK GET out of the bed. Through blurry eyes, she saw it was five in the morning.
Right. He was headed back to California with the team.
He’d filled her in last night, telling her that he’d share the news with his team and make an official announcement in two days.
Today, he was meeting with his publicist, the team owner, other coaches, and management. He had things to wrap up.
So he can come back to you.
Nick leaned over, planed his hands on either side of her. “Hey,” he whispered into the early morning quiet.
She reached up, touched his face. “Hey.”
“I’m leaving my truck and the keys. You should drive it instead of your ticking time bomb.”
Maisie arched her brows. “Don’t talk trash about Junie. I love her.”
“Your Jeep is on its way out, babe.”
With a sassy grin and a haughty tip of her head, she held his stare. “You’re on your way out. My Jeep is staying right here with me.”
He laughed and lowered his mouth to hers, kissing her softly. “I’ll be back in a few days. You know that, right?”
Her gut cramped with the realization of how much she’d miss him. It’s just a few days. “Of course. Your truck is here,” she teased, hoping it would make it easier for him to go.
His expression turned serious. “I’m coming back because my heart is here. I love you. I’ll call you tonight when I’m at my place.”
Maisie pulled him closer. “I love you, Nick. I promise I’ll be here waiting when you get back. Even if I’m not with you in California, I’m here if you need anything. If you want me to shuffle some things around, I can.”
“I appreciate that. More than you know, but it’ll be okay.”
She wouldn’t cry. It was a few days. Max. “Go,” she whispered. “So you can come back and I can stop missing you.”
He nodded. “See you soon.”
Then he was gone and Maisie closed her eyes, a few tears sneaking out as his words replayed in her head. He loved her. He’d see her soon. When he came back, it would prove that happily ever after wasn’t only for romance books and fairytales.