Page 35 of Your Biggest Downfall (Ravens Hockey #3)

“I’ve done everything you asked, Nova. I’m doing this to be a better person for you.”

“For me?” I hesitated.

“Yes. Your friendship means so much to me, and I want to talk about that night. I want to make sure...”

He didn’t need to finish the sentence; I knew he wanted to make sure I was okay.

“Okay,” I whispered, even though every instinct screamed that this was a terrible idea.

“Great. I’ll pick you up at your house in half an hour?”

“Okay,” I repeated.

A smile spread across his face. “See you soon, Supernova.”

“I cannot fucking believe you didn’t tell me about your mom. I had to hear it from Jeremy when he called me because Austin Hart was frantically trying to find you,” Luna shouted from her bedroom.

“I know.” I got up and peeked into her cluttered bedroom. Clothes were laid out everywhere. “Why does it look like you’re packing?” I asked.

She looked around at the strewn clothes and the opened suitcase and shrugged before returning to throwing more clothes from the closet onto the ground. “I am.”

“For what?” I asked, taking a step into the room to try and figure out what was going on.

“No.” She threw her hands on her hips. “If you don’t tell me important things anymore, then why should I?”

I sighed. “I’m sorry. I got the call and ran to my mom at the hospital. I didn’t call or text anyone, and when I got there, they were putting a tube down her throat. I planned on telling you what happened, but Austin came by, and I got distracted, so here I am.”

Luna put her hair up into a bun and then turned to me. “Fine,” she huffed. “I forgive you.”

“So, are you going to tell me where you’re going?” I asked.

“Yes. Jeremy, Dirks, and I are going on a boat. We’re going to cruise up and down Lake Michigan and spend the night in the marina.”

“Oh? The three of you? Together? Like a little ménage?—”

“Stop it,” Luna retorted. “We’re just friends, like you and Austin are.”

I narrowed my eyes at her, and she laughed, knowing full well none of us were “just friends” with any of the guys.

“Anyway.” Luna tossed a few dresses into a bag. “What are you doing this afternoon? How’s Mami?”

“Aunt Mae is taking her home. She’s getting discharged this afternoon. I’m going out for a bit too...”

Luna stopped, turned on her heel, and raised an eyebrow. “With Austin?”

“Yeah.” I walked back into the living room, grabbed a few essentials, and shoved them into the larger black backpack I liked to carry. “He wants to talk about that night.”

“Good.”

I was grabbing random things at this point—my hairbrush, toothbrush, toothpaste, in case I needed to freshen up.

“Hey, Luna.” My voice wavered, uncertain how to phrase what I wanted to ask. As I tucked the letter Austin had written me into my bag, Luna popped her head out of her room.

“What’s up?” she asked.

I couldn’t bring myself to meet her eyes.

I hesitated, feeling the weight of the question pressing down on me.

“Luna,” I finally said, my voice barely above a whisper, “what if... what if there’s more to this thing with Austin?

What if I actually want to date him, but.

.. he just got out of rehab. He’s an addict. Is it even right?”

Luna’s expression softened as she stepped back into the room. She pointed to the small couch next to her bed. “Come here,” she said gently.

I walked over and curled up beside her, my head resting on her shoulder as she wrapped an arm around me. She gently ran her fingers through my curls, the motion calming my racing thoughts.

“Dating is messy and weird.” Luna’s voice soothed me. “Everyone’s different, and there’s no one-size-fits-all answer. Austin’s past doesn’t define him, but it’s a part of who he is. If you want to be with him, you’ll have to navigate that together.”

I nodded slightly, feeling the truth in her words.

“Hear him out,” Luna continued, her fingers still playing with my curls. “Give him a chance to open up to you. But you have to keep your boundaries strong. It’s important for both of you. You can’t lose yourself in trying to save him, and he needs to be responsible for his recovery.”

I looked up at her, finding comfort in her steady gaze. “But what if it gets too hard?”

Luna sighed softly, brushing a strand of hair from my face.

“Then you’ll cross that bridge when you get there.

You’re not committing to forever right now.

Just take it one step at a time. If he’s willing to put in the work, then maybe it’s worth exploring.

But always protect your heart, Nova. You deserve to be happy too. ”

We sat there in silence for a few moments, and her advice sank in. It was scary, thinking about what could happen, but there was a small spark of hope that maybe—just maybe—this could work if we were both willing to try.

“Thank you,” I mumbled, and she gave me a kiss on my forehead.

“Anytime.”

There was a knock at the door.

“You or me?” I asked her.

“You. My friends would never come to the door. They know better.”

I laughed and shook my head.

I walked over to the door, paused, and took a deep breath. I reminded myself that I wasn’t committing to forever—just to this moment. And that, I could handle.

I opened the door, and Austin was on the other side in a baby-blue linen shirt and a pair of khakis. The color of the shirt brought out his eyes, and his hair was styled in a mess atop his head. He looked so handsome and... healthy.

“Hi,” he whispered. He looked behind me and gave Luna a wave. “I don’t know what you’ve done to my friends, Luna, but they’re out on the boat, scrubbing the deck and making sure catering brought the right kind of cheeses for the charcuterie.”

“I trained them, Hart. I trained them good.” Luna laughed and waved at him.

Austin scanned me up and down before he reached out, extending his fingers toward my cheek. He hesitated midair and then pulled his hand away.

“You ready?” he asked.

“Sure.”

I grabbed my bag, and when I returned to the door, Austin extended his hand in my direction. I hesitated, looking up at him and then back down at his arm. I shook my head and turned to shut the door.

Austin shoved his hands in his pocket and sighed, but when I turned around, he gave me a soft smile. “I can’t wait to show you where we’re going.”

I looked down as we walked down the hall. “Me too.”

I should’ve taken an Imodium before coming because I felt like I was going to shit myself. I was so nervous.

“Why does this feel like a first date?” I asked hesitantly as we took to the stairs and headed down.

“It’s whatever you want it to be, Supernova.”

It took a moment to realize that what I truly wanted was to be in love with someone who made me feel completely at ease.

I wanted to skip the small talk, like “What’s your favorite color?

” and instead, fall in love with someone who felt safe and warm—someone I could rely on to care for me when I was sick, someone who understood my needs without me having to spell them out.

And yes, I wanted someone who could offer me an escape from the harshness of life every now and then.

I looked up at Austin, grinning as he held the door open. He could be that person for me—my person if he stayed on the straight and narrow.