Total pages in book: 34
Estimated words: 31257 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 156(@200wpm)___ 125(@250wpm)___ 104(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 31257 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 156(@200wpm)___ 125(@250wpm)___ 104(@300wpm)
"I love you," I whisper again, just to make sure she knows I didn't say it in the heat of the moment. I meant that shit. With every fiber of my being.
"I love you, Noah."
Chapter Eleven
Aspen
"Noah, you've only been gone for fifteen minutes," I say, smiling from ear to ear as soon as I answer his call. "I told you that I'll be fine. Giant's already here."
"I know, but I forgot to tell you something."
"What?"
"I love you."
My heart turns a flip. "You told me," I whisper. Hearing him say it last night will be a memory I cherish forever. He said it again before he left this morning.
It's fast and crazy, and I don't care anymore. I don't even feel like the same person I was the day he walked into The Golden Mug. That person was terrified to trust or let people in. She thought she had to conquer the world alone. This one can't even fathom how sad that is.
I've been so afraid that nearly losing me broke something in Nash that I never realized that it broke part of me, too. I thought I was healed when the nightmares stopped, but that was wrong. One part of me never healed completely.
Nash isn't the only one who stopped living. I did, too. I've just been going through the motions ever since. Not anymore. My heart is open, and it's full.
"I know, but I thought you deserved to hear it again."
"I love you too, Noah," I murmur.
"Fuck," he groans. "Why can't this damn game be here?"
"Because the last one was."
"Smartass."
I smile. "It's one night. Brick and I will keep the bed warm for you."
"What's my boy doing?"
"Your boy? Did you just claim my cat?"
"He's our cat now, Dimples. Hate to break it to you, but I've been bribing him to the Darkside since I met him."
"Noah!" I cry, curling up on the couch. "You have to stop feeding him so much. He's on a diet."
He makes a static sound. "What's that? I can't hear you."
"I'm so telling the vet that you're overfeeding him," I vow through laughter.
"Snitches get spankings, Dimples."
"That's not how that saying goes."
"It is now."
Someone says something in the background and Noah curses. "I gotta go, baby. Coach wants us on the ice to warm up before we load up the bus."
"Okay. I'll see you tomorrow night."
"I'll call you later. Behave."
He disconnects before I can tell him that I do what I want. I fidget with my phone for a minute before dialing Nash's number.
"Aspen?" He sounds groggy. "Is everything okay?"
"Crap. I forgot how early it still is," I say apologetically. He's two hours behind me. It's not even five in the morning there. "I'll call you back later."
"It's fine. I'm up, baby sis. What's going on? Shouldn't you be elbow deep in pastry dough right now?"
"I'm taking a few days off."
"Really?"
"You don't have to sound so surprised."
"You love your job. You never take time off unless you're sick or you're flying out to visit."
"I do so take time off," I protest.
"Liar."
Brick lifts his head to glare at me, almost as if agreeing with Nash.
"Whatever," I mumble to both of them.
"You're at Noah's again."
How does he possibly know that?
"How do you possibly know that?" A frown tugs at my lips. "Did Noah tell you?"
"No, you just told me." Nash sighs heavily. "You spent the night with him."
"Maybe," I whisper.
He's quiet for a long moment and then he sighs again. "At least you picked someone worth a damn. Is he being good to you?"
"Very." I lick my lips. "He's the reason I'm calling, actually."
"You're in love with him," Nash says, not sounding surprised.
"Yes."
"I don't even have to ask to know how he feels. Knew this was coming when he told me he wasn't going to spy on you."
"That's why I'm calling."
"I won't apologize for being worried about you. You're up to something. I've known you for your entire life."
"Why did you skip the draft after the accident?"
"What?"
"Why did you skip the draft? You could have gone into the NHL that year, but you gave up your spot. It almost derailed your career," I remind him.
"You think it's your fault," he says quietly.
"I don't know," I whisper.
"I skipped the draft because I wasn't ready, Aspen. I won't say you didn't factor into my decision because you did, but you weren't the biggest part of it. We'd just lost Mom and Dad. Every damn time I was on the ice, I thought about how the accident was my fault."
"Nash." My heart sinks, tears springing to my eyes. "How can you possibly think that?"
"You don't remember, do you?" He seems surprised. "You guys were on the way to see me, Aspen. I knew it was the last game of my college career, and I wanted you guys there. Mom and Dad closed the bakeries and checked you out of school to drive down for the game."