Total pages in book: 103
Estimated words: 100661 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 503(@200wpm)___ 403(@250wpm)___ 336(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 100661 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 503(@200wpm)___ 403(@250wpm)___ 336(@300wpm)
“Thanks,” I said breathlessly to the tall, dark-haired guy holding a cardboard cup of coffee. “Four, please.”
“No problem.” He studied me as the doors shut.
I kept my eyes straight ahead—I didn’t want to talk hockey with any fans right now. My leg bounced as the elevator rose. It seemed to take forever to go up four floors. When the doors began to open, I shot through them sideways and took off down the hall.
When I arrived at her room, I didn’t even stop to catch my breath. Throwing open the door, I rushed in, tossed the bag from Ari on a chair in the corner, and threw myself down on my knees next to Mabel’s hospital bed. My chest ached at the big purple welt near her temple.
“Joe?” She stared at me like I might be a ghost, her face registering shock. “What are you doing here?”
“Ari told me what happened,” I said, out of breath.
“When? Did you fly here?” She shook her head. “I don’t understand how you heard in time to get here so fast. I just called Ari an hour ago.”
“I left Chicago at four o’clock this morning,” I told her.
“I don’t understand,” she said again. “My head is so fuzzy.”
“It’s not your head. Your head is perfect.” I looked at her, worry and relief and affection radiating throughout my whole body. Her dark hair was a mess, her face was pale, and she wore a ratty blue hospital gown. But no one had ever looked so beautiful to me. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine. I just got dizzy and lost my balance. Low blood sugar or something.”
“I’m so sorry I wasn’t there.”
“It’s okay, you weren’t supposed to be.” She half smiled at me, like she was afraid something was too good to be true. “Joe, what’s going on?”
“God, Mabel. I’ve been so miserable. And so stubborn. So afraid to make the wrong move that I made no move at all, and that’s not who I am.”
Her lips parted, but she didn’t say anything.
“When I want something, I go after it,” I said with conviction. “When I dream something, I make it happen. And when I love something, I will dedicate my life to it. For as long as I can remember, that something was hockey. I devoted practically every waking hour to being the best player I could be—for the people who believed in me, for my team, for the adrenaline rush I got from it. I thought hockey was the answer to every question. I thought winning was my purpose in life. I thought nothing would ever make me feel as good as the game. But I was wrong.”
“You were?”
“Yes. None of it matters to me nearly as much as you do. It doesn’t make me feel as good as being with you does. And I don’t love it the way I love you.”
“Joe Lupo,” she whispered, her eyes filling. “What’s happening right now? Am I dreaming this?”
“No. I’m the one, Mabel. I don’t care that we haven’t been dating forever or that we’re doing all the things out of order or that people might say we’re crazy. I’m the one.” I thumped my chest, getting worked up. “I’m the one you were destined to sit next to on that plane. I’m the one who couldn’t stay away from you at that wedding. I’m the one who couldn’t stop thinking about you afterward. I’m the one who fell in love with you. And I’m the one who drove all the way here to ask you to live with him.”
“Live with you?” Her blue eyes widened. “But—but we barely—”
“Don’t say it.” I took her hand again, rising to my feet and sitting at her side. “Don’t say I don’t know you, because I do. I know how much you hate to fly because some dipshit fifth grader told you a lie about your future. I know you like the aisle seat more than the window, and I’ll always give it to you. I know you had an alter ego named Montana Swift when you were young. I know you ran cross country in high school. I know you make a little sniffle noise in your sleep. I know you got the dimple in your smile from your mom. I know you’re scared to lose people you love, but Mabel—cupcake—” I brought her hand to my lips and kissed her fingers. “You will never lose me. I will fight harder to win you than I have ever fought to win anything in my life. You are the prize—you and our baby.”
She smiled through her tears. “We are?”
“Yes. I forgot to mention it, but I’m also the one who put that baby in you.” I leaned closer, lowered my voice. “And when you let me, I’m gonna put another one there. I know how to put the puck in deep.”