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I head toward the front door, hoping those assholes thought to make sure it was at least unlocked for me. I try the knob and find it turns. I push the door open and kick it shut behind me, glancing around the living room of the small cabin.
My eyes fall to the coffee table in front of the couch. There are two cards there. I look at them for a few seconds, fighting a vague sense of recognition. I move over to them and pick one up. It’s some bullshit about hoping I enjoy my stay and has my name at the top. I look at the other card and pause. It’s Mia’s name.
Why is Mia’s name on–
I look up suddenly when I sense movement from deeper in the room.
38
MIA
He’s standing over the coffee table with the card in his hands when I step forward. He looks up suddenly, blue eyes searching the darkness for me. For a split second, I consider that it might not have been my wisest idea to surprise a giant, muscle-clad hockey player in a small, dark room. But he’s not moving. He’s just staring toward me.
“Mia?” he asks.
“Hi,” I say softly. I’ve only taken one step toward him, and I’m honestly afraid to do more, so I simply stop and wait, hands clasped in front of my chest as my heart pounds.
He looks down at the card again, then up at me. I think I see the first flicker of understanding in his expression. “What is this?” he asks.
I bite my lip and open my mouth. I was planning to explain exactly what was going through my head. I even rehearsed what I was going to say over and over. But I’m completely taken off guard when a choked sob comes out of my mouth instead. I hug my arms to myself and stare at the floor, blinking through sudden tears.
Nolan is in front of me before the first tear hits the ground with his big arms wrapped around me. He’s pulling me close to his chest, hands stroking the back of my hair as he shushes me.
I hug him back, burying my face in his chest as I let out one last shuddering breath. I feel calmer, even though I know the weight of everything I haven’t said is still crushing.
“Liam told me you lied,” I finally manage.
He stiffens. “What?”
“About the other women. I asked him because I suspected, and he admitted it. He said you never slept with any of them. But you let me think you did. And I asked myself why would Nolan do that? Why would he want me to think he was moving on if he really wasn’t?”
“Mia, wait…” His voice is slow and thick. “I had a whole thing planned.”
I pull back, looking up at him. He looks faintly amused. “What?”
“After the cup. I had a… well, I was going to do something. Something to try to fix things. With us.”
I scowl. “After the cup?” Even though my heart is beating faster at the thought of him wanting to “fix things”, I can’t help wanting to smack him, too. “You mean after you guys lose because you’re too distracted to play well?”
“I’m not distracted.”
“You give up an average of only 1.5 goals per game, Nolan. This series, you’re giving up an average of 3.7.”
He’s stunned for a split second, then he actually chuckles. “You looked up my stats?”
“I did. And I’m not happy about them.”
“Alright,” he says. “Then pretend I didn’t interrupt you. Continue with your little speech you obviously worked on.”
I glare at him, but smile a little, too. “I realized you were pushing me away, but I don’t think it’s because you don’t want to be together. I think it’s because you’re worried I don’t want to be together.”
I wait, watching him for a reaction, but he gives me nothing.
“When we broke up three years ago, I partly told you the truth. I did want to focus on my career. And I didn’t want you to feel like you had to wait on me for scraps of what little time we could manage to spend together. But maybe I was really just afraid you’d break my heart. I knew how much time we’d be apart, and I knew what life was like for you guys on the road. Every week is a different city with different beautiful women throwing themselves at you. I didn’t feel like I could compete with that, so I chose not to play at all.”
“Mia, I–”
“Wait,” I say, pressing a finger to his lips. “Let me finish my little speech.”
