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Emily takes the note. “It means what it says. I can’t see you while I still have to take care of my daughter.”
I scoff, tilting my head back. Her steps are firm and fast, and I have to race to keep up with her.
“I can help take care of her, Emily,” I plead, exhausted.
She sighs and rubs the bridge of her nose. We reach the end of the block, and she turns around and keeps walking.
I struggle to keep up, trying to stay close while also giving her space.
“All I hear is ‘I have money, Emily.’ You are not aware of what your life really entails, do you?”
I narrow my eyes, hurt and confused. Emily’s pace doesn’t slow down, and I have to jog around another person in order to keep up.
“What, Emily? What does my life entail?” I’m angry and genuinely curious.
“Andrew, you travel all the time, you change cities all the time. If it were just you and me that would be fine, but I have Alissa. How is she supposed to rely on someone who is never around?” she asks and doesn’t stop walking.
“Emily.” I reach for her hand, but she brushes me off. “Many guys in the league are married with kids, and they make it work. We can make it work, Em. Besides…”
I force her to stop. We’re at the corner of the street, holding hands, and I look at her with adoration, carefully measuring my words.
“We don’t have to take things that fast,” I continue. “I can come to you. A few times a month? Money is not a problem.”
She shakes her head, angrily. “There you go with money again. It doesn’t solve everything, Andrew! I don’t have time for casual dating. I need something serious in my life that I can rely on. That Alissa can rely on. Can you really be it?”
At this moment, I look inside myself and see a man who never really compromised for anything before.
Except the NHL.
And I don’t like that.
“I can… No. I will do my best, Emily Mitchell. Will you give me a chance?” I plead, resolute.
She’s silent for a while. At least she stopped walking. I just stand, waiting patiently, feeling like my heart is about to pound out of my chest.
After what feels like an eternity, Emily finally speaks. “We can try it and see how it goes. But please remember that Alissa is the priority here and that’s what I will be focusing on in our relationship. To see if this can be a good thing for her.” She says it seriously but gives me a small smile and then kisses the corner of my lips and asks, “Don’t you have a game to play today?”
I let out a huge sigh of relief and have to stop myself from fist bumping the sky.
I nod and say, “I understand.” Then I chuckle like a kid caught with his hands in the cookie jar. “Yup I do have a game today.”
“And you came here just to see me?” she asks in disbelief.
When I nod, her hands come to my face and she gives me a full-fledged kiss, complete with tongue and tickles down my spine and… other places.
“Go play your game, Andrew Connoly.”
She looks me in the eye, and I feel all warm and fuzzy inside.
“I need to go back to work, and you need to get to your game. Score a goal for me.”
I walk her back to the store, and there we kiss again, in front of her brother. I got her into a family feud, but I don’t care, since it’s my goal to be a part of that family in no time.
Chapter Eighteen
EMILY
I’m Andrew’s girlfriend.
