Page 78 of Body Check

I flush, thinking about that day in her office. We definitely didn’t keep things strictly professional that day.

“You won’t tell anyone?”

“None of my business,” he says, lifting his hands in the air. “You might want to get ahead of it, though, before anyone else finds out. You and I both know not much stays a secret in that dressing room for long.”

“She’s not ready.”

Truth be told, I don’t know if I am, either. So much would change, for both of us. It’s not like we can un-tell the secret. And what if we break up?

I don’t want to break up. But I didn’t want to get divorced, either, and that happened anyway. And everyone keeps asking about it. It would be worse with Amelia—everyone knows her and likes her. What if my teammates pick sides? What if they choose her over me?

Maybe it’s a good thing my contract finishes at the end of this season. I’ll go to another team and start fresh.

Well. Maybe I can find another team that’ll take a chance on a guy with four knee surgeries and an Achilles tear under his belt. Maybe I can find someone willing to gamble on a senior citizen hockey player.

My mood sours.

But I don’t want to leave Boston. It’s been my home for going on eight years. I like it there. I have a home.

And I have Amelia. I don’t have to start worrying about the end. There’s no reason to borrow trouble before we’re ready.

If she wants to keep us a secret, I’ll deal with it. I won’t push her before she tells me she wants this.

When it’s time to come clean, we’ll do it—together.