AllFreeNovel
Share Us
My focus should’ve been more on finding a partner for skating instead of a partner for life. But Igor already put out some calls to other coaches asking about potential partners for me, and that’s all that could be done for now.
I needed to stop overthinking everything. I wanted my twenty-fourth birthday to be happy, not a day of dwelling on how I was narrowing down on time to accomplish all my goals in life.
I pushed the doors open and breathed in the fresh, still-cold morning air and made my way down the rink’s long ramp to my car. I had a little pep in my step over the fact that I’d already gotten a full workout while the rest of the world slept.
19.Duke
I sat there all morning waiting for Max to text me advice on how to move forward with Claire. I wasn’t sure if today was the day to try and win her over or if she was still too stressed with skating stuff.
But it was her birthday and the Fourth of July. This day seven years ago still held a special place in my mine, and I bet it did for her too. So, wouldn’t today be the right time?
I debated it all morning. While I wanted to walk up to her and confess everything I was feeling for her, I was actually scared shitless to put myself out there and risk getting turned down. It would hurt too badly. She was the only girl who could wound me in a way that I’d never be able to ever recover from… Because she was the only girl I’d want for way more than just three weeks— and that still scared me as well.
When a text finally did come in, it was useless.
All Max typed out was basically an apology for failing at his mission:Hey man, the girls wouldn’t let me eavesdrop. Sorry. Shorty said you should ask her what she’s feeling yourself.
I stared down at my phone realizing that he actually made things worse. That meant Max showed her my hand. He told her I was wondering how to approach today. God, couldn’t a guy catch a break? I was already nervous.
I dropped my head down on my parents’ kitchen table and let out a growl.
“That doesn’t sound like someone who is ready for a lake day!” Sav said cheerily. She moved into the kitchen and gave me a pat on the back. “Everyone’s in the car waiting for you. Coming?”
I breathed out a heavy sigh. It was now or never. I pushed off my seat and Beau trailed after me to Sav’s Range Rover in the driveway.
———-
“You took my seat!” Johnny announced when I plopped in the first available bucket seat.
“Sorry about that, bud. This okay?” I looked back at him in his kid booster seat. Every time I saw him, I saw his birth father, Nick Johns. He had the same round brown eyes and spiky dark hair. I wondered if he’d continue to look like him as he grew up. Nick’s life had been cut short and seeing Johnny age past him and into his thirties would probably be the weirdest but happiest feeling. I didn’t want to wish the time away though, it already seemed like he grew about five inches every time I looked away. He was turning five, and it seemed like I was helping paint his nursery just yesterday.
He looked at my foot and contemplated for a second. “Guess so. Long as you can play hockey with me as soon as you’re better.” He twisted his little mouth. “You are going to get better soon, right?”
I smiled at his concern. “Yeah. I’m hoping to be on my skates again by the end of the summer, bud.”
“Good,” he said, rubbing his hands together like I just fell into his master plan. “I need you on my fantasy team.”
I stared at him. “You’re already into fantasy hockey?”
“Oh yeah,” Griff interrupted and eyed me through his sunglasses in the rearview mirror. “His hockey team’s fantasy league rules are cut-throat. I had kids booing me when I entered his locker room after the game against Anaheim.”
“Oh shoot,” I said with a laugh. That was not Griff’s best game, but having a bunch of little kids humble you like that had to be hard.
“No kidding,” he retorted.
Sav rolled her eyes and handed me back a box of cheez-its.
I dug my hand in the box and threw a bunch in my mouth. “Thanks, sis,” I said with a mouth full.
“Hey,” Johnny whined and kicked the back of my chair. “Those were mine.”
I paused chewing. Sav held a cringe on her face and tried not to laugh. “I really was just handing them to you to hand back to Johnny.” She covered her mouth so I wouldn’t see her laughing at me. It didn’t do much.
I shot her a dark look before handing the box back to Johnny.
“What?!” she asked innocently. “I’mhissnack bishhh, not yours.”
“Used to be mine,” I grumbled.
