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It was awesome practice. It took me a few bruises to the face, but I learned how to catch speeding projectiles very quickly. “You always threw them the hardest,” I grumbled then got back on track. “Most parents would have just humored me. I mean, what were the chances that I would make it into the NHL as a woman? But they fought for me.”
There were no women in the league at the time, and the idea that there one day would be was just preposterous. That didn’t stop my parents.
“So, you think you owe it to them?” Drew asked as if the very ideawas crazy.
I was just as perplexed as he was. “Of course.”
Drew took a deep breath. “I’ve got to tell you something, Riley.”
That didn’t sound good.I braced.
“Mom and Dad didn’t give a shit if you made it tothe NHL.”
I blinked. What did that even mean? Of course, they did. Drew knew how much time and money our parents spent on hockey for me. Sure, our family was wealthy, but you didn’t just throw that kind of money around if you don’t expect results. That’s not fiscally responsible, and our parents were both corporate lawyers who grew up poor. They didn’t throw around money unnecessarily.
I was obviously not computing, so Drew went on. “They were never pressuring you. Hell, did you ever see them pressure me to go tocollege?”
I paused. They must have. Our parents wanted us to succeed in life. That was their only demand of us. But … no. They never pushed Drew to go to college or even told him what to major in like many other parents did with theirchildren.
“They didn’t care what we did with our lives, Riles. They just wanted us to be happy. Being my own man is what made me happy. And you? You were all about hockey. So they made damn sure we had everything we needed in life to get where we wanted to go. But they would have done the same thing if you had wanted to be a professional line dancer. Or scuba diver. Or a-fucking-brain surgeon. It never mattered. They just wanted us tobe happy.”
I slapped a hand over my mouth.Oh, God.
All at once, my world flipped inside out, and I could see every decision I’d ever made as if I was looking at someone else.
“Now I have to ask you something, Riley. Are you happy?”
My chest heaved, and a sob built up inmy throat.
“Are you happy? Could you die today and not have a single regret?”
I think he already knew the answer to that. Unfortunately, so did I. I had known for months what I wouldn’t allow myself to admitout loud.
My body fell forward into Drew. and he wrapped me up in his arms. Buried in his chest, I shook my head.
I gavein. “No.”
He rubbed my back as I processed, then broke the silence after a few minutes of my silent heaving. “Are you happywith him?”
I sniffled. “Yes, but it’s not that simple.”
“Is this about Mason coming out? Are you not ready for the world to know the truth about you?”
“No. I would come out in a heartbeat for him. It’s the fact that he’s my teammate. Do you know how bad that would be? What people would say?”
Drew pulled back abruptly and took my face between his hands roughly. His eyes bore into mine. “Riley, if you really want to give Mom and Dad their last wish … be happy. Chase what you love, and screw anybody who says you can’t have it. You’re Riley freaking Warren, daughter of Alina and Martin Warren. Nothing can stop you. Especially idiots who don’t have a fraction of your talent. You’ve never given up over a little hard work. Don’t start now.”
God, what did I do to deserve Drew? He wasn’t the first person I would call to shoot pucks at me. But he was always the one to come through right before the buzzer.
I pulled myself together and wiped at my face.
“I-I have to go tell him. Now. I don’t want to wait another minute. I need to apologize for being an idiot.” These past weeks had been hell, and I was ready to end it. That was if Sebastian would take me back.
“No.”
I stopped mid-rise. “What?”
“It’s your last game this season, Riles. Wait until things have calmed downa little.”
