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My mouth was dry and I smacked my lips before answering. My face burned from sobbing, but knowing that my baby was safe inside of me was all that mattered. And if I wasn’t the general manager of the team, then I could be with the man I loved. There was absolutely no doubt in my mind. “I’m sure.”
Ali squeezed my hand. “In that case, I think there’s someone here to see you.”
TWENTY-SIX
GUNNAR
The Cadillac had fishtailedas I drove Colton to the hospital. Ideally, we would’ve taken the chopper, but the bad weather had grounded it. And surprisingly, Colton was not able to stay calm and collected in an emergency. He’d tapped his feet anxiously on the floormats and couldn’t stop calling the hospital. As I navigated us down the residential streets of Laketown, nearing the hospital, he’d called his father, holding onto the handle above the door as we skidded into the parking lot.
“Wait here.” He ran into the hospital ahead of me.
I gripped the steering wheel so hard that my knuckles turned white. Within those walls was the only woman I’d ever loved. Suddenly, hockey seemed inconsequential. Colton had told me to wait in the parking lot, and it killed me that I couldn’t run in there with him. But he still didn’t know that I was in love with his sister. I tapped my fingers on the steering wheel, then slammed it hard with my palm. “I’m coming, Everleigh,” I whispered. Leaping out of the Cadillac, I ran into the hospital, my feet landing in each of Colton’s snowy footprints.
Once in the bright industrial lighting of the hospital, I paced the hallways while I waited for news from Colton. Nothing mattered if something happened to Everleigh. I was so mad at myself. In our love story, I had been the villain – not the Ice Queen.
The waiting room was empty and I tried to flip through a magazine, but ended up slamming it down on a stack of dog-eared tabloids. Resting my face in my hands and my elbows on my knees, I tried not to think of the worst-case scenario.
If Everleigh died, that text would be the last thing I’d ever said to her. And there was so much more I had to tell her.
After what felt like hours, it wasn’t Colton who came into the waiting room – it was Ali.
“Gunnar.” She waved for me to follow her.
“Is she okay?” I launched out of the chair.
Ali walked quickly, and I almost had to jog to keep up. “She’s going to be just fine. But she wants to talk to you.”
“Classic Everleigh King,” I stopped and tried to keep my tone light, “wanting to talk business when she’s in the hospital.”
Ali rolled her eyes and grabbed my hand. “You dummy. I know all about you two. This definitely isn’t business.” She opened the door and shoved me into the room. “She’s behind the curtain.” Ali shut the door, leaving me alone in the room.
I took a huge breath and let it out slowly before pulling back the curtain. My breath caught in my throat. Everleigh’s eyes were rimmed in light-purple bruising covering one side of her face, and her lip was split. She looked tiny in the hospital bed.
“Gunnar.” Her voice was hoarse.
I rushed to the bed. “Eve. Oh my God.” Without thinking, I grabbed her hand and kissed her cheek.
She smiled, and when she looked at me her eyes sparkled. “We’re going to be okay.”
Ali hadn’t mentioned a brain injury. “We?”
She pushed herself up on her elbows so that her face was closer to mine. “I have to tell you something.”
“I’m so happy you’re okay.” My voice trembled and my vision blurred with tears. “And I have something to tell you too.”
“I’m quitting.” We both spoke at the same time. “You can’t.” Again, it was as if we had a script and were taking each other’s lines.
Everleigh winced as she smiled. “Gunnar, I love you. I’m sorry for not acting on it sooner.”
“I love you too, Everleigh.” I buried my face in her neck and inhaled her vanilla scent. “I’m sorry I blamed you for my problems with the team. I was wrong. I was an ass.”
“You have been an ass.” She laughed and shifted in the bed. “But I was a fool. What we have is too good to throw away. And it’s just a job.”
I pushed a strand of hair behind her ear and kissed her gently. “Everleigh. Don’t act like I don’t know you. It’s not just a job to you. Please don’t quit. I spent the last few days out here trying to figure out how to live without you.” I paused. “Trade me.”
“Trade you?” Everleigh tilted her head. “But you’re a great player. The team—”
“Stop,” I interrupted. “I spent the last hour worrying that I’d never be able to hold you again, and I’m not okay with that. Trade me, Eve. I don’t think there are any rules about dating a player from another GM’s team.”
