AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Oh.”
“He was freaking out. Austin opened up to him about some things, and I think it scared him. Anyway, Connor and I… well, we may have insinuated that he should probably end things before you both got in too deep.”
“I see.”
“I am so sorry.”
“You only did what you thought was best.”
“You’re not angry?”
“I’m not thrilled that people, who I considered my friends, interfered in my relationship. But I trust your heart was in the right place.”
“You’re right. We had no business getting involved, and I’ve just felt awful about it. I’ve wanted to come clean all week, but I just didn’t know how to tell you.”
“So what changed?”
“I saw Noah earlier, and he looks… God, Rory, he looks broken. I mean, he’s putting on a brave face for the team. But he’s hurting, babe. If I didn’t know better, I’d say he’s heartbroken.”
“I…” I pressed my lips together. Because she was wrong, she had to be.
Wasn’t she?
“Being with a hockey player isn’t easy. The intense game schedule, the prospect of spending a life on the road, chasing his dreams. But it’s worth it. The way Connor loves me, it’s worth all the self-doubt and lonely nights, and confidence crises.
“If there’s even a part of you that thinks you could love Noah one day.” She reached for my hand, squeezing gently. “Then don’t give up on him.”
Don’t give up on him.
Except, I hadn’t given up on him.
He’d given up on me—on us. He’d decided what I could or couldn’t handle and ended things before they even got started.
But was it all just to protect me?
Or was it to protect himself?
He’d been abandoned by his mom, turned his back on his father, and as far as I was aware, he had no other family.
But hockey was his life. The team was his family. And me?
I was the one thing that threatened all that.
“Aurora?” Ella said.
I gave her a small, hopeful smile and said, “I think I need your help.”
If I thought things were crazy the night of the exhibition game, it was nothing compared to the opening game of the season.
Ellet Arena was a sellout. Over five-and-a-half-thousand fans adorned in cyan and indigo crammed into the seats, ready to cheer their team on.
“Rory, Harper, over here.” Ella and Dayna waved at us from the row behind the glass.
“Holy shit, these are good seats,” Harper bounced on her feet, her excitement infectious.
“You made it.” Ella pulled me down beside her. “How are you feeling?”
“Surprisingly okay.” A small smile played on my lips.
