AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Gianna had been the first woman to teach him about falling in love.
And now, she was the one to introduce him to his first broken heart.
He remained there until he found the strength to force himself to move.
Then he started the truck and drove back to Baltimore.
Chapter Sixteen
“Hey, man. Just called to see how it’s going and to thank you for the tickets to the game on Sunday. Fucking awesome seats, bro. Everybody flipped. You got us halfway up the lower dome, right between the blue lines.”
Elio smiled at Aldo’s enthusiasm. He typically got his family and friends tickets to the hockey games whenever Baltimore played in Philadelphia, and while the seats were usually pretty good, this time he called in some favors to get them the best seats in the stadium.
“Wanted to make sure you could see all the action. Since…” He paused. He hadn’t told anyone in his family about his decision to leave the game yet. He intended to break the news to everyone this weekend, while he was home for Penny and Gage’s wedding.
“Damn. You did it, didn’t you?” Aldo asked.
Elio sighed. “Yeah. I did. Hanging up my skates. I’m moving back to Philly at the end of the season.”
“I know you said you were thinking about it when we talked over Christmas, but I have to admit, I didn’t think you’d go through with it. Hockey’s been such a huge part of your life, ever since you were a little kid.”
“Hockey’s been my whole life,” Elio amended.
“Yeah. You’re right. It has. So…any regrets?”
It was a fair question and an easy one to answer. “Not a single one.”
“Seriously?”
Aldo’s surprise made sense, mainly because Elio had expected a feeling of “what the fuck did I just do?” to hit him ever since telling management about his intentions. Maybe it would come at some point, but the second he’d pulled the trigger, all the stress he had been suffering while trying to make the decision had just vanished. Poof. Gone.
When he considered moving back to Philly, he was excited by the prospect of doing something new, something different. And if he simply focused on his future from a career point of view, he would even say he was happy.
But that happiness wavered and faded every time he thought about Gianna. He’d spoken to Liza three times since he’d spied Sam and Gianna returning from their date, but she hadn’t mentioned Gianna getting back with her ex. Elio hadn’t been able to figure out a way of asking without revealing his feelings for her, so he’d just let her fill him in on all the gossip, just like she always did, while praying she’d reveal the information he desired.
No such luck.
“No regrets,” Elio reassured his brother. “I plan to tell the family this weekend.”
“Cool,” Aldo said. “I’m glad I won’t have to hold on to that secret for long. It’s a doozy.”
Elio chuckled. He’d told Aldo, perfectly secure in the knowledge that his brother wouldn’t say a word.
His cousin, Joey, was the one they all went to if they wanted to spread news throughout the Moretti family without having to do it themselves. Joey had never kept a secret in his life.
“Yeah, no worries there. I’ll tell the gang at the wedding, then break it to Mom and Dad on Sunday morning.”
“I should tell you Mom will be thrilled you’re quitting. She never worried about you until these last few years when the injuries hit. She was watching the night you got clocked and broke your collarbone. I don’t think she’s seen a game since you’ve gone back.”
Elio didn’t know that, and he appreciated Aldo sharing it with him. It merely reinforced that he’d been right to quit.
“Only a couple more months,” he said. “Our chances of getting into the playoffs are slim to none this year. The team, overall, has just suffered too many injuries.”
“It’s a shame you’re going out like that,” Aldo observed.
Elio didn’t bother to say he didn’t mind either way. He’d been with the team the year they’d won the Stanley Cup, and while he would have loved to end his career that way, it didn’t matter so much to him that he was tempted to stay longer to see if that lightning would strike twice.
“Liza will be glad to have you back too. Since you don’t seem to fall under the same heading as Kayden and me—kings of the overprotective brothers—she’ll no doubt start dragging you out as her wingman.”
