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“That the coaches went easy on you today. Some of the players think you might have a health issue that’s holding you back. Are you okay? Are you worried about your contract?”
What the actual fuck?I really don’t need this right now. Rumors my ass.
“Tell Ryan to get all the information straight before you worry next time. I’m fine.”I’m not.“My contract’s fine.”It’s not.“And it’s all going to be okay.”I really hope I’m correct about that one, because fuck, things feel hopeless right now. And that has nothing to do with hockey.
“Okay. Well, I’ll start packing up so I can go home and check on Willow.”
“Thank you,” I say but it does nothing to calm my concern.Willow’s home alone.I assumed Pippa would be there, but now that I know she’s not, I can’t just leave her. Pippa could be an hour getting home.
After convincing Pippa’s doorman to let me in, it takes a minute of me pounding on the door before I hear movement and Willow finally opens up.
“No,” she snaps, immediately starting to shut the door in my face. “I can’t do this now,” she rushes out as she disappears from my view.
“Willow, wait. Please.” I stick my foot out just in time, cringing when the pain hits.
“Go away, Jesse. I want to be alone. I deserve that.”
“You’re right. You do. But I need to know you’re okay. Well, as okay as you can be.”
The door slowly opens and Willow stands before me with another blank expression. “As you can see, I’m fine. I’m just processing. I wanted the truth. I’ve got it. But I need you to leave.”
“Willow—”
“Go.” Her voice raises slightly but she maintains her composure, refusing to let me see her pain.
“Okay,” I say reluctantly, knowing I’m not going to change her mind. “I’ll go, but I don’t like it.”
“Thank you,” she says, releasing a slow breath of relief, her lips pulling into a forced smile.
Against all better judgment, I walk away. Again. But as I near the elevator, I stop, needing to plead with her one last time.
I’ve just reached Pippa's apartment again when I hear a thud from inside and then Willow’s gut-wrenching cries fill the air. Without thinking of what she might want, I push open the door, thankful she left it unlocked, and rush in, dropping to the floor beside her. I expect her to push me away, but she curls into me, sobbing against my chest as her entire body shakes.
Completely obliterating my soul.
I remain silent, letting her take what she needs, knowing that if I speak, I’m likely to break this moment of truce.
We stay like that for God knows how long, with me rubbing her back, until her tears dry up and she moves away.
“Thank you,” she whispers, her voice croaky. “But I…”
“I know,” I say, so she doesn’t have to say it again. “You still need me to go.”
She nods as a lone tear slides down her cheek. “Please.”
I’m once again stuck between a rock and a hard place. I want to do right by Willow, but leaving her when she’s just broken down in front of me isn’t fucking easy.
“Please,” she repeats before standing up and dusting herself off. “I can’t.”
My heart clenches, but I stand up next to her, my eyes bouncing around her face, unable to look away from the pain. “I’m sorry. And I know I don’t deserve it, but please don’t disappear on me. I couldn’t handle it if you did.”
Willow doesn’t say anything, but her eyes well with fresh tears as she moves to open the door.
“Goodbye, Willow,” I say when I really want to say, “See you soon.”
“Goodbye,” she whispers as the door clicks shut.
When I get back to my truck, I can’t move. Instead, I sit and stare at the steering wheel with Willow’s cries on repeat in my mind. My chest aches. My muscles are tense. And I’m struggling to get air. I know I need to move, but I have no idea where to go. If I leave, even a foot, I’m too far away from Willow, but staying here isn’t going to work either.
