Page 69 of Icebound Attraction

“I'm fine,” I repeat. “The wounds aren't deep; they're just keeping us under observation. But I'm... I'm glad you're here.”

I kiss her hand and she smiles softly.

We're brought back to reality by Chase's throat clearing.

Stunned, we raise our eyes together, looking in turn at the witnesses to our exchange.

Caught up in the joy of our reunion, we completely forgot about Chase and Coach Franklyn.

Shit…

13

Emily

I look at Chase and when our eyes meet, reality hits me like a punch.

Shit, I completely forgot about him and the coach!

Tense, I look at the coach, who doesn't flinch and still stares at us, arms folded. Chase, meanwhile, smiles at us, and the mischief in his eyes doesn't go unnoticed.

Heat rises to my cheeks, and I turn to Liam. He in turn clears his throat and searches for the right words.

“Yes, well... Er...” he starts to justify himself.

Chase raises a hand to interrupt.

“It's okay, Liam. I've known for a while. And I'm happy for you both.”

He smiles warmly.

I'm breathing a little easier. The fact that Chase is reacting positively means a lot to me. I know he's a very important person in Liam's life, so I was hoping he wouldn't take it the wrong way.

Coach Franklyn's voice rings out from a corner of the room:

“That explains a lot...”

The tension immediately returns and Liam's grip on my hand strengthens too.

“Liam, I've told you more than once that this kind of thing distracts you from what's important.”

He stares at Liam before continuing.

“But it seems to me to be more than just a distraction...”

A slight smile appears on his face.

“You both gave me a huge scare and I... I'm glad you have someone who cares about you so much. It's a precious thing,” he finally says.

I can't believe what I'm hearing. I look at Coach Franklyn in amazement.

Are those tears shining in his eyes?

A nurse chooses this moment to enter the room, and she allows us to focus on something else. She checks the monitors and turns to us.

“Visiting hours are over. I'm sorry, but you have to leave now.”

It's with some reluctance that I say goodbye to the boys. I'd rather spend the night by Liam's side. He smiles faintly and I can see both fatigue and disappointment in his eyes.

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