Page 79 of Icebound Attraction

“I guess so. When the other person's past jumps in your face and throws horrors at you, I think you're entitled to be. Or at least, she must be hurt...” I sigh.

“She'll soon see through this bullshit. She knows you, Liam, and she loves you.”

“We've never said it before...”

“That you love each other?” asks my best friend in surprise.

“Not officially, not in person,” I explain, scratching the back of my neck.

“What the fuck are you waiting for, man? For another Sara to beat the shit out of you in public? You know you're opening yourself up to a pro career, and there'll be dozens of chicks like that. And just for the fun of it, they'll come and ruin your life and relationship, because you'll be more famous than ever. If you don't do it...”

I nod. He's so right.

Right now, all I want is to get out of here. Get out and calm my mind. I'll talk to Emily, yes, but I'll let her digest this. I know she won't respond to my messages anyway, and there's no point in joining her in her room. Incidentally, I notice that Cassy and Maddie have left, and I assume they must be cheering her up.

I struggle with my feelings. Anger, worry, confusion - they all collide inside me. The next few weeks are going to be exhausting. The training sessions will come and go and I'll hardly have time to see Emily, let alone if she refuses to talk to me. It's frustrating.

I sigh and rub my face.

I hope we can settle this quickly. I hate being left with misunderstandings. And this girl is under my skin...

***

The next morning, I get up early. Chase and I have an intensive training session today to prepare for the upcoming games, and for the scouts who will be coming to observe us.

When we're on the ice, I focus on hockey and my thoughts take a back seat. The cold of the rink beneath my skates, the sound of the air whistling in my ears, the clash of the puck - everything feels familiar and in its rightful place.

Our movements are synchronized, our passes are precise, our shots are powerful. It's still an incredible feeling. The tension of the previous weeks dissipates for a moment. The sweat beads on my forehead, my muscles are working hard, and that gives me a certain satisfaction.

After the workout, I feel exhausted, but in a good way. I decide to text Emily to see if she's okay. The silence between us gnaws at me.

But... no reaction.

I'm about to give up hope when her answer arrives.

* I need time.

* Let me at least explain, Em. You don't have my side of the story!

* Not yet, Liam.

* Don't be fooled by what that girl said. Nothing was true!

* Oh, I think there was a bit of truth, and it hurts. Of course, I knew that you'd had relations before

me, but it's always funny when someone spits it in your face in such a crude way. That and

other things, she said... Anyway. Give me time.

I let out a sigh. It's understandable that she needs to think about all this, but also unfair. She didn't get my side of the story!

I wish I could reassure her, hold her close to me, and tell her that I simply love her.

***

I sit down in front of my computer, tense, to consult the results of my latest exams. My fingers tremble slightly, which is rather unheard of considering how little interest I had in my studies before.

Fuck, I did it!

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