Page 19 of Fate on the Ice

Sliding my arm around her waist, I pull her closer to me. I feel her chest touch mine. My gaze searches hers. I can’t read this woman—at least not yet. But I will. I am going to find out what makes her tick.

Every little thing.

“Whatever this is, I’m not sure I deserve it. That I’m ready for it.”

My brows snap together. My eyes focus on hers before I clear my throat. “Why would you say that, Grace?”

“I’m not enough.”

My eyes widen, and I dip my chin slightly. I touch my mouth to hers but don’t deepen the kiss. “You are more than enough, honey. More than enough.”

I’m not sure what happened in her life that she feels this way, but I’m going to get to the bottom of it.

Chapter

Nine

GRACE

The entire dinner, I can’t stop thinking about how amazing the kiss was. The way his body felt pressed against mine. The way his fingers felt cupping my face. And the way he called me honey.

God.

Everything about him is absolutely perfect. How is this man not only single but sitting in front of me? For me? Interested… in me?

I try to push the thoughts out of my head so I can have a conversation with him, but they won’t stay away. They are right there, in the forefront of my mind, refusing to leave.

The conversation flows between us, even with my mind being completely distracted by this man’s mouth, hands—every single part of him. Picking up my water glass, I take a drink, trying to cool myself off from the inside out.

“Have you looked at anything you want to do?” Otto asks. “I know you said you left college, but you were going to look at alternatives.”

This dreaded question is something I don’t want to think about, let alone answer, but it's also the one that I need to do both—think about and answer. Sucking in a breath, I twirl my pasta around on my fork, then lift my gaze to meet his.

“I honestly have no idea,” I say with a laugh. “What I thought I wanted, I can’t have. And I don’t think I ever really wanted it to begin with. And now I’m left… in limbo.”

He hums, his gaze searching mine before he lets out a chuckle. “You’re young, honey. You got your whole life to figure things out. Have you ever just had a little fun?”

I almost burst out laughing, mainly because him asking me that is downright hilarious. I know he’s never just had a little fun. His life is to eat, breathe, and be hockey. There is nothing else for him, especially since he’s at the level he is.

Instead of saying nothing about it, I decide to poke a bit of fun at him. “Are you trying to tell me that you’ve lived? That you’ve had a little fun?”

His lips curve up into a grin at my question. He leans forward, his smile unwavering as he speaks. And when he does, I realize that this man has everything figured out. He knows who he is, what he loves, and his future.

He’s light-years ahead of me, and I don’t expect the sadness to wash over me at the thought. But it does.

“Baby,” he begins. “I absolutely love playing hockey. It’s who I am, and I have a blast doing it. But when I’m not in the rink, working out, or giving lessons, believe me, I know how to have a good time. Plus, when my body is completely fucking worn out, I plan on opening up my own school to teach kids to love the game as much as I do.”

“That’s really amazing,” I whisper, practically choking on my words.

I really do think it’s amazing, too. I’m just nowhere near that, and right now, I can’t imagine knowing what my future is going to look like in any capacity. Flicking my gaze down to my bowl of pasta, I move it around with my fork and wonder if I’ve already ruined my life. I’m only nineteen, but I feel hopeless.

“Honey,” Otto’s voice calls out.

I lift my head and slowly raise my eyes to meet his. He clears his throat before he speaks. “You have time. And if you only find a job you like, then you can also find a hobby you love. It doesn’t matter what you do or how it looks, as long as you’re happy.”

“What if I never find it? What if I always just work a job and never find that thing I love?”

“Then you’ll be like most of the world, and that’s okay, too. Maybe you pour yourself into your family instead of your career? Maybe you find something that you love that isn’t a hobby or a job. Maybe it’s baking birthday cakes for your kids or going paddle boarding on the weekends. Who the hell knows what the future holds for any of us?”

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