Page 44 of Fate on the Ice

“You are my life, Grace.”

His words. Five little ones, they consume me. They fill me with something, with pride, and at the same time, they calm me. I didn’t know that five little words could do all of that, but these ones do.

You are my life, Grace.

How is this man even real?

Chapter

Twenty-One

GRACE

I watch him sleep, knowing that those pain meds have knocked him out completely and he will stay that way for a good while longer. Marriage. I can’t believe that not only has he asked, but that I’ve agreed.

I’ve never done anything this wild, this reckless in my entire life. Hayze was a mistake, but it wasn’t wild. It was life changing, but only because he stole from me, cheated, and lied. This is different. But as my gaze scans his face, I can’t imagine not staying with Otto. I’ve fallen for him.

Guilt crawls up my throat, threatening to choke me as I continue to replay the conversation that happened last night. The last thing I want in this world is for Otto to give up anything at all that he loves. And I know he loves not only hockey but this team. Leaving these men, this world, this life, is not an option for him.

And it shouldn’t be.

Even though my father thinks I am just like her, I’m not my mother. I will not allow Otto to be miserable in order to appease me. That’s something she would demand and expect to happen. Everything is on her terms. Nobody else matters. But I don’t want him to lose this part of him.

So, I need to leave. I don’t want to leave, but I know I have to. There’s just no other way around it. Otto’s happiness is the only happiness I care about right now. My personal stuff is just a tornado of unfortunate events, and I cannot bring him down with me. Which is exactly what’s been happening since the moment I walked into his life.

Gathering my things, I leave his pills, the doctor’s instructions, and a full glass of water next to his bed. The longer I stay, the more I’ll never want to leave. I want to accept his proposal. I want to marry him, but I know that the best thing for him is me leaving.

So, I do.

I slip out of his house and am thankful not to be seen by anyone as I make my way across the street and into my own house… or my house for now. Because I have a feeling that I’m going to be packing my bags and driving somewhere else very soon.

Not only can’t I afford to rent the room without my dad’s help or a new job, but I know that being this close to Otto will make it impossible to stay away from him. He is where my body and soul crave to be.

When I step into the house, I’m not surprised to see Brooklynn standing in the kitchen, a cup of coffee in her hand. Her eyes flick up from the phone in her hand to meet mine. I start to move up the staircase, but she clears her throat, and I know she wants me to stop and chat.

“I didn’t expect you back for a few more days at least,” she states.

I’m not sure how to respond to her. I certainly can’t tell her the truth. Rocking back on my heels, I let out a sigh.

“You need to ignore your dad’s voice. Push it out of your head. Otto cares for you.”

Chewing on the corner of my bottom lip, I debate not telling her about the marriage proposal, but it comes out, and as much as I want to stuff it all back inside, I can’t.

“He asked me to marry him.”

Her eyes widen, and I watch as she slowly places her coffee and phone down on the counter.

“Grace,” she exhales.

I can see the questions swimming in her eyes. I know she probably doesn’t want to ask them, though. But she does say one thing before I respond.

“You hardly know one another.”

I inhale and hold a deep breath before I let it out slowly as I look across the room to her. She nibbles on her bottom lip, her eyes wide, her brows raised as she watches me and waits.

“I know. I said yes, but I can’t.”

“Grace,” she hisses. “What do you mean you can’t?”

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