Page 52 of If We Never Met

"Then stop."

"Nikki, you have to hear me. We had fun for a while, but we need to move on."

"You're just in a weird place right now, Dante, because of your injury. Once you're back on top, it will be like it was before."

"It won't be, because I've changed."

She stared back at him in alarm, as if his words had finally sunk in. "That's not true."

"It is. Having to deal with a possible career-ending injury has made me look at my life differently."

"You're making a huge mistake, Dante. I'm a catch."

He smiled at her proud self-confidence. "Believe me, I know that. The next story in the press will be how big a fool I was to let you go."

"That won't be the story," she said harshly. "It won't be your decision to break up; it will be mine. I will have let you go. In fact, that's the real reason I came to Whisper Lake. I needed to break up with you in person."

He could see the wheels spinning in her head. "Whatever you want to say is fine with me. I don’t want to hurt you, Nikki. I do care about you. But we don't want the same things. You love to travel, to party, to be seen, and after traveling with my team for months on end, I want to stay in one place. I don't want to take pictures every second. I don't want to be part of a media story."

"Well, that's part of my career. I had to make sacrifices for you—sit in the stands and watch endless games that you weren't even in some of the time. If you had to pose now and then, what's the big deal?"

"It's just an example of how different we are. You should find someone who wants to be in every picture with you."

"I'm not that superficial, Dante. Our relationship is about more than photos."

"Is it?" he challenged.

Her lips turned down in a pouty frown of annoyance. "Well, it could have been, but you were the one who was always leaving or pulling away. I still think things could get better once you've completely recovered and you're back in your real world. I get along great with your teammates."

"You do. They'll all think I'm nuts."

"They wouldn't be wrong."

He nodded, knowing he was doing the right thing for both of them. He felt like a weight had just slipped from his shoulders, one he'd been carrying too long.

"Well," she said, as the silence lengthened between them. "I guess we should go, but I'd like us to leave together with your arm around my shoulders."

He was beginning to remember just how many public moments she'd directed. "Whatever you want. Let me pay for the champagne." He waved the server over to the table and handed her his credit card.

They sat in an odd, uncomfortable quiet. There should have been more to say, but there wasn't, and that only reinforced his decision to call it quits. Nikki took out her phone. He did the same. A moment later, the server returned, and he signed the receipt with relief, then ushered Nikki out of the restaurant. Since she'd taken a cab to the restaurant, he drove her back to the inn. She spent the ride on her phone.

When he parked at the inn, he said, "Can I help you get a flight home tomorrow?"

"Already done. I'll be heading back to Denver tonight."

"That was fast."

"There's no reason to go slow, is there?" she challenged. "You're not going to change your mind. And I'm not going to waste time crying over you."

"I am sorry, Nikki. We had some good times."

She drew in a breath. "We did. We still could. But, clearly, you're lost in some alternate reality. When you finally wake up, it will be too late. Then you really will be sorry. Because I don't give men second chances."

"I know."

They got out of the car and walked into the inn together. When they hit the second-floor landing, he paused. "Do you want me to help you with your bags?"

"I'm sure the inn can send someone to do that." She paused by her door, her sharp gaze raking his face. "Were you lying before?"

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