Page 48 of What if I Told You

Maybe she’s right.

Maybe I should do this. Because if I’m really not interested then would his words have hurt so badly yesterday? If I’m not interested, would I be okay knowing he’s out getting his needs met by random women in every city he plays in?

Yeah, that’s a hard no.

I don’t think I could stomach knowing that.

But could I see the woman he sleeps with being me?

Kissing me?

Touching me?

The warm flutter in my stomach tells me all I need to know.

It also tells me I need to sit here and eat every last bite of these cinnamon rolls if I’m going to have the courage to do any of this.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

AUGUST

“Hey knock ’em dead out there, Ella,” Griffin says to her, offering her a fist bump. Dressed head to toe in her new mascot uniform, Ella returns the fist bump and then claps her hands without saying a word. One by one each of the guys wishes her good luck and then it’s my turn. I offer her a fist bump too, but I know her better than that. She swats my fist away and comes in for a hug. The embrace might be a bit awkward when I’m in full gear and she’s in a big fur suit but we make it work.

“I’m so fucking proud of you, El. You’re going to be great.”

“Thank you, Auggie,” she whispers loudly enough for me to hear from inside her costume. “For everything.”

“Anything for you, babe. Good luck out there.” Those are my last words to her before my skates hit the ice.

Our pre-game warm up is amped by an excited crowd and music blaring through the arena. By all means I should be focused on one thing only and that’s doing my job to sink as many pucks in the net as possible. Instead, adrenaline is coursing through my veins knowing my best friend is about to make her debut as Anaheim’s newest mascot and I’m fucking nervous for her.

What if the crowd doesn’t take to the change?

What if they don’t like her?

What if they think yellow fuzzy creatures are stupid?

What if they boo her out of the arena?

What if she falls on the ice and gets hurt?

What if she spends the rest of the night in tears regretting this move?

What if she quits and moves back home?

Shit.

What if she blames me and I never get to see her again?

Fuck.

I bend over at my waist, pretending to stretch my back, when Ledger and Harrison skate up to me stopping at either side.

Ledger pats my back. “Relax man. She’s going to be great.”

I lift my head to find his amused face staring down at me. “How did you…”

Harrison laughs on the other side of me. “Because you keep skating in circles and looking around like you’re looking for her dude.” He gestures behind him. “She’s in the tunnel, remember? We all passed her on the way out here.”

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