Page 94 of Penalty Shots

"Rina… we're already acting like we're together in secret."

"It's too soon. The divorce was just finalized."

"And Redmond and Zara have already gone public with their relationship."

I push on his shoulders, and he backs away, allowing me space to slide down onto my feet.

"Redmond and Zara aren't working together. You and I, we're a little more complicated."

He steps back away from me and watches me, then finally says, "You're scared."

I guffaw, fixing the back of my hair that was just messed up against the wall. "No, I'm not. What could I possibly be scared of?"

"I don't know, Rina. You tell me. Because the way I look at it, there's nobody holding us back. Redmond is gone. You and Jenny are fine. Your parents love me. My sister would beover the moon. Honestly, at this point, the only person that's stopping us from being anything to each other is you."

I shake my head. "Well, I don't know what to tell you. It's unprofessional, Keelan. If we're going to do this, like really do this, we have to think about it for more than just a few seconds."

I sit down on one of the benches and rest my head back on the wall.

He sits down beside me. "I have thought about this for over a decade, Rina. Of what it would look like to have you, really have you. And I keep getting these glimpses of what it could be like. But it's always just a glimpse. Then the walls come right back up and reality sets in. I mean… do you even want to be with me?"

I roll my head to look at him. Those sad, beautiful eyes of his stare back at me. Waiting. Always waiting.

"Yes, of course, I want to be with you."

"Then what more is there?"

The truth is that I am not allowed to have a relationship with any of the players I work for. It's explicitly stated in my contract.

Even though it might be okay for people like Izzy and Ryker, due to the nature of my job, it's a big no-go.

Dating Keelan would mean giving up my position with the Heatwave. It would mean giving up everything I've worked for. And even though I want to be with him more than anything… it's way too soon to be thinking of changing careers. It finally feels like I have a handle on life.

"I just need time," I say.

"Time," he repeats, like it's a word that tastes way too bitter on his tongue.

"I know it feels like we've been in a fight against it."

"That's an understatement," he mumbles.

"But, I really do just need things to settle. It's been a lot this year."

He watches me, his eyes taking in my every expression. And he nods. "Okay. Time. Sure." He pushes off from the bench.

"Keelan, stay," I urge him. "Please."

He turns to look at me.

"Please," I say again.

He comes up to me, lowering himself down to one knee and placing a hand under my chin.

"I've waited for you even when you hated me. Even when you chose someone else. I waited. And I won't ever stop waiting for you because I know that at the end of it all, there's no championship. No hall of fame. Nothing that will ever be more important than making you the happiest woman on this earth. So I'll wait for you, Rina. I'll wait if that's what you want. But I need you to really think about what you want. Because I refuse to get in the way of that."

He dips my chin down and brings his lips to my forehead, kissing it gently.

"I'll wait as long as you need." He brings his forehead to mine, and we just stay there like that for a moment until the door beeps, and we realize someone is coming into the equipment room.

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