Page 71 of Conner

He seemed so certain, but she was having trouble finding that same certainty.

“What time is it?” she asked, suddenly remembering she did need to get into work today.

“It’s eight. Do you need to go in today?”

“Yeah, I do.”

“Okay, well, I’ll let you get ready. I don’t have to be in because it’s a game day, so just let me know when you need to go, and I’ll take you.”

“Thank you, Conner. For everything.”

He leaned and gently kissed her forehead. “Of course.” After another small kiss pressed to her forehead he stood. “I’ll see you downstairs when you’re ready.”

After he left, she took a minute to collect herself and got ready. As she straightened her hair, she ran over the list of what she needed to do at work. It was their last home game, and she didn’t do any work yesterday, so she knew there would be emails to answer and game day posts to check on, and some videos she needed to edit and caption. As she went through that mental check list it hit her. It was the last home game. The team would be going out. She couldn’t go…and she knew that Conner wouldn’t go either. She hated that. She wanted him to go. This whole situation just sucked all the way around.

She made it down for breakfast, and to her surprise Conner was plating up pancakes. Pancakes. It was like he could read her mind and knew she had been thinking about lazy pancake breakfasts. But she choked down that emotion and sat at the table as Conner set down two plates.

“Conner, I hate to even bring this up, but today is the last home game. You should go out with the guys. I can just come here. I'll be fine by myself.”

“Absolutely not!”

“Conner,” she protested. “You should be able to spend time with the team before playoffs.”

“I don't even like the thought of you being at the game. There’s no way I am going to let you be home alone after.”

“Maybe I could find someone—”

“No. I spend enough time with the team. Plenty of guys don't go out.”

“I know, but you’re the captain, you should be with them.”

“I am their captain on the ice, not in the bar. Cash is much better at that job,” he said with a glance trying to make her smile. But she wasn't going to back down. She would be fine.

“Conner. Seriously.”

“How are you even going to get home? You can't drive your car. No way am I letting you uber.”

“Letting me?! I'm a grown woman.”

He stopped her with a look. “Oh, I know you are a grown woman,” he said with a fleeting look of hunger in his eyes. “But in case you have forgotten there is someone who has followed you halfway across the country, came to a work event and put a camera in your apartment. I don't even like you being at the game with that many people, but there's nothing we can do there. But I’ll bring you home when the game is over.”

He said it with such finality she couldn't really protest even if she wanted to. But when he broke it down that way, he was right. All the fight left her, she couldn't wait for this to be over.

“Sasha, I'm sorry. I can't imagine what you are going through, but you must know that your safety is more important to me. I’ll play the game and then we’ll come home. Hopefully they’ll catch this guy soon and you can go back to how things used to be.”

She nodded. How things used to be. Doing her job and going home alone to her apartment. That’s what she would be going back to. This wasn't real. This was just temporary to keep her safe. Not only was her stalker scaring her, but now he was also showing her everything she was missing. This life with Conner had been everything she had dreamed of someday. Getting up in the morning and working out together, having amazing sex, the romantic dinner for her promotion, all of it. That is what she thought her life would be someday, but it wasn't. This wasn't her life.

“You're right, Conner. Thank you for everything.”

He looked at her confused. Turning away, she finished up her pancakes and put her plate in the dish washer.

“I’m ready to go when you are,” she said without making eye contact.

“Are we good?” he asked, uncertainty clouded his eyes.

“We’re good. I need to get into work. I have something to catch up on since I missed yesterday.”

He studied her as she got her purse ready and made sure she had everything she needed in her work bag.

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