Page 15 of Snow More Secrets

“You really think that will make her back off instead of making it a-fucking-million times worse?”

Lincoln chuckled. “It will if you make the argument that you’ll leave and find somewhere else if she doesn’t agree.”

It could work, but… “That’s an awfully big risk, man. And my sisters won’t let me off that easy.”

“Then tell them about your concussion.”

I shook my head even though he couldn’t see it. “The doctor cleared me two weeks ago.”

“They don’t know that. You never even told any of them about the injury in the first place.”

His plan sounded plausible.

“As much as they’ll want to hover, you know Raven and Cammie will back off if you really ask them to.”

He was right. My sisters could be as nosy about my life as I was about theirs when I felt the need to play the protective big brother. But we’d always respected each other too much to cross the lines our mom had no problem obliterating.

Eventually, I decided to take Lincoln’s advice, and after I handled some business matters, I’d surprise my family by coming home for Christmas a couple of days early.

I’d spend some time with them, but maybe Lincoln was on to something else as well. Some time alone in a cabin might be just what I needed to devise a plan.

Not only to find Hannah but also to figure out what I wanted to do next in my life.

I wouldn’t even consider a future without Hannah, though. Once I had her in my arms, I’d do whatever it took to convince my wife to stay married. As much as I wanted to put down some roots, I would go with her if she wasn’t ready.

Thankfully, over the past fifteen years, I’d saved most of the purses I’d won at events and invested the income streams from my endorsements and other engagements. My net worth was high enough to live comfortably and never have to work again. I’d probably be bored out of my mind, but I would do whatever it took to make Hannah happy.

Surprisingly, Lincoln had come up with an idea that had real merit…although it would have sounded insane to pretty much anyone else. I needed to kidnap my wife. If I could just get her alone, with no way of leaving for at least a little while, I was sure I could convince her we were meant to be together.

Eight

HANNAH

Imissed Jake.

There, I finally admitted it to myself.

How could I not when our anniversary was approaching?

It was probably stupid to think about it that way, but ever since he’d returned the annulment papers with return to sender, I couldn’t seem to stop referring to him as my husband in my head.

You’re being an idiot, Hannah.

Jake and I would never work. He was too busy gallivanting around the world, and initially, that had been my plan too. We’d be like two ships passing in the night. That was no way to build a life that was taking the name of your occasional bed buddy.

After the Olympics, I’d been offered endorsement deals, job offers to teach or coach, speaking engagements, and all kinds of other stuff that would make me a lot of money. It should have thrilled me.

But it didn’t.

Perhaps when I was younger, I would have jumped at some of those opportunities.

Twenty-five wasn’t old, but spending every minute since I was three working toward a gold medal made you grow up pretty fast. Honestly, I’d never spent much thought on what would come next.

But now, I’d achieved my ultimate goal, and…I was tired. Tired of the grueling practices, the workouts, the diets, the competitions, the traveling…

So even if I left everything behind to be with Jake, I’d still be living that life vicariously through him. And that was not what I wanted to do with my life.

I didn’t know what I wanted to do yet.

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