Page 87 of Find Me in the Rain
Alec crosses the room and sits down beside me, a good couple of feet between us. The distance doesn’t go unnoticed.
He clears his throat. “Laura, we don’t have to talk about anything right now if you aren’t up for it, okay? Today has been a lot for you and for Jack, and I don’t want you to have to worry. I can wait.”
My gaze stays homed in on my white knuckles, where my hands are clasped in my lap. “Postponing this conversation isn’t going to make me worry less, only more. Especially when you’re right there.”
Ugh, nothing I wanted to say even came out. I wanted to say,Your coach threatened to end your career if I didn’t leave you, but I love you, and I’ve never stopped.
He nods. “Okay. Do you want me to go?”
My eyes shoot to him. “No. Please no.”
A gleam of hope sparkles in his eyes. “Then, I’m not going anywhere.”
He lifts his hand off the bed and reaches over to my still-locked fingers. He slowly pulls one away and intertwines our hands.
“Look, Lu, I’ve been thinking a lot. About me and what I want, about hockey and my future. And I’ve come to a decision.” Alec’s voice is definite and concise. I can’t tell where he’s going with this. “And what I want is right here. I’ll have to finish off my contract—I don’t have a choice. And I understand it’s a lot to ask of you and Jack to deal with my being gone all the time—”
My free hand flies to his mouth and cuts him off. “Stop, Alec. There’s something you need to know.”
The look of terror that ripples through his features wrecks me.
I remove my hand from his lips and let all the secrets out of mine.
I start at the beginning. “After the game, your coach found me …”
And I continue telling him every detail I can remember. From the coach’s conversation to when I called him later that night. And when I went to the hospital and found out about Mom. And by the time I’m done, Alec is fuming.
He’s pissed that the coach had the audacity to talk to me like that. And he’s livid that I had to go through losing my mom alone. He’s in tears within minutes. He’s sad that I was forced with that choice. But he couldn’t help but smirk when I told him about how I planned to go around the coach.
“I love you. Please, let’s find a way to work through this together, not by yourself. You are never alone in this life, Lu, you will have me till the day I die, and even after that.”
I’m speechless as anger seems to take back over his features. He’s pacing back and forth when there’s a knock on the door.
“Mommy?” Jack’s little voice calls from the other side of the door.
Alec’s shoulders instantly loosen, the anger dissipating quickly.
“Come in,” I call to Jack.
The door swings open, and Jack is standing there with a question on his mind, his eyes big and his lips twisted.
“What’s up, buddy?” I ask him.
“Um, I heard Dad shouting, and I wanted to make sure you guys were okay.” He swings his hands behind his back, rocking on his feet.
Alec sighs and immediately drops to Jack’s height, grabbing his small shoulders. “Hey, everything’s okay. I was angry but not at your mom. At something else. Everything’s perfect, little man.”
Jack instantly smiles and turns around without another word. Well, until he gets a few steps away. “I’m getting a cookie! Char said I could have as many as I want today!”
I giggle as I hear his pitter-patter descend the stairs.
Alec walks over, the intensity of our convo resuming, and shuts the door.
I’m hyperaware of his movements. I know he said he wants us to be together, but I’m scared. I broke his heart. And yeah, my intentions were good, and the breakup wasn’t real for me, but I still hurt him.
He stops, where I’m sitting on the edge of the bed and kneels before me, his hands sliding to my waist. “Listen to me, Laura. Hockey has been my life since I was two years old, maybe even before then. It’s given me everything I have now, and for that, I’m grateful. Without it, I might never have run into you again.”
His thumbs slide up and down my sides as he gathers his next words.
