Page 98 of Romancing the Grump
Nathan answers with a tiny, breathy snore.
Now the big dummy reallyhasfallen asleep.
I sigh and roll onto my back. I can’t wake him up. He’s sick—he needs to sleep more than he needs to ease my concerns. But I have to be braver than this.
Because I promised Lucy I would be.
And Nathan deserves to know.
CHAPTER 23
NATHAN
I park outsideof Mulligan’s and climb out of my Bronco, pushing my keys and my phone into my pocket. I’m looking forward to seeing my teammates and hearing more about the games I missed, but mostly, I just want to see Summer again. Mulligan’s is a public place, after all, and we’re technically still faking a relationship.
Which means I get to do all the things I want without questioning them. I can touch her, hold her hand, even kiss her if the moment requires it. That’s how it goes with a fake relationship. So yeah. I’m a little eager to get inside this very public bar and very publicly greet her.
Though, we didn’t have an audience this past weekend. Not when she was taking care of me. Not when she was lying beside me in bed, talking about kissing me if it weren’t for my fever.
That conversation felt real.
Summer stayed at my house for two solid days. She mademe soup. She brought me medicine to bring my fever down. She kept me company when I was tired of sleeping and told me way too many terrible hockey jokes. I smiled at every single one—even the ones that weren’t funny—just because she was the one telling them.
I’ve always been stubborn about my independence. I don’tneedanyone. Ican’tneed anyone because I’ve chosen a lifestyle that isn’t conducive to that need. But having her with me, close to me, occupying my space, it felt good. Even better than having teammates.
Over and over again, Summer has positioned herself as my ally—my partner. And not just because of our fake relationship. She’s shown up in ways that don’t have anything to do with a publicity stunt.
With Blake.
When my fans got too handsy before the Chicago game.
At the press conference when the reporter kept digging with invasive questions.
When I was too sick to take care of myself.
She has been a constant, comforting force. I’m just not sure I deserve it.
I won’t deny wanting her. I do.Desperately.
But now that the fog of sickness has cleared and I’m thinking straight again, I also want her to know better than to want me back.
I push into the bar and immediately scan the crowd. I don’t see Summer, but Felix, Gracie, Logan, and Parker are at our regular table in the back. Alec is standing at the bar, and he lifts his head in acknowledgment when he sees me walk in.
I hated missing the last three games.
The only thing that made it slightly more tolerable, aside from Summer’s near-constant company, was knowing it wasa lot harder for the Appies to win without me. Don’t get me wrong. I didn’t want them to lose. But I don’t mind knowing they had to work a little harder for the win.
Felix pushes out a chair for me as I reach the table. Without me even having to ask, he nods toward the bar. “She’s here. Up at the bar.”
I’m not sure what it means that my teammates seem to have already decided Summer and I are a done deal.
They don’t know what they’re pushing for.
I wouldn’t be a good boyfriend to Summer in the best of circumstances. I definitely won’t be at the tail end of our season when we’re getting ready for playoffs.
Maybe my teammates have been able to make relationships work. But for how long? How long before it gets hard and messy and stuff just…breaks?
I can’t take the risk. I can’tbea risk for Summer. No matter how much I want to.
