Page 134 of Just One Season
KELLEN
Atticus texted me an hour ago.
Atticus
She got the England job
Those five words sent fear coursing through my veins. It makes my plan even more important, and more desperate, and potentially less likely to work.
Me
Thanks for letting me know
Atticus
Plus an offer from our father
Shit.
No matter how deranged it sounds, I’m going to try to winLucy Knox’s heart.
Last night, I had a long and ridiculous text conversation with the Kellcy Fake Dating Planning Committee, minus Lucy. It culminated in a video call. Lachlan, Harley, Atticus, Raleigh, and Bri all joined. It was the middle of the night in London, so January was sleeping. And I refused to include Finn, Heath, and Romeo. Fuck those guys. They’d probably just pop some popcorn and laugh at me.
It was unanimous that I should do something big to try to win her back. Did I ever have her?
And yup, there was an actual vote.
My objective is simple: Tell Lucy how I feel and ask her out on a real date. Tell her I want her to stay and then leave it up to her. I need her to know that I want to be with her.
I push through the doors into the empty arena. I love this place when it’s void of people, players, fans, and noise. There’s a deep peace on the ice that means so much to me. It’s carved my life into what it is today.
I can’t give this up, and I’m torn about asking Lucy to walk away from the England job.
We could do long distance. Really long distance. I could spend the summers there and bring Ava along for some of it. Lucy could visit a few times during hockey season. Holidays together.
But that plan is unhinged. It would never work.
And it would involve me being away from Ava, which is what I’ve been trying to avoid all season. Ava’s the reason why I’ve even been able to get to know Lucy.
Right now, Lucy is at a press briefing. Atticus told me that as well. She asked him to pick up MBM from the Delightful Doggy Palace at four o’clock.
Apparently, she thinks her dog has been spending too much time in daycare. I don’t understand how Lucy thinks she’s giving that dog away. She’s clearly obsessed with him.
I pause at her office on my way to the stairwell, wonderingif I can catch her before she heads to the briefing room. Her door is cracked, and I knock and slowly push it open.
She’s not there.
But there’s a cardboard box on her desk, filled with her belongings. For a second, my feet are frozen to the floor. She’s really leaving.
Fuck. I have to hurry.
I jog to the stairwell and take the steps two at a time up to the second floor. Down the hallway past the corporate suite.
The thing is, Lucy’s spent years thinking she’s not good enough. I get that now. Her asshole ex cheated on her. Her own father wouldn’t promote her at work and certainly wouldn’t defend her against her ex.
They don’t respect her. They don’t think she’s good enough.
They are also idiots.
