Page 92 of The Playmaker

“I’ll stay.” I point behind him, my nerves firing, worried sick about him blowing this game. “Now go. No matter what’s going on between us, I’d never want to do anything to come between you and your game.”

“I know, and that’s why I lo—”

“Cannon, for fuck’s sake, get back here!” Cason yells, and Cole’s head jerks around.

“I have to go, but don’t go anywhere.” He dashes back to the ice.

I stand there, a complete mess as he disappears. What was he going to say to me?

Every nerve in my body leaping, I hurry to the bathroom and afterward make my way back to my seat. The game is underway as I slide in beside Jess, my mind racing a million miles an hour. Jess grabs my hand and I turn to her.

“What the hell did he say?”

The two girls are whispering about me over my shoulder but I ignore them. “He thought I was leaving. He told me not to go.” She nods, and I don’t miss the little smile on her face. “What?” I ask.

“Nothing,” she says, and looks back at the ice. “Let’s watch.”

I can’t focus on the game, not after my run in with Cole in the hall. I numbly watch the plays, the clock tick down, Cole make the winning shot. The crowd goes crazy but when he seeks me out, my heart crashes.

I love him so much.

The opposing team leaves the ice while the Shooters skate around, sticks in the air, celebrating their victory. When the cheers finally die down, Cole skates up to one of the local news stations filming the game, and takes the cordless mic as Cason skates toward me. Cason stays on the ice, a grin on his face, as Cole holds his hands up to quiet everyone.

“What the hell?” I whisper.

The place grows so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

He puts the mic to his mouth. “Nina,” he says, then exhales slowly, like he’s letting out a long-held breath, one that’s held years of pain, secrets and demons. Jess grips my hand and holds me tight. “As you know, I’m an expert asshole, also known as The Playmaker.”

The crowd goes crazy, and he grins at them, but then something happens. His expression changes, from that of The Playmaker to that of Cole just being Cole—the man I love. My heart crashes harder against my chest as his shield falls away.

“You’re the girl I never thought I could have, thought I never deserved. The girl I’ve wanted since I was a teenager. I’m sorry I was such a dick. You deserve better than that from me.”

“Oh my God,” Jess says, and starts jumping up and down beside me. “He’s doing it!”

“I love you, Nina. I’ve loved you for as long as I can remember,” he says, his arms wide open, everything about him honest and vulnerable. “I always believed hockey was the most important thing in the world to me, but man, I was wrong.”

“Cole,” I whisper under my breath as my brother leans against the boards and grins up at me. OMG, he knew Cole was going to do this. He was in on it. Tears prick my eyes and I try to hold them back.

“If you give me a chance,” he begins, his voice breaking, “I promise to be the man you need. I know you said no guy was as good as the ones you write about, but I want to try. Will you give me a chance, my Pretty BallerNina?”

“Cole,” I say again, my heart beating too fast as Jess gives me a little nudge to set me in motion. I make a move toward the ice, and my brother skates over and helps me on. Another play comes onto the ice, and hands something to Cole before skates up to me. “You’re better than any man I could ever write about, Cole,” I say.

He touches my chin, his warm gaze moving over my face as I lift my eyes to him. “You don’t hate me?”

I take a long, steadying breath. “You hurt me, Cole.”

The sadness on his face guts me. “I know, and I’ll never forgive myself for that.”

“Luckily, I can…and you should know, I never stopped believing in you.” I poke him in the chest. “You, Cole. Not The Playmaker.”

He puts the mic back to his mouth. “Did you hear that, everyone? My girl believes in me.” He jabs his thumb into his chest. The crowd goes crazy, and I glance around, having momentarily forgotten we were in the rink. His expression is no longer guarded as he looks at me. “You came to me asking for hockey lessons, and I had a few conditions.”

My body warms as I recall those conditions. “I remember.”

“One was that we were monogamous, no one else while we were together.”

“I agreed to that.”

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