Page 72 of The Wingman

He exhales loudly and shakes his head. “I’m an idiot.”

“I know.”

“Hey,” he says feigning offense. “You didn’t have to agree that fast.” I sniff, and hug myself. “So, Alek—”

I cut him off. “Why the hell is everyone trying to set me up with Alek?” I cry out.

He looks down at his feet for a brief second. “I used to wonder that too.”

Okay, none of this is making sense. Maybe his concussion is making him say crazy things. “I think you should go home, Rider. Go back to bed.”

“Kane and Lindsay were behind Alek.”

“What? What do you mean behind Alek? And Lindsay never said a word.”

“Yeah, I know. Apparently, they thought if I saw you with another guy, it would smarten me up. Smarten you up, too.”

I stare at him. Okay, now I really am worried about him. “Rider I think you should sit down.”

“Nurses!” he exclaims and throws his hands up.

“Hockey players,” I shoot back.

“I don’t need to sit down, but we do need to talk.” He takes my hands, all humor gone from his face. “When Alek touched you, I saw red. I wanted to kill him.”

“What are you saying?”

“I spent my whole life thinking I wasn’t good enough. That people only like me because of hockey.”

I give a slow nod, and my heart hurts for the little boy no one wanted, a little boy who grew up to be a fun-loving, sensitive, man—who doesn’t want me like I want him. “You’re wrong, you know,” I say quietly.

“I know. I am wrong.” My head jerks up at that admission. “But after waking up in the hospital bed, and seeing how distant you were suddenly acting—”

“Rider, no,” I say quickly to shut him down. “You don’t understand. I was terrified. When

you went down and blacked out, old hurts and memories bombarded me…” He puts his arms around me, and unable to stop them, tears drench my face. He gently wipes them away. “I was so scared, Rider. You were the first guy I’d opened myself to in a long time. I’d been shut off, afraid to live, love and lose again, but that all changed with you.” I put my arms around him, holding him to me, needing to feel his strong heartbeat against my cheek. “… and when you blacked out…scariest moment of my life.”

“You love me?”

“Of course I love you. I wanted to tell you that the last time we were together in my bed. But then you talked about setting me up with a teammate.” At that realization, I push away. My heart aches in my chest as tears soak my face. “I thought there was more between us. Now you don’t even want to be my friend.”

“That’s because I want to be more, Jules. I want to be your best friend, your partner, your husband, the father of your kids.” I stand there staring at him, sure I’m hearing things. My knees nearly give and I grip the back of the chair to hold on. “I know this isn’t the time or place, but maybe it is since we met here.” He pulls something from his pocket. “I was an idiot. I fell in love with you the second I met you. You’re fun, funny, sexy as hell, kind, and giving. You spend your life taking care of others, and if you’ll let me, I want to spend mine taking care of you the way you need. I used to think hockey was the most important thing in my life, and now I’m not so sure I will ever play again, but one thing I can’t do is go in to the future without you by my side.”

I hear a small squeal and glance up to see a crowd forming—his teammates and their wives—and Lindsay has her hands to her cheeks, happy tears in her eyes. “Kane and Lindsay were right.”

“About what?” I ask, my voice barely a whisper.

“When I saw Alek touch you, it made me face my fears, and I knew you were the one for me and I wanted to be the guy you needed. I’d do anything to be the guy you needed.”

My throat tightens to the point of pain. “Rider,” I say, and reach for him.

“You were right, too.”

“I was?” I choke on my tears, the heavy air in the room almost suffocating. “About what?”

“You told me I needed to go home and go to bed. I do. But I don’t want to go there without you. Please say yes and make me the happiest man on the planet.” He opens the box and produces the most beautiful ring I’ve ever seen. No longer able to stand, I sink to my knees.

“Rider, you pushed me away,” I say. “You hurt me.”

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