Page 59 of Slapshot Summer
She tugged on the hem of her Colorado Blizzard sweatshirt.
He pointed at her top.“Is that new?”
“I, um, just bought it yesterday, and um … well, I couldn’t buy a Philadelphia Forge sweatshirt with you leaving and all.”She dropped her voice.“It made me feel closer to you.”
God, he loved her!
Before he could tell her so, she said, “If I move, what do I do about my apartment?”
“Baby, I told you before that money isn’t a problem.I’ll cover your lease, and I’ll support you, whether you want to write or not.Whatisa problem—for me—is being without you.I’m nuts with you, but it’s a good kind of nuts, and I like it.A helluva lot.Without you, I’m a homicidal kind of nuts.You wouldn’t want that on your conscience, would you?”Wow.What a sales pitch.Seriously, he needed a personal trainer for this shit.
The BF, Anna, whose beady-eyed attention he’d felt bouncing between them during this entire exchange, piped up.“Lexi, since Josh is offering to pay for it, why not keep this place through the end of your lease?That gives you plenty of time to decide whether you two are good for the long haul.”
Why the hell was this woman jumping into their private discussion?Probably because nothing in this tiny apartment was private.And honestly, it sounded like she might be onhisside.He couldn’t find any flaw in her logic, and he needed all the help he could get.
Lexi narrowed her eyes at her best friend.“Anna, maybe it’s time for you to leave?”
Anna jabbed a thumb at her chest.“I don’t think so.I’m the voice of reason over here, and if you two have a chance of getting together, I’m it.”
Josh dropped his voice in the absurd hope Anna wouldn’t eavesdrop.“Baby, what she’s saying makes total sense.”
Lexi’s green eyes flashed.“But I don’t want your charity!”
“It’snotcharity.”
“Then what do you call it?”
“It’s … Maybe itischarity.Mycharity.I have my own damn selfish reasons.I really love the idea of knowing you’re waiting for me in a house we pick out together.”
Judging by her bewildered expression, he had blown her mind.“A h-house?”
He tossed his hand in the air.“An apartment, a condo, a fucking houseboat.I don’t care, as long as it’s someplace where we both live under the same roof.I want to know you’re there.”
“On a houseboat.In Phoenix.”She pressed her lips together to muffle a laugh, but a small snort escaped.Yeah, he sounded utterly ridiculous, but at least she’d recovered her sense of humor.Maybe her mind wasn’t totally blown after all.
He took her hands in his.“I want to know you’re sleeping in my bed, that you’re in the stands when we play home games, that you’ll be at the team bus to meet me after a long road trip.Or not.I just want youthere.Baby, I love you, and I want you with me.”
Furrows that had formed between her brows deepened.“And I love you …”
The “but” hung between them.
“Shit.I’m screwing this up royally, aren’t I?”Pulling in a breath, he hit a mental reset button.“I should have asked whatyouwant.See?Selfish.”
“May I?”Anna nosing in again.He wheeled toward her and braced himself.“Josh, you don’t strike me as selfish.You sound like a man who knows what he wants, and what he wants is Lexi.Plain and simple.”
One side of his mouth hitched.“Wow.You said that so much better than I did.”
“Because I’m able to use logic, and you’re coming from the emotional side of the equation.Your stakes are much higher than mine.I’m not in deep like you are.”She winked at him, then crossed her arms and cocked her head at her best friend.“Ball’s in your court, girlfriend.”
Calculations seemed to stream through Lexi’s green eyes.
Josh squeezed her hands, still resting in his.“Come to Phoenix with me, Lexi.If I sign with the team, I’ll be under contract, but they won’t need me right away.I’ll have most of the rest of the summer off.We can travel.I want to introduce you to my family.I’ll even take you back to the Sapphire Hotel for our one-month anniversary in twenty days.Our six-month at the holidays.Our—”
She placed gentle fingers on his lips.“Tell me this: If I say yes, you sign with Arizona.If I say no, then you sign with the KHL.”
He nodded.
“Josh, I’m scared—”
