Page 26 of Let's Be Forever

What went wrong?

11

ANNA

“This is ridiculous.”I blow my bangs away from my forehead, narrowing my eyes on the stupid net that taunts me. Tightening my grip on the stick, I breathe in deeply, the cold air swirling in my lungs. Exhaling, I swing the stick then bring it quickly forward, slapping the puck. It hits the side, bouncing off and sliding away from the net. “I give up.”

I almost slip on the ice, but Sylas skates behind me, circling his hands around my front and steadying me.

“You’ll get it next time,” he says, failing to stifle his deep laughter. “And you’re not giving up. My Anna isn’t a quitter.”

“Your Anna is over this,” I grumble, dropping the back of my head on his chest, still holding on to the stick.

Tonight’s date started at Strangers and ended with us at the arena, after I told him I could easily shoot the puck in the net. He smirked, voice smug when he said, “Okay, let’s go.” I should’ve known from that moment it wasn’t going to be easy. Still, I kept up the cool, nonchalant confidence I knew I didn’t have.

The ice and I are not great friends. Since Sylas and I started dating a year ago, I’ve been on here more than I ever have inmy life. One would think since my boyfriend is a strong skater, I would become one too.

No. I’m shit. It’s like earth’s gravitational pull is sucking me down, refusing to let me get a good footing.

We’ve been at the empty arena for almost thirty minutes now. The only time I managed to score was when I was inches from the net and slowly swung the stick. Now Sylas has me back farther away and swinging faster, harder.

“You got it,meu bem,” he breathes against my neck, his stubble grazing it, the deep rasp of his words tickling my skin. I melt into him, my body softening against his firm one. “Come on, you got it.” He lifts his hands, placing them on top of mine on the stick. “Try again. I know you can do it.”

Before he backs away, he kisses my cheek then skates over to where the puck sits on the sleek ice, setting it down in front of me.

I’m over this, but he stares at me with such patience and adoration. “You can give up if you want. Be a loser.”

I catch the arrogant smirk on his stupid, beautiful face and flip him off. In return, he huffs a laugh and chants, “Loser, loser, loser…”

“You’re so annoying.” Shifting my hips the way he instructed, I pull in a breath and hold it as I swing back and slap the puck hard in the direction of the net. It makes a beautiful swishing noise as it glides in then slides back out. “Suck on that!” I raise my arms in celebration.

Sylas skates to me, lifting me up and holding me tight as he spins us around. “I knew you could do it.”

I laugh, wrapping my arms and legs around him, dropping the stick. “Calling me a loser doesn’t scream ‘I believe in you.’”

I know he didn’t mean it. I know he was trying to get in my head the way the fans do when he’s playing. I’ve witnessed how especially brutal they are now that he’s in the NHL.

“It’s called negative reinforcement. I was just trying to give you a boost.” He grins, skating over to the bench and pulling me to straddle him once he sits.

We look at each other for a long moment. I breathe, and he sighs. We’ve been ignoring something since I came to Colorado to visit him.

“I know you were freaked out,” he starts, tucking my hair behind my ear, fingers brushing over the earrings he gifted me for my birthday. “And I was too, but I want you to know that no matter what, I would’ve supported you.”

A month ago, at the start of November, my period was extremely late and that has never happened. We’ve always used condoms and I’m on birth control. While I know things can happen, I freaked out. And I know he was also worried about it—we’re twenty-two and both have a lot going on.

I went to the doctor, got tested, and she said stress and exhaustion will sometimes cause late periods. I also had changed my birth control because the other wasn’t working out for me. So she said to give it a few days, and she was right, it came.

When it did, we didn’t really talk about it. The season started for him, and I had school and many other things to deal with.

“I know we haven’t really talked about kids, and I guess it’s good that it happened because we should,” Sylas continues, expression earnest, voice soft. He cups my cheek, rubbing his thumb faintly on my skin. “I know in passing I joked that I’d have them years from now. But if I’m being honest, I’ve never really thought about it or cared to have them. Not until this, until you. I’ve been thinking about it a lot more, and if you want them, I want them too. If you don’t, then I don’t. Anna…” His thumb stops moving, and his voice is the most serious I’ve everheard. “My life, my future is with you. What you want, I want. So if it’s with or without kids, I don’t care, as long as it’s you.”

His words kiss my soul the way the sun kisses your skin on a hot sunny day. I smile, feeling overwhelmed with emotion. I throw my arms around him, hiding my face in the crook of his neck.

“I’m sorry.” My eyes burn a little, and my throat tightens, making it hard to get the other words out.

“Hey, look at me.” He draws back, tipping his chin down to look at me. “Don’t be sorry. I’m sorry I didn’t bring it up sooner. I just didn’t know what to say. But I’ve been thinking a lot about it, and no matter what, everything would’ve been okay.”

“Yeah?” My bottom lip quivers.