Total pages in book: 112
Estimated words: 105697 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 528(@200wpm)___ 423(@250wpm)___ 352(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 105697 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 528(@200wpm)___ 423(@250wpm)___ 352(@300wpm)
He shifts into Park and slips off his seat belt before climbing out, so suave like a movie star. So annoying.
Coming around the front, he gets close but leaves me some room to vent if I need to. Lifting the sunglasses to the top of his head, he shoves his hands in his pockets and leans on the passenger door in front of me. “Why are you leaving me, Sunshine?”
Cutting right to the chase.
I think this is what Lindy meant by communicating. This would be my turn. “I overheard you and the coach talking.”
“And needed fresh air?” I kind of hate that he already knows this about me. I also love it to pieces. “I understand why you’re upset. I’m upset, but I’m also not ready to give up the sport.”
I cross my arms over my chest. “No. You’ll just give me up instead.” The words summon him to stand, and the confusion wrinkling the corners of his eyes has me rolling mine. “You didn’t even have to think about it. You just gave me up like I’m bad for your health and you need a lifestyle change.”
“What?” Stepping closer, he reaches for me. “What are you talking about, Summer?” I step out of his reach, keeping my arms securely fastened over me like chain-link armor. “Bad for my health? You’re the best thing to happen to me in years. I’m not giving you up.”
“You said it, Daniel,” I shout, my temper flaring flames through my chest. Does he think I’m stupid? Taking a breath, I lower my voice. “I heard you. I heard you tell him. “I give up Summer and keep my spot on the team.” I heard you.”
His head drops back on his neck, and he scrubs a hand over his face and chuckles.
That laugh is salt in my broken heart’s wound. “There’s no point talking to you.” I start walking, my anger too much to keep from blowing if I stay put. I fist my hand around my phone, each step getting me closer to losing my shit.
Dang it. He even has me cussing now.
The road is too smooth and fancy to give a girl a warning of when a car approaches, so when the front of his car hits my periphery, I say, “Don’t follow me.”
“I’m not. I’m next to you.”
“Well, don’t drive next to me either.”
“Fine,” he states like his patience has worn off. He has some nerve turning this around on me.
He drives ahead and then angles right to cut off my path. Hopping out of the car again, he comes to stand in front of it. Wide stance. Arms crossed. I don’t have to be that close to know his jaw is ticking.
I stop where I am, leaving a good fifteen feet between us. “What are you doing?”
Daniel smirks.
Breathing through the insult of that cocky jerk’s smirk, I try not to stoop to his level. And fail. “You listen to me, Daniel Stanley Sutton.” I rush forward, pointer finger leading the charge. “I didn’t have to let you into my life. I was doing just fine without you bringing this weird hierarchy of women in this sports league to my front door.”
Not fazed, the wall of his torso is staying put even when I poke him. Hard.
“You’re right. You didn’t have to let me into your life. You lost me on the women chart, but I don’t regret staying with you when the bathroom broke or showing you off at that party we went to. I love the time we’ve spent under the stars and listening to the birds sing at sunrise. I don’t want that to end. I don’t want us to end. You misheard what I said.” He grumbles, “Shit. You didn’t mishear. You misunderstood. I have to give up summer, not you, Summer.”
“Wait . . .” My mind spins through the conversation I heard, my chest deflating when I realize he could have meant something else. It’s in the realm of possibilities, yet I jumped to conclusions without giving him a chance. Without communicating . . . I like Lindy. I could see us being friends.
He says, “The summer months, the rest of July and the week I had booked in August. They want me to get back to skating and bond with the new guys. They want me to run a mentoring program. Sort like an easy out for them to find talent by making me scout them out.”
That he was still trying to honor the rental schedule, as if he were still staying at the cottage, was sweet. My chest inflates like a balloon full of hope for our future together, knowing he would be with me if he could. “A mentoring program?” My heart flutters to life again. “I actually love that for you.”
Taking one tentative step and then another, he takes hold of my upper arms. “I kind of do, too. I think it will be a good way for me to do something outside of playing.”