Page 173 of Fighting Chance

But it hits me like a fucking truck.

In between the stacks of romance books.

Some full of tragedy, some full of darkness, and others, like my heart, full of hope. It’s there I realize I’ve falleninlove with Layla Carson.

I don’t justloveher. I am madly, deeply, and undeniablyinlove with Layla.

Chapter 38

Layla

BELLA

any news on your blood tests yet?

LAYLA

nothing

BELLA

how are you feeling?

LAYLA

better now

BELLA

and does that have anything to do with a certain hockey player?

LAYLA

maybe…

Kieran outright refused to let me pay for my books.

So much so he was prepared to kick up a fuss in the store. It’s the only reason I even allowed him to swipe his card. He looked at me with a mischievous smile and taunted, “You know I’ll do it.”

And yeah, I did.

He would have done whatever he could tomake sure I didn’t pay a single cent on the books he carried around the store for Emmy and me.

He was patient.

Never rushed us for a single moment.

Didn’t go off and sit on his phone.

He stood, he watched, he listened, and he waited for us to hand him books.

I think it’s the most attracted to him I’ve been since I met him. Just that simple interaction in a bookstore. That, paired with the knowledge he spent his weekend building a library for me. I haven’t told anyone because I know they won’t be able to make sense of it. If I can’t, how will others?

How do I explain that my boss, the man who I’m also in an arrangement of friends with benefits with, spent over forty-eight hours building me custom bookshelves?

You can’t and I also can’t explain the feeling of rightness to anyone.

Besides…I’m far too afraid to make sense of it.