Page 72 of All In: The Price We Pay

He seals my lips with his mouth. “Parker.” For some reason, he doesn’t say anything else but pauses.

I run a finger over his Cupid’s bow. “What?”

Evan shakes his head. “This is unreal. I want to hold on to every moment with you. But of course, that’s not possible. Over the next few weeks, I’m going to test your patience terribly. The tension, the focus that comes with the playoffs.”

“Evan, I know,” I interrupt him.

He plants another kiss on the corner of my mouth. “I’ve been doing this on my own for the last few years. I met Lewis during the summer, and right before the end of the season two years later, it all became too much for him. I’m unbearable. I’m on edge, about to snap. I don’t notice anything going on around me anymore.”

“I’m not the first or only person who has to share a man with a sport.”

He watches me so intently that I want to squirm beneath him. “But I don’t want to. I’d love to say that’s not true, and instead claim that you come first . . . ”

Now I place my finger over his lips. “Why don’t we see what happens first? You’ll finish your season, win the Cup, and we’ll figure out how to move forward.”

“Together,” he says immediately.

I smile. “Together. But we need to talk about what that ‘together’ might look like. I realize this is a big change for you.”

He nods cautiously. “I’d love to promise you more.”

“You don’t have to. I know what I’m getting myself into.” The three words are on the tip of my tongue.

Evan himself seems to be wrestling with himself above me. He’s starting to say something, only to fall silent again. I hesitate to say it. “I love you” doesn’t just feel new. Part of it has survived my anger, our breakup. But another part has grown up with me, matured. And one last part is brand-new. It sees the Evan of today. Not the insecure college student, but the man he is.

“Let’s go to sleep,” Evan says finally.

“Yeah, I have to work tomorrow, anyway.”

“Me too,” Evan says so dryly that I have to laugh. He tosses the washcloth toward the bathroom and rolls on top of me. In his arms, I fall asleep immediately.

Chapter 17 – Evan

Practice is fun.

I think it’s hilarious anyway. I’m not entirely sure if Valentina told Sid that she talked to me, but I have to tease our rookie. I would never risk a game. Today’s day off and the relatively easy practice, however, are too tempting.

With a swing, I plow into Sid and slam him against the plexiglass. His astonishment is palpable and I want to laugh out loud.

“You’re giving the kid a hard time today,” Blake finally says, and I know I have to back off.

“No problem. I’ll go easy on him.”

“That’s not what I mean. But you’re really intense.”

I grin at him. “I promise, I have a reason. A funny one, actually. I promise. I’ll tell you in a minute. But Sid and I have to talk to the coach first.”

He whips his head around and sizes me up. “That doesn’t sound good.”

“I promise, it’s all good.” I glide away from him again and pass to Sid. So sharply and quickly that, instead of catching the puck, he dodges it. I raise both hands. “What’s going on? Already done with practice?”

His expression is almost panicked. I have to stop. Sid hasn’t done anything wrong. If he’d gotten involved with the wrong person, though, he’d have a whole different set of problems right now. I think I need to have a serious talk with him after all. Falling in love is all well and good. But completely neglecting the team in the process is reckless.

What the hell am I thinking? My own words echo in my head. What a mess. Would I ask someone to put their personal happiness on hold for the team? Am I asking more of Sid than I’d want for myself?

I turn my head to stretch my neck. Where’s the line? Isn’t there a difference between Sid and me? If I come out it’s sure to bother one person or another. Is that the same as getting involved with a teammate’s girlfriend?

Nonsense. Those two things aren’t comparable.