Page 105 of Hot Shot
We talked for a while, and I thanked him for stepping in during the fight. I know we have a long way to go in our relationship, but it seems like we’re headed in the right direction.
“I don’t know if I can forgive Madison for not telling me the truth about her father. Maybe I should just focus on my career.”
“Madison probably should have told you sooner. But what’s done is done. It wasn’t her fault that it came out the way it did. You said she wanted to tell you that night but Coach called.” Caleb takes a deep breath before continuing. “Do you think she said that to cover for herself? Or was she really going to tell you?”
That’s something that I thought about a lot the first couple of days after everything went down. Was Madison really going to tell me that night?
Was it a coincidence that she was going to tell me the same day the article came out, or was she going to keep hiding it from me? I tug at my tie.
“I trust her. If she said she was going to tell me, I have to believe her,” I finally say.
“That’s what I figured you’d say, but I had to ask,” Caleb says.
“I know.” I glance around at the guys standing around me, who have become not only teammates but my family.
“It is a lot of work to juggle a family and this career, but if she’s worth it, you make it work,” Caleb says. “Is she worth it?”
Before I can answer, Brody pipes up and says, “Your hockey career is short-lived. You’ve got ten years, if you’re lucky, fifteen. Love is a lifetime. Don’t give it up.”
I do a double take and raise my eyebrows at him. His eyes go wide, and he inhales a choppy breath.
Is he speaking from experience?My mind drifts back to New Year’s Eve and meeting his best friend.Maybe there’s something there.
Before I can ask him, Wes interjects, “How would you feel if in six months or a year you were out and saw Madison with someone else? Because you know she’d move on eventually.”
I growl at the thought of some other man kissing her, seeing her naked, giving her orgasms.Nope. No. Not happening. I scrub a hand down my face.
“That,” Wes says, pointing at me. “That’s all the answer you need.”
“You know what you need to do, go tell your girl that you love her.” Holt pats me on the back.
“He needs a grand gesture,” Wes says.
“No, he doesn’t. That’s only if he screwed something up.”
“Nope. They’ve gone two weeks without talking,” Wes argues back.
“I’m out.” Brody throws his hands in the air and backs away from us. Slinging his bag over his shoulder, he disappears out the door.
“What do I do?” I glance from Wes to Holt and finally to Caleb.
“Go over to her place. Tell her how you feel,” Caleb says. The other guys are all slowly nodding in agreement. That feels too easy, though.
“Can’t hurt,” Holt says, running a hand through his hair and grabbing his bag from the bench. “Are you good?” he asks, studying me.
“I’m good,” I say as I get to my feet, grab my bag, and follow the guys out, contemplating my next move.
Is it too late to show up at Madison’s door unannounced? Will she even answer the door for me?
I don’t know, but I need to do this tonight. I need to ease the ache in my chest that’s been there since the conversation in Coach’s office.
The road is quiet and thankfully the drive across town goes quickly because I need to make things right with my girl and tell her how I feel, if it isn’t too late.
I park my truck in Judy’s driveway and head to her apartment. Taking a deep breath, I knock on the door, relieved to see a light on. I hope that means she’s home.
“Hunter?” Madison says when she opens the door wearing one of my Storm shirts, a pair of sweatpants with a rip in the knee and her hair loose across her shoulders.
When she steps closer to me I notice her eyes are bloodshot. Has she been crying? “What are you doing here?”
