Pulse: Sport Romance (The Boys of Winter Book 6) (6 page)

T
he day
after Casey’s wedding, Nick has to go to work. But the last week of ski school is slow, and it is easy for him to get out early, especially since Rick knows I am leaving tomorrow. Nick arrives home to me loading the car. I toss a bag in the open hatch, and it thumps against the other two. With my skis and bike on the roof rack, there’s extra room in my Subaru.
Room for him.

I shake my head at my wishful thinking. Water is dripping from icicles on the roof of the apartment building and landing on the pavement in a chaotic beat that matches my heart as I ask, “Hey, how about steaks on the grill tonight?”

He holds up a canvas sack. “Already got them. And a nice red too.”

I smile because for our first date Nick grilled rib eye. But I’m not going to be crying today. I have thirty hours in the car to do that.

Nick must have brought home a few things from his locker in preparation for the end of the season. He has a bag on his shoulder, and his skis clap when he pulls them off of his car to snap them together. My trunk thuds shut, and I take the grocery bag from him as we walk toward the stairs.

He asks, “What else do you have to do before you leave tomorrow?”

“Nothing other than pick up my last paycheck from Rhinestone Cowgirl and say goodbye to Dannika. I was about to go do that. Want to come?”

His arm muscles flex below the short sleeve of his T-shirt as he holds his skis and climbs the steps. “No. I have a birthday cake to make.”

Nick glances over his shoulder at me, and his teeth gleam in the smile that won me over the first time I saw it. I say, “I was hoping you would. I love Nick cake.”

I do. Each year on my birthday he gives me a slice with a cup of coffee for breakfast. But I’ll be eating it on the road this year. He says, “I’ll pack you whatever we don’t eat so you can have it in Ohio.”

Nick holds the door open for me as my smile fades. He isn’t having any sadness either and asks, “Want your present early?”

“Of course. What did you get me?”

He chuckles. “Hang on, I’ll go get it.”

I go sit on the couch, and the throw pillow of crushed velour is soft under my hand as I stroke it while I wait. Nick returns with a small box wrapped in red paper. He hands it to me, and I purposely brush his hand as he does. “Thank you. I know I don’t deserve this from you.”

He shakes his head. “We agreed there will be no apologies or crying tonight. We’ve had a great thing, and I want our last memories to be happy ones.”

I nod quickly and slide my finger under the seam of the wrapping paper. It rips open, and I flip it over to read the logo. It’s from a fancy jewelry store in town.

I lift the lid and pull out a small velvet box. I open it to reveal a small diamond ring. I gasp when I remove it. It appears to be an estate ring done in the art deco style with a small stone in the center and tiny stones around it to make it appear bigger. “This is so beautiful. But...”

“But nothing. I bought this a while ago with the intention of it being an engagement ring.”

“Oh, Nick. I can’t.”

He chides me. “Yes, you can. I don’t expect you to wear it, but I want you to see it in your jewelry box and think of me.” He takes the box from me and says, “Call me selfish, but I don’t want you to ever forget what we had.”

I shake my head. “This should go to—” I can’t finish the words, because I know I don’t want it to go to anyone but me. I slip it on my finger. “I could never forget you. I don’t need a ring for that, because you’ll always be in my heart.”

Nick lifts my chin, and his eyes are full of moisture. I whisper because mine are too. “No tears.”

Nick smiles. “No tears.” He leans down to kiss me. It’s gentle and sweet, and salty moisture makes its way into both our mouths as tears stream down our cheeks.

When he pulls away, he clears his throat and says, “Go get your check, and I’ll work on dinner.”

N
ick stands
to clear the dessert plates, and I grab his arm. “I need to tell you something.” We shared a bottle of wine with dinner, and I’ve gotten my courage up.

“Don’t apologize for us. I’m going to be fine. My heart is broken right now, but I’m going to survive this.” He takes the few steps to the kitchen, and the dishes he carries clatter when he sets them on the counter. He says, “Hey, maybe we’ll look each other up on Facebook someday.”

I’m in the doorway and grab his arm. “Nick. Stop. I need to say this.”

He wipes his hands on his jeans. “Okay.”

My dinner rolls in my stomach, and I take a deep breath. “Do you remember the day we first met?”

Nick and I started off at Breckenridge as rookies together. He smiles. “Yes.”

“I fell in love with you that day.” I touch his arm. “It wasn’t supposed to happen.” I reach up and trace the plump lower lip that I’ll miss kissing. “I told myself it was okay because it would never last. But with each day, my love for you has gotten stronger.”

Nick takes my hand and lowers it to his chest to place it over his heart. He holds it there. “I feel the same way.”

“I’m about to ask you something that is so incredibly self-centered. But not asking you is too. You have the right to make this decision, and I shouldn’t have made it for you.” The cotton of his shirt is thin, and I grab onto it as if I’m falling as I blurt out, “Come with me. Please.”

“Yes.”

“What?” He answered so quickly I’m not sure I heard it right.

He grins at me. “Yes. I already planned to follow you. Next week I was going to pack up my car and drive to Long Island. I was going to camp out on your doorstep until someone let me in.”

“No.”

“Okay, I would have called to tell you I was there.” He tugs me into an embrace. “If you turned me away, I was going to find a job and a place to stay so I could stalk you every day until you took me back.”

I hit him. “Are you serious? You are so not the stalker type.”

“You’re right, but I bet your sister would have helped me.” Fresh tears are in my eyes as I process what this means. He says, “She said I was yummy.”

“Because you are.” Alex does love to stir things up. But she knew I’d be happier with him around, and I’m grateful she planted the seed. “But what about dev team? There isn’t a mountain close enough for you to teach. I’ll be lucky to get ten days in next winter.”

“Just because you can’t ski doesn’t mean I can’t. Dev team is about traveling. Maybe I can transfer to the East Coast division and be on their dev team.”

Nick’s face is full of the joy I feel. I ask, “Did you research this?”

“I may have asked a few questions at dev team tryouts. But if I can’t, so what? Megan, nothing matters without you.”

I recall Gretchen’s words. She’s a smart one, and I’ll have to make sure to tell her. “You haven’t really thought this through. Please tell me you haven’t quit anything yet.”

“Nope. But you can’t back out now.” Nick lifts me up and sets me on the counter. “You just asked me to come with you, and I am.”

Nick kisses my neck, but I push him away. “Okay, how about this. Come with me for the summer, and if you find out that you hate New York, you can come back next year.”

Nick grabs my wrists and holds them behind my back with one hand as he hooks a finger in my shirt and pulls it down. His breath is hot on my chest as he leans close and says, “I won’t hate New York if you’re there.”

“You have no idea what it’s like.” I arch up to his greedy mouth.

“To live the life of the rich and famous?” Small shock waves of pleasure roll through me as he releases my breast and flicks my nipple with his tongue. “I think I can take it.”

My breathing is quick as I say, “It’s not as glamorous as television makes it out to be.”

Nick pulls back and lets go of my hands. “I know that. But how can I hate the lifestyle if I haven’t tried it?”

“You’re sure you can be happy without skiing?” I pull his shirt up, and he grabs the hem to lift it over his head.

“Yes.” He tosses the T-shirt out of the kitchen, and it thuds on the hall floor softly. “I love the sport, but not nearly as much as I love you.”

His chest flexes under my hands as I press against it and lick the strong lines of his pecs. I pant out. “Same.”

“Then it’s settled. I’m coming.”

I slide my hand into the front of his jeans to grab him and say, “That’s the plan.”

P
reparing
to move in less than twenty-four hours is a monumental feat even when all you own can fit in a shared car. But I’m so overcome with the joy of not losing Nick, nothing else matters. His final bag bounces back as I try to shove it in the Subaru. He sold his car for half of its worth to some guy in ski school, and Casey and Lori are dealing with the household items that didn’t come with our furnished apartment.

I told Nick I’d buy him whatever car he wants if he decides to come back. He teasingly suggested he’d need a Land Rover like Christian and Dannika each have, and I seriously said if it was what he wanted, it was his. I’m not sure he’s wrapped his brain around how much money I already have.

The one glitch in our new plan is I’m supposed to sign the paperwork on the day of my twenty-sixth birthday, which is two days away. We’ll be doing a three-day drive in two. I slam the hatch door down quickly before the bag tries to jump out. I sigh as I lean against the car. The chill of the metal seeps through my shirt, and I shiver as I glance at the mountains. The ominous white peaks jut into the pale morning sky as puffy clouds float slowly east as if they’re leading the way.

I don’t turn when the door of our apartment slams, and Nick’s feet pound quickly down the wood stairs as he calls out, “That’s everything.”

Nick grabs my face in his hands, and his calloused fingers are rough on my cheeks. He kisses me quickly. “God, I love you.”

“I love you too. Now let’s get this show on the road.”

The Subaru bounces down the dirt street toward town, and I start to process the fact that this part of my life is over. But I haven’t lost the best thing in it. I glance over at the man I love driving us off to our new life, together.

On the way out of town, toward the interstate, we pass familiar cars and trucks as employees drive to work at the mountain. The next time I come here, I’ll be looking at this place with the eyes of a visitor instead of a local. My nails click on the glass face of my phone as I pull up the map. “Only thirty hours and forty-two minutes to go.”

Nick groans. “You’re not going to be one of those people, are you?”

“Hey, at least I don’t have to ask are we there yet. I used to drive my mother crazy wanting to know how much longer. I think that might be why I got a phone and she taught me how to navigate by the sixth grade.”

“Good. Um. Do you have to go to the bathroom?”

“Nick Merrill! You have to pee, and we’ve been in the car for fifteen minutes?”

“I forgot to go before we left.”

I sigh as if I’m annoyed, but I’m not. “Fine. But just so you know, every stop requires a snack.”

He grins at me as the blinker ticks for us to turn into a convenience store. “What are we getting?”

“Hmm, salty or sweet? How about coffee and a pastry?”

“Works for me.”

Cold air blasts at me when I get out to run into the store. Nick is in charge of pumping the gas.

I return with two coffees and a bakery bag in my hoodie pocket. The sack rustles as I hand it to him.

He opens the bag to peer in, and a big grin forms on his face. “Jelly donuts.”

I reach in and lift one out. I glance at him as he takes a huge bite. His words are muffled when he speaks with his mouth full. “You do love me.”

I reach over and swipe the bit of jelly that fell on his chin. It’s sticky on my fingers, and I say, “More than you know.”

A
fter a twenty-hour
drive and a few hours of sleep in a town past Cleveland, Ohio, we hit the road again for the final stretch. I’m driving first, and Nick’s breathing is indistinguishable in the seat next to me as he naps. My phone rings, and I grab it quickly before it wakes Nick.

“Hello, Mother.”

“I’m not sure what you’re thinking by bringing along a boyfriend.” Her voice is curt.

Fine thanks, how are you?
“Just crossed into Pennsylvania. Don’t worry, I’ll be there in plenty of time.” Nick stirs.

“I don’t think you understand what your new position requires. You aren’t going to have time for him.”

I bite my tongue to avoid saying something nasty in return, because I don’t want to get into anything right now. “I’m about to pull over for gas. I’ll call you back.”

The sun is just rising, and the orange glow over the horizon makes me flip the visor down and grab my sunglasses. The plastic is cold on my nose when I slip them on, and they fog up. I know my mother is upset because I cut the deadline so close, and because I haven’t had a thing to do with the company I’m about to take over. I’m not prepared, and nobody is more stressed about it than I am. Although, Alex loves to take charge, and she did a good job of sending the right materials to study. Surprisingly, I’m excited, because I’ve discovered a few areas we could expand to keep Bellae relevant in today’s cosmetics world.

Nick lets out a small moan, and I glance over at him. God, I’m the luckiest woman in the world. I’m so grateful he’ll be with me this summer as I learn to adapt to my forced-upon-me life.

Nick yawns and raises his seat back. His voice is husky as he asks, “Where are we?”

“Pennsylvania. How are you feeling?”

“Like I need a bathroom, coffee, and cake. In that order.”

I noticed a rest area sign a few miles back and answer, “Can do. You only have to hold on for about five miles.”

“How’s my birthday girl? Are you tired?”

“Not bad. The hotel coffee worked.” I pick up my travel mug and swallow down the lukewarm remnants.

“Did I hear you on the phone earlier?”

“Yeah, it was my mother, but I cut it short so I wouldn’t wake you.”

“That’s sweet, she called to wish you a happy birthday.”

“Actually she didn’t, she just wanted to know where I was. And to let me know she knew about you.”

“Megan.” Somewhere in Colorado, I explained that my family dynamics are a bit hostile, and Nick gave me a how-to-get-along-with-difficult-people lecture.

I sigh. “I know. People react to the way you treat them.”

“Good girl. I know your relationship is strained, but if you want this to go smoothly, you’re going to have to try.”

The steering wheel plastic is hard in my hand as I grip it tight. “Okay. Call her for me?” The best way to avoid an argument is to make her follow social etiquette. “And put it on speaker phone.”

White lines dance by on the gray asphalt as I wait for my mother to pick up the phone.

“Megan.”

“Hey Mom, you’re on speaker phone.”

“Lovely, I do so enjoy the background noise. It’s as if I’m on the road with you.” I roll my eyes at her sarcasm, and Nick places his hand on my arm to remind me to be nice.

“Nick and I should be there before dinner.”

“The distraction is named
Nick
?” I can see her mouth purse in annoyance, and she’s probably gotten up to pace.

“My boyfriend. And I told him you’d be thrilled to have him.”

“Right.” Her voice is strained, and now I’m sure she’s pissed that I called her on her social graces, but she hides it well. “Hello, Nick. It will be a pleasure to meet you.”

Nick says, “Thanks for having me, Ms. Russo.”

I thank myself for remembering to tell him what Mother likes to be called, and I say, “I’ll call if we get held up in traffic.”

“Thank you, that would be appreciated,” says my mother. There is a moment of silence afterward as I wait to hear words I know won’t come.

When the pause is too long, I say, “Bye.”

She doesn’t reply and ends the call. I sigh. It’s not that I care that my mother didn’t wish me a happy birthday. She’s painfully aware of what day it is. What bothers me is that Nick is seeing a piece of my life I’m not proud of.

He reaches over and takes my hand. “You okay?”

Please. This is nothing.
“Just fine.”

The blinker ticks as I slow to exit at the rest area.

He takes my hand again when we walk to the building, and I lean against him as he says, “She’s not thrilled about me coming, is she?”

“What? No. She was upset I didn’t tell her, because now she has so much to do to get ready for you.” I swing his hand as I try to make light of it. “She’ll have to use a lot of words to give orders. It’s so exhausting. She’ll be over it by the time we get there.” And she will. My mom can be quick to anger, but she’s also quick to move on.

Nick holds the door open for me, and we enter into the aroma of coffee and fried food.

Nick and I switch off driving every few hours, but when we get close to New York City, I make him stop so I can drive the rest of the way to Long Island. As we crawl over the George Washington Bridge in traffic, he looks grateful. The stench of exhaust and filth seeping through the air vents is culture shock for us both. Graffiti and drab buildings line the highway, and I say, “This is an unfair representation of the New York you’re going to live in. Wait until we get to the Hamptons. It’s pretty, even if it’s a nightmare to get there. You’re going to love being near the water.”

“Tell me about your house. Or should I say mansion?”

I glance at him quickly. “Estate. The house is big, but not huge. It’s the acres of land and what’s on them that make up the bulk of the investment.”

“So I won’t need a map to find my room?”

“No. We have three floors and eight bedrooms. Not sure how many bathrooms.” I flash him a grin. “I’ll give you the whole tour. I think you’ll like it.”

His voice gets lower, and he asks, “Do you have a boat house or something where we can get sweaty?”

I chuckle. “You watch too many bad movies. But you bring up something I hadn’t considered. We won’t be free to get naked whenever we want.”

A horn blares behind us, and I scan the tightly packed cars ahead of us to avoid getting stuck in the slow lane. Nick asks, “Are you planning on us living with your mom?”

He’s sitting up and holding the panic bar above his door. My Colorado boy probably hasn’t done much city driving. I answer, “Honestly? I haven’t thought about anything. I was too busy avoiding the situation.”

“Well, you’ve got me to help. I can find us something close to wherever it is you work.”

I dart my eyes from mirror to mirror, preparing to make a lane change. I whip the wheel to the left to swerve in the small space between two cars. “Babe, I’m sorry. I haven’t told you much at all, have I?”

Nick has a hand on the dash now too. But as the car in front speeds up, leaving a window of space, he relaxes and sits back. “Not really, but none of it matters. I’m looking at this as an adventure.”

“Good, because that it will be.” We get on another bridge, and the white toll tag I stuck on the dash at the beginning of the trip comes in handy. Nick whistles when he sees the amount we just paid for access to the Verrazano Bridge.

I say, “I’ll be working in the city. I don’t see you being happy there.” I sigh. “I won’t be happy there. Let’s get through the summer at my mom’s house, and we’ll figure it out.”

It occurs to me Nick has nothing to do this summer. He’s going to want a job, even if he won’t need money. Because I’ll be working so much, our time together will be limited. The traffic has thinned, and I reach over to take his hand. “Thank you again. Having you with me makes this so much better.” I’m not sure he realizes the sacrifice he’s made, and I vow to keep my man happy so he’ll stick around.