He breathed in deeply and then let it out slowly. He’d never been nervous with a woman before, not like this, and he needed a little time to collect his thoughts so he didn’t say the wrong thing. “I knew Coach Rousseau’s wife was a world-renowned plastic surgeon and I figured even if she couldn’t help personally, she would know who the best person would be. I wanted to help. She’s just a baby.”

  Tears inexplicably filled Everly’s eyes as she nodded. “Yes. Thank you. It was…very kind.”

  “Kind?” He frowned slightly. “I love ye, lass. I’d do anything for you.”

  She took a step back, shaking her head. “No! You can’t say things like that. Not anymore.”

  “But I do.” He took a step toward her. “I screwed up. I was hurt that you hadn’t trusted me with who you were, after I thought I’d worked so hard to show you I was trustworthy and then…” He looked away. “And there was some of my own shit going on too. It’s not an excuse, but I’m human, and I was afraid.”

  “Afraid?” He finally had her attention. “Of me?”

  “Of us. Of what we have when we’re together.” He looked around. “Please, will you come home with me so we can talk in private? I have so much to say to you, but not here.”

  “I…” She looked in the direction of Gracie’s room. “I don’t want to leave Margot and—”

  “You are seriously not going to use me as an excuse!” Margot hissed, peeking out the door.

  “I’ll bring you back here when we’re done,” he said quickly.

  Everly glanced back at Margot but then nodded. “All right. Tell Gracie I’ll be back, okay?”

  Margot winked and nodded.

  Ian waited as Everly gathered her things and followed him to the elevator. She was limping pretty badly and he wanted to say something, but figured this wasn’t the time. He held his hand over the elevator door to make sure it didn’t close on her and then leaned against the side, watching her carefully. She seemed as nervous as he was and it broke his heart a little to see how much emotional distance was between them now.

  “Mum and the rest of the family loved the photos,” he said after an awkward silence. “She said she was going to email you.”

  “She called,” she replied. “I wasn’t sure how they would come out since that’s not my forte, but I was pleased with them too.”

  “You’re talented, Everly.”

  Her eyes met his. “I’ve worked really hard to hone my craft. It’s what I do, just like you play hockey.”

  He nodded, holding the door again as they got to the ground floor. “Let me run and get my SUV… You’re limping pretty bad and I’m all the way at the far end of the lot.”

  She looked like she might protest but then nodded. “Okay. Thanks.”

  He ran to get his SUV and quickly drove it up to where she was waiting. He got out and ran around to her side, opening the door and helping her in since it was a high step up. She looked sad and exhausted, which made him feel bad, and he wondered what the chances were she would sleep with him tonight. Not sex, he wasn’t selfish like that, but actually sleep beside him in his bed so she could rest.

  “May I hold your hand?” he asked as he pulled onto the street.

  She glanced at him. “You felt the need to ask?”

  He gave her a small smile as he gently laced his fingers with hers. “I don’t know how angry you are.”

  “I’m not angry anymore. I’m just sad that we’ve gotten to a place where you have to ask if you can hold my hand.”

  “I know, lass. I know.” He stared straight ahead. “Are ye hungry?” His accent was suddenly getting stronger and he wasn’t sure if it was because he was so nervous or simply because he knew she liked it. He hadn’t even realized he was doing it until just now.

  “I…could eat.”

  “How about we order Chinese and have it delivered to the house? You look tired.”

  “I haven’t slept more than four hours a night in…weeks.”

  “I’m sorry if that’s because of me.”

  “Because of you, because of Gracie, because my father almost got out of jail.” She shuddered a little. “Taking on extra work to help with Gracie’s expenses right now. It’s been a rough couple of months.”

  “I’m going to try my best to change at least some of that.”

  “I’m sorry I lied to you,” she said after a moment. “Up until the day you gave me the brooch, I was scared. You don’t know how many friendships I’ve lost once people found out who I was. In high school, my friends’ parents wouldn’t allow their kids to associate with me because they were afraid cops might show up at the house again, even though my dad was in jail.”

  “That must have been terrible.”

  “And my last boyfriend… Well, I honestly wasn’t that into him, that part of what I told you was true, but the end came when he found out my real name. He wanted nothing to do with me and while my heart wasn’t broken, it was embarrassing. It’s been like this since my dad’s arrest.”

  “I hate that it was my knee-jerk reaction as well,” he said, squeezing her hand. “I want to explain my behavior, though.”

  “And I have to explain mine, beyond what I just told you.”

  Neither of them spoke as he pulled up to the house he shared with Dax. He drove into the garage and closed it behind him, getting out of his SUV and going to help her out of the passenger side. She winced as she put her leg down and he slid an arm around her waist.

  “I’d really like someone to look at the knee,” he said gently. “What if I had the team trainer do it?”

  “It’s fine,” she protested mildly. “I’m supposed to rest it, but how can I? We’ve been back and forth to hospitals, then the flight, getting Gracie settled. I haven’t had time to breathe.”

  He opened the door from the garage that led into the house and when she nearly stumbled, he scooped her up in his arms. He carried her into the living room and set her on the couch.

  “All right, put the leg up and relax, okay? I’m going to get a menu from the Chinese place we like and—”

  “Just order.” She smiled at him. “You know what I like.”

  He smiled back. “Aye. I do.”

  They didn’t really talk as they waited for the food to arrive. Everly took a little time to freshen up in the restroom and finally hobbled back out to the couch, where Ian put her leg up on a couple of pillows.

  “Let me see the knee,” he directed her, motioning with his hand.

  She sighed and took the brace off. Her knee was still swollen, though not as bad as it had been two weeks ago. It should have gone down more than this, she noted, but it was her own fault.

  “Ah, love, I don’t like how this looks.”

  “I know, but as soon as we get through whatever Dr. Riser is going to do with Gracie, then I can rest it.”

  The delivery guy rang the doorbell and Ian brought in dinner, setting it out on the coffee table and grabbing a roll of paper towels from the kitchen. Everly picked up a carton of shrimp fried rice and took a bite, not realizing how hungry she was until now. Ian dug into a plate of moo goo gai pan and neither of them spoke until they were both stuffed.

  Ian scooted closer to her on the couch and reached for her hand again. “Do ye know how much I’ve missed ye, lass?”

  She gave a little laugh. “No, but the stronger your accent gets, the more I get the feeling you’re going to tell me.”

  “Aye.” He clasped one of her hands with both of his. “I don’t have any excuse for my behavior, but I need to explain.”

  “Okay.”

  “I’ve had a lot on my mind the last year. Not just hockey, but the end of my five-year deal with my grandfather and the like. You came into my life right at the end of all that, where I met with Granddad and he ultimately backed off, essentially giving me my freedom.”

  “But that’s not what you wanted,” she said knowingly.

  He shook his head. “No. I want it all and the more I realized that, the more I decided I was a selfish prick, that it wasn’t fair to my family for me to want my cake and eat it too. So to speak.”

  She didn’t respond, waiting for him to continue as she searched his face. Despite their breakup, she knew him pretty well, and had a feeling she knew what he was about to say.

  “When I found out who you were, I was thrown because I thought we trusted each other, so it felt like a betrayal on a personal level, but it also smacked me in the face with my own lack of honesty to my family, and maybe even to myself. So I took it out on you and it was wrong. I don’t know why I couldn’t admit to myself that while I want to keep playing hockey, I would never walk away from my legacy, the heritage waiting for me in Scotland, in whatever form that takes.”

  “I knew that. How come you didn’t?”

  He sighed. “I don’t know. It wasn’t until we’d been apart for a bit, and literally everyone told me what a numpty I was, that I realized how much of a mess I’d made of everything. I hope ye can forgive me, lass, because I’ve been a mess without you.”

  “Forgiving you is a given, but what have you decided about everything else?” she asked softly.

  “That’s just it. I dinnae have to decide anything… My family understands and Granddad gave in gracefully because he, and the rest of them, just want me to be happy. Not just me, of course, Isla and the boys too, but me because I was the one with a deadline. Eventually, I’ll stop playing hockey, and if Granddad passes before that, I’ll have to reassess, but for now, I’ve nothing more important to do than living my life and getting the woman I love to forgive me.”

  “We’re quite a pair,” she said, leaning back against his chest and stretching out her legs in front of her across the couch.

  “Why?”

  “I had a legitimate reason for keeping my secrets, of course, but the truth is that I held on to them because it’s safer. It makes me invisible to a degree and as long as I never tell anyone the truth, no one can get close enough to hurt me. I let Margot and Gracie become my family, in place of a husband and/or children of my own, because it was easier than having to go through the pain and humiliation of telling people about my father. When I met you, it was easy to lie because you were a stranger and initially, I figured we were having a summer fling.”

  “We knew it was more than that early on.”

  “Which is why I cried the first time we made love. I couldn’t articulate why I was upset at the time, but I’m sure the reality of how serious we’d gotten was digging into my subconscious.”

  “Is that why, when I reached out, you said it was better this way, with us apart?”

  “Yes.”

  “But it’s not better.”

  “No. It’s definitely not better.”

  “Do ye still love me, Everly?”

  “You have to ask?” She tipped her head up to look at him and he lowered his lips to hers.

  “Say it,” he whispered.

  “I love you so much.”

  “Enough to leave Seattle and move here with me?”

  “Enough to move to the moon with you.” She paused. “But not until we’ve gotten Gracie squared away.”

  “That goes without saying. And while I know you want to say no, let me help them financially. Please. It would mean a lot to me to do something beyond referring them to a doctor. Let me get them settled in a new place, someplace Margot can afford on her own.”

  She looked up into his gorgeous green eyes and there was no reason to say no. He could afford it and she would never leave Margot in a lurch. It was hard for her to take money from him, but this was for Margot and Gracie. There was one more thing to talk about, though.

  “What is it?” he asked softly, cupping her chin with one of his hands. “There’s a question in your eyes.”

  “Yes, it would mean a lot for you to help Margot so we can be together without me feeling guilty, but are you sure you’re ready for the fallout of being with me? Eventually, my father will make parole. If we get married, my real name will come out and you’ll be in the position of defending whether or not I know where he hid his billions.”

  “Do you?”

  40

  Everly didn’t hesitate. “If Mom knew where that money was, we probably would have disappeared the minute he went to jail. If she has no idea, I certainly don’t. And I sure as fuck wouldn’t be working multiple jobs to make ends meet if I did.”

  “Then it’s a nonissue. When and if it ever comes up, it has nothing to do with us. I make a lot of money and if anyone was to look into my finances, I can account for every dime. I’m going to assume that’s the same for you, so we don’t ever have to discuss it again.”

  “My name and/or face will be in the papers every time he comes up for parole, and if he actually gets out, it’ll be a shitshow.”

  “One that we’ll weather together.”

  “I never want to embarrass you or your family.”

  “You’ll never embarrass me. I love ye, lass.”

  She chuckled. “Your accent keeps getting thicker… Does that mean you’re tired or nervous or horny?”

  “All of the above?”

  “Hello?!” Tore’s booming voice made them both jump. “Are you guys naked?”

  Ian let his forehead drop to hers and they smiled at each other in amusement, despite the intrusion. “What d’ye want, mate?” he yelled back. “We’re busy.”

  “Did you give her the ring yet?” Tore called, peeking around the corner.

  Ian reached over and threw a balled-up empty bag in his direction while Dax simultaneously smacked him in the back of the head.

  “Ow!” Tore yelped at the same time as Ian said, “Freakin’ wanker.”

  “There’s a ring?” Everly whispered.

  He gave her a dirty look. “I don’t know what he’s talkin’ about, and if I did, it would be a surprise.”

  She bit her lip. “Sorry.”

  “You might as well come in,” Ian called to Tore and Dax. “You’ve ruined the mood anyway.”

  “Are you back together?” Tore asked, grinning at them. “But more importantly, is there any food left?”

  Ian glared at him but Everly burst out laughing.

  “Yes, we’re back together,” she said. “And yes, there’s some food left.”

  “Awesome.” Tore picked up Everly’s unfinished carton of fried rice and dug in.

  “Is Margot okay?” Everly asked.

  “Yeah, I’m going back and bringing her dinner,” Tore said. “She looked really tired so I told her I’d feed her.”

  “Then why are you sitting here?” Ian demanded of him.

  Tore paused, the fork halfway to his mouth. “Because I’m hungry?”

  “Wouldn’t it make sense for you to eat with Margot?” Ian pointed out.

  Tore frowned. “Yeah, I guess, but this is just a snack. I’m still growing, you know?”

  “Your nose is growing,” Ian muttered.

  “All right, out you go.” Dax snatched the fried rice from him. “Go on, get Margot some food. She’s hungry too.” He steered him toward the door and then turned to Ian and Everly. “And I’m going to bed.”

  “Good night.” Everly watched him go. “Now what?”

  “Now what?” Ian shook his head. “You have to ask? Now, I’m going to take my girl to bed and make love to her. That’s what.”

  “We still have so much to talk about.”

  “Yeah, but it can wait. As long as you love me and want to make this work.”

  “I do. More than anything.” She wound her arms around his neck. “But you’ve said that before.”

  “I made a mistake but we’re done with all that.” He got to his feet and lifted her as he did.

  They woke up early since Ian had a morning skate and Everly wanted to get back to the hospital and give Margot a break. She curled into his strong arms and breathed in his scent, reveling in the way it felt to be back together, to simply be together. Her knee was killing her and she’d only gotten a few hours of sleep—again—but it was worth it. Ian had a game tonight so he would probably be in worse shape than her, but based on the smile on his face when he opened his eyes, he didn’t mind a bit.

  “Is it time to get up?” he murmured.

  “Unfortunately.”

  “I’ll make it up to you later.”

  “Promise?”

  He kissed her in response, their lips coming together quickly and passionately, last night’s lovemaking not enough to satisfy them after nearly two months apart. She winced as he started to pull her on top of him and his hands stilled.

  “The knee? Dammit, you’re coming to practice with me and we’re going to have the trainer look at it.”

  Her eyes widened. “Oh, god, no. I’m sure no one brings their girlfriend to practice! I can’t just—”

  “You can and you will.” He reached down and felt her kneecap. “It’s swollen again. Let’s get in the shower and get ready to go.” He got up and scooped her into his arms once again.

  “Are you going to just carry me everywhere?” she asked, laughing.

  “Until your knee is better? Probably.” He set her down in the shower since they were both already naked.

  She turned on the water and he joined her. “I’m going to see if one of the girls can stay with Gracie tonight so you and Margot can come to the game.”

  “Girls?”

  “The other wives and girlfriends.”

  “Are you sure? I don’t know how Margot will feel about that.”

  “I think Tore can talk her into it…don’t you?”

  Everly grinned, thinking back to when Margot had first seen him. “She was a little tongue-tied, wasn’t she? I haven’t seen her act like that in years. But she’s too old for him.”

  “She might be just what he needs.” He tweaked her nose. “Just like you were what I needed.”

  “Tore doesn’t strike me as the kind of guy who’s going to marry an older woman with a kid.”

  “She’s what? Twenty-four? He’s turning twenty-three later this year. It’s not a big difference.”

  “What about his girlfriend?”

 

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