Total pages in book: 56
Estimated words: 54056 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 270(@200wpm)___ 216(@250wpm)___ 180(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 54056 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 270(@200wpm)___ 216(@250wpm)___ 180(@300wpm)
“Well, he didn’t. I’m fine.”
“You were unconscious for an hour.”
“Forty-nine minutes.”
He rumbles a growl, clearly not mollified.
“I’ll be fine,” I say. “You’ve had a concussion or three in your life.”
“Not like this,” he mutters.
I sigh, shaking my head. “You’re so stubborn.” I narrow my eyes on him, determination filling me. “Well, so am I. If you blame yourself, I’ll never forgive you, and I’ll never speak to you again.”
His face visibly pales. “You don’t mean that.”
“Yes, I do,” I say far more bravely than I feel. “You’ve spent the last twelve years of my life feeling responsible for something that wasn’t your fault. I refuse to stand by and watch you spend the next twelve feeling guilty for this.”
“Fuck,” he mutters, glaring at me.
I glare right back.
He breaks first, bowing his head. “I’ll try to let it go.”
“Try hard. You need to talk to someone, Micah. I’m serious.”
“I know.” He blows out a breath. “I’m already talking to Emilia. Have been since I upset you at the game.”
“Are you serious?” I cry softly. If I could get out of this bed right now, I’d strangle him. “You’ve been talking to her for almost two weeks already, and you’re still being a pain in the ass?”
“Well…yeah.”
I laugh despite myself, which only makes me groan.
“Fuck. I’m sorry. Don’t laugh,” he whispers, cringing. “I hate seeing you in pain.”
“I don’t like being in pain.” I meet his gaze. “But this is nothing compared to watching the two men I love most in the world come to blows, Micah. That really hurt.”
I see remorse written all over his face before he bows his head. “I’m an asshole,” he whispers.
“Yeah, you are.”
“You really love him, huh?”
“Since I met him,” I admit, my voice hoarse. “I tried so hard to fight it, Micah. At your wedding, I was mean to him. I tried to avoid him. I ignored him. I acted like he didn’t matter at all. But he didn’t give up. By the time the weekend was over, I was so in love with him.” I sigh quietly. “And I knew you’d never approve. I knew you’d react just like this.”
“I’m sorry, Wren. I just…fuck.” He huffs out a breath. “I know what this life is like. I know how hard you worked to find your own way after spending years in the back of that van. It’s fucking hard to watch you end up right back there, chasing someone else’s dream again.”
“Is that what you think?” I ask, surprised.
He jerks his chin in a nod.
“After my accident, you made me promise to chase my dreams instead of yours,” I murmur. “That’s what I’m doing now, Micah. I don’t care if he plays hockey for the rest of our lives or if I spend half the season in our bed alone because he’s on the road. That’s not a sacrifice to me. It’s part of loving him, just like following you around when I was little was part of loving you. I love him.”
“Fuck,” he mutters, scrubbing a hand down his face. I expect him to argue…but he doesn’t. “He feels the same way about you.” His eyes meet mine, his expression somber. “I’ve never seen him like he was today, Wren. When they loaded you into that ambulance…” He trails off, swallowing convulsively. “It was bad.”
“How would you feel if it were Elodie?” I ask, my heart squeezing in a vise.
He jerks his chin in a nod. “Been thinking that same goddamn thing all day.” He sighs heavily. “I wish like hell the two of you had been honest, but I’m not going to stand in your way. If he’s what you want, he’ll love you the way you deserve.”
Tears well in my eyes. He gets it. He finally freaking gets it.
“Don’t let this come between you,” I plead quietly. “He’s your best friend, Micah. He matters to you just as much as I do. And I’m the reason we didn’t tell you, not him. I think he would have told you on the phone that morning, but he kept it a secret because I was afraid to tear everything apart.”
“Not entirely accurate, little bird,” Archer rumbles from the doorway.
Micah and I both turn to look at him.
“I figured if he knew, there wasn’t a chance in hell you’d stay with me,” he murmurs, stepping into the room. “I needed time to convince you to fall for me.” He swallows, his gaze locked on my face. “Just didn’t realize you were already there.”
“I’ve always been there,” I whisper, my heart hammering against my breastbone. Even now, with Micah right beside me and my whole body aching, I want him in a way I’ve never wanted anything. I want his hands on me. I want his laughter. His smiles. His possession. I want everything. “I was afraid, but you didn’t have to convince me to love you, Archer. That was automatic.”