Page 70 of Ice Cold Heart

My wife…

The resounding yes echoing in my head called up an immediate defensive response. It felt a lot like fear, but I ignored the tight, hot ball in my gut and focused on all the reasons things could possibly go wrong. We were too young, he was too perfect, it was too fast. Over and over again circling in my head. Underneath it all lurked my dad’s request not to distract Cole when they had a real chance to win the Frozen Four.

I’d planned to talk to him about that tonight. After a couple of weeks forcing myself to stay away from him, I was miserable. Didn’t he understand I wanted to be with him, but the risk to him wasn’t worth coming clean? Not yet, anyway. Nothing was stopping us from waiting and dealing with a relationship after the season was over.

And nothing was stopping me from leaving before he forced my hand.

“I should go. You need to rest before your game tomorrow.”

His jaw ticked, clearly unhappy with my answer, and I got my first glimpse of Cole as his opponents must see him. Cold and hard. “So you do run.”

My response to his dismissal was instant and violent. “Get the hell off me.”

I’d spent too long dealing with people who claimed to care about me until my needs became inconvenient. He wanted an answer right now? Fuck him. I was taking my time whether he wanted it or not.

Cole immediately pushed himself up in a show of grace and strength. “This isn't over.”

“Yes, it is,” I growled, shoving him to the side to crawl off the bed.

He was supposed to be the good one. He was supposed to be understanding and kind, not gaslight me because I wasn’t ready for a relationship at his convenience.

“Don’t leave like this.” Cole didn’t beg or plead. As a matter of fact, he sounded annoyed. Awesome. I should never have come over.

“I’m not interested in yet another guy telling me why my needs aren’t important. I had plenty of that with my last boyfriend.” I let the b-word slip out, but I was too incensed to correct myself.

“That’s not fair, Avery. I know you’re scared of history repeating itself, but I would never hurt you.”

This time he did plead.

I was done. At least for tonight. A large part of me wanted to give in, partly to make things smoother and partly because I didn’t really want to leave. I wanted to stay here, curled up with him, in an easy, painless relationship that didn’t challenge me to grow. But our relationship wasn’t that simple. We had grown, and we couldn’t go back.

Cole wouldn’t hurt me. I knew it with a certainty that lived deeper than instinct, but I couldn’t promise not to hurt myself. If I had this much trouble walking away from him now, how much harder would it be later when he realized how much of a distraction our relationship would be?

He reached for my arm, but I sidestepped him. “Avery, if you walk out like this, I’m just going to follow you.”

Unacceptable. If I didn’t get clear soon, he’d convince me to stay. Convince me to go public. Convince me he was all I needed when I wasn’t ready.

I wasn’t ready.

With my emotions in a freefall of panic, I turned toward him. I wanted him to hear me clearly and see the sincerity on my face. “Platypus.”

Cole hissed in a breath. “Fine. The deal is gone, but that doesn’t mean I’m giving up on you. One argument isn’t the end of us, city girl. I’m in this for the long haul, whatever it takes.”

I slung my messenger bag over my shoulder and squared up with a glare. Now he wanted to compromise?

“As long as we do things your way?” I countered.

“Avery…” He reached for me again, and I skittered back, shaking my head.

Maybe he was right and I was over-reacting, maybe he stuck his head up his ass and didn’t know how to extract it. Either way, my fight or flight instincts were kicking in, making me feel like I might throw up. I should have waited until after playoffs like I’d intended. Reckless decision on my part, but I knew how to handle it.

“You have to back off, Cole. I need some time. Don’t text me. Don’t call me. Focus on your game tomorrow.” I dug deep and added a final word I knew would get the reaction I wanted. “Please.”

A furrow dug between his brows, and he nodded slowly. “I’m not giving you up,” he repeated.

I didn’t respond, though my throat closed tight at his expression. The coldness was gone, replaced by burning determination. He was absolutely not cowed by my refusal. If anything, it fueled him to hold on harder.

Cole stayed on the bed as I backed out of his room. Henry sat in the hallway, and she cocked her head at me when I closed the door with a quiet click.